Fat percentage handlebar thing at the gym

ChuckgM3

you know that thing that you grip with both hands and hold out in front of you, it takes your bmi (calculated from your height and weight and age that you input) and then measures your HR I'm assuming, and tells you your body fat%..

How accurate is it vs the caliper tests?

How the heck does it work?

lordofultima

It sends electric pulses through your body and based on how it travels through different types of bodymass (lean muscle, fat, and water) it calculates an estimated bodyfat %. It's about as accurate as skin fold caliper tests in my opinion, and by that I mean both methods are fairly approximate, so don't take it to heart. Just use it as a guide, as long as it's consistently inconsistent, it's enough to graph progress on fat loss.

MariSama44

I have one of these at home. It keeps me on track for the most part, but I never hope for an absolutely accurate reading..just something to guide me. Calipers are more accurate, but you have to know where to take measurements and I just haven't got time for it.

The electonic body fat analyzer works by sending a weak electric signal through your arms. when it recieves the signal it sent through your arms, it measures the reisistance in your body. the fat in your body is more resistant to electricity than other tissues/water, so it can guess at how much fat is in you.

Its a rough guess but like I said, for me its a loose guide so I dont mind the slight inaccuracy. You also have to be mindful to use it before you've consumed liquids/foods and all that, so I do my testing in the morning when I get up.

The body fat analyzers in scales are basicly the same thing ,but for legs. They tend to be even less accurate because on the average person theres more fat in the lower extremities, so when you take this reading through your legs expect a slightly higher percentage.

nebulas

Cool information, I always wondered how those things work.

BR1986FB

Perfect timing...I was skeptical as to how accurate the hand held sensor bodyfat measuring tool was that I have so I set up an appointment to get measured in a BodPod. These "pods" are supposed to be the most accurate measuring tool, along with some other test, for measuring bodyfat. I got the test done and the girl told me to go home and use my hand held tester to get a feel for how much mine was off. I did it when I got home and the hand held model had the EXACT same reading, to the .10, as the BodPod.

TrainingWithTonya

A primer on Body Fat Calculations:

Least Accurate--Formulas based on measurements and calipers. They basically look at the topical body fat (body fat directly under the skin) and not the visceral body fat (body fat around the organs). No matter how many times you do them they still can't "see" the fat deep in the body. They will also vary depending on the skill level of the person administering them. Someone who has practiced for a while and has been properly trained in using calipers will be more accurate then someone who just buys a pair of calipers at GNC with no training in how to properly pinch with them, but even with proper training, there is a 10% window of variability.

Moderately Accurate--Bioelectrical Impedance (BEI). There are several ways that bioelectrical impedance can be done. The cheapest and least accurate are the scales and handheld devices that use an electrical current through half the body. The scales go through the lower half of the body and the handhelds go through the upper half of the body. Because they don't look at the whole body, they can over or under estimate body fat percentage. To be more accurate with bioelectrical impedance, you should use a professional device that hooks electrodes up at the hands and feet to scan the whole body. These are typically only available in clinical settings or high end gyms. The drawbacks to any BEI are that water levels will influence the reading. The more hydrated you are, the lower the reading of body fat %. Also, some scales don't do BEI, but give you a reading for BMI. BMI is body mass index and has nothing to do with body fat %. It is merely a height to weight ratio that is used for population classification because it is easier to acquire the numbers for large populations because you just have to ask them their height and weight instead of actually scanning their body for accurate body fat percentages. .

Most Accurate--Bod Pod, Hydrostatic Weighing, DEXA Scan. These are much more accurate but are extremely expensive so they are usually only offered at universities, hospitals, etc. Bod Pod is a way of measuring air displacement while you sit in this thing that looks like a giant egg, in basically only your underwear. Hydrostatic Weighing is similar in that you are in as few clothes as possible. You then have to blow out all your air (or as much as possible) so that you can be weighed underwater because fat floats and muscle, bones, organs, etc. sink. DEXA Scan is kind of like an x-ray or MRI. It scans the whole body and literally sees the fat and muscles. It would be the most accurate but also the most expensive.

BR1986FB

The BodPod only cost me $25 so I wouldn't say it was expensive. The other forms of testing might be.

TrainingWithTonya

The BodPod only cost me $25 so I wouldn't say it was expensive. The other forms of testing might be.

You got a great deal. The Bod Pod at our school cost $50,000 so most places that have them either use them strictly for research and teaching (like our school) or charge out the nose to do the test to make their money back.

BR1986FB

The BodPod only cost me $25 so I wouldn't say it was expensive. The other forms of testing might be.

You got a great deal. The Bod Pod at our school cost $50,000 so most places that have them either use them strictly for research and teaching (like our school) or charge out the nose to do the test to make their money back.

Local college purchased it a year ago.

ChuckgM3

Thanks for the information Tonya.

With my body type, I'd imagine that a signal that only went through my arms or only went through my legs since 99% of my fat is in my middle.

I thought it was odd that my BMI is 29 (well overweight) and my BF% was only 20% (considered normal) but being well hydrated with lean arms could cause that.

heathersmilez

The body fat analyzers in scales are basicly the same thing ,but for legs. They tend to be even less accurate because on the average person theres more fat in the lower extremities, so when you take this reading through your legs expect a slightly higher percentage.

THANKS! Good to know b/c my office has a nurse come in once a year and uses the hand-held device. When I went to a gym they had the scale-type and my body fat was 5% higher, gross!

I do understand however that they both aren't as accurate as the bod-pod. I've looked in the Toronto area to see if anyone has it for public use, not luck as of yet.

Lyadeia

I've noticed that the hand held thing tells me something very different from what I was used to seeing. I get my body fat tested by a professional using the calipers...and it comes out to 23.8%...and then the same week I go to the gym and some guy at the desk says "here hold this" and it tells me that I have 26% body fat. (That was a few years ago, but I can imagine the tests still being very different results)

Personally, I feel like whatever method you use, just stick to that one! That way you see the change over time since it is being measured the same way. The progression of change is what really is important since the ways we measure (none of the home ways) are exceptionally accurate. When "they" invent a way that is more accurate than the others and closer to the methods that you get done at a hospital or university, then I will switch to doing that. :flowerforyou:

TrainingWithTonya

Thanks for the information Tonya.

With my body type, I'd imagine that a signal that only went through my arms or only went through my legs since 99% of my fat is in my middle.

I thought it was odd that my BMI is 29 (well overweight) and my BF% was only 20% (considered normal) but being well hydrated with lean arms could cause that.

BMI is bogus. It isn't a reflection on body fat percentage for anyone who carries a high amount of muscle mass. So, at 20% body fat (even with a handheld that has a 4% +/- range of accuracy) I'd guess that you have a high enough muscle mass that you throw off the BMI ratings. Most body builders register as obese on BMI ratings, so don't worry about BMI. Focus on BF%. You're doing fine!

Lyadeia

I don't trust BMI either, cause my BMI is typically borderline obese even though I am a size 6, 140 pound, 5'5" female. Go figure.