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Skinfold Caliper Question

Firehawk734 Posts: 295 Joined: 2002/07/31	2003/02/25, 11:36 PM Hey guys, I FINALLY got my pair of digital accu-measure skinfold calipers. I have the directions on how to measure and all that, but i am getting super low readings and its OBVIOUSLY wrong. I should be around the 30% range in body fat. The way I am doing the skinfold, is grabbing ONLY THE SKIN, not the fat underneathe, and pinching it, and measuring that part. IS THIS CORRECT??? Because i am only getting like 4mm for a measurement, and its saying I am 2.3% body fat, LOL. The skinfold diagrams appear to have u only grabbing the skin on top, then pinching it and taking the measurement that way. But it appears that I should be grabbing the fat underneathe too because then i would get a range much closer to 30mm. Can anyone help?? I have figures showing exactly where to take the measurements so I am pretty sure its in the proper area.
Philia2 Posts: 4,078 Joined: 2001/10/19	2003/02/26, 01:51 AM Well I guess the only solution is to get a trainer (or somebody who knows!) to take you body fat% .......... -------------- - Nina :o) Les Victoires éternelles sont celles du coeur.
Firehawk734 Posts: 295 Joined: 2002/07/31	2003/02/27, 12:55 PM I WANT TO KNOW HOW TO DO IT THOUGH!
JennVice Posts: 120 Joined: 2003/02/25	2003/02/27, 03:54 PM well... it's definately going to be hard doing it by yourself... you actually need more than "just" skin. There is a little that you do want. You don't want to pinch too hard. Be very gentle. Mostly, calipers might not be right for you. Did you think of trying the bioeletrical impedence? It works better. Calipers are good on people with lower body fat.
Carivan Posts: 8,542 Joined: 2002/01/20	2003/02/27, 05:05 PM Hey firehawk...get your wife or girlfriend to help you do it. Don't forget, you have to add all the areas together and take the average. At 2.3% sounds like just on your tricep! -------------- Nothing is too small to know, and nothing is too big to attempt! Ivan Montreal Canada
Firehawk734 Posts: 295 Joined: 2002/07/31	2003/02/28, 12:07 PM No, With the accumeasure digital skinfold calipers, it takes 3 measurements and calculates your body fat percentage. I need to know HOW to do the skinfold properly! No, I dont want to have to go to a doctor, no I dont want to use one of the bodyfat scales, because those are much more inaccurate given hydration. If anyone can describe to me the proper way to get the skinfold, please tell me. Thanks
Firehawk734 Posts: 295 Joined: 2002/07/31	2003/03/01, 07:40 PM Come on, someone else MUST use body fat calipers....my God a place full of people that watch their fat closely and nobody can tell me how to use one??? LOL sheesh Come on people...
Carivan Posts: 8,542 Joined: 2002/01/20	2003/03/01, 07:46 PM Pinch the skin on your tricep and take a reading, thats why it takes 2 people. For your waist, take your 3 middle fingers stick them in under your belly but over your hip and pinch with your thumb, take a reading there, and finnaly pinch the skin on your calf and take a reading there. Its kind of hard to describe in writing. You can also pinch the skin on your back shoulder blade and take a reading. Hope this helps. -------------- Nothing is too small to know, and nothing is too big to attempt! Ivan Montreal Canada
Firehawk734 Posts: 295 Joined: 2002/07/31	2003/03/03, 12:21 PM Thats not where the manual recommends to take the readings with these digital accumeasure calipers. These calipers are designed for people to be able to take the measurements themselves. My concern is HOW to do a skinfold measurement. I was just pinching the skin in those areas, but coming up with extremely low readings, and my % should be around 30% or so. Are you supposed to have some fat in between the pinch as well???!!!
Carivan Posts: 8,542 Joined: 2002/01/20	2003/03/03, 06:31 PM yes if you hav some to pinch, especially over the hip and the tricep area. take about as much as you can pinch, if you go to a gym, bring the calipers with you and ask them to show you. -------------- Nothing is too small to know, and nothing is too big to attempt! Ivan Montreal Canada
Firehawk734 Posts: 295 Joined: 2002/07/31	2003/03/04, 12:20 PM I dont go to the gym. I work out at home. This is the whole point of getting the calipers...to keep track myself. The caliper INSTRUCTIONS say to grab near the chest, near the belly button, and on the quadricep. But it says to only grab the skin , not the underlying fat tissue...see but that has to be wrong!
Carivan Posts: 8,542 Joined: 2002/01/20	2003/03/04, 03:29 PM Well I would follow those instructions. Maybe because they are digitil the way it is done is different. Do they have a 1-800 number? If so give them a call! -------------- Nothing is too small to know, and nothing is too big to attempt! Ivan Montreal Canada
Firehawk734 Posts: 295 Joined: 2002/07/31	2003/03/06, 02:32 PM I TRIED TO FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS!!!!!!!!! Thats when i was getting like 2% body fat , which cannot be correct. sigh.... well, i am shocked nobody on here knows about this, with the infinite wisdom of all these body builders and they have never done their own body fat with skinfold calipers... sigh.
johnguy Posts: 104 Joined: 2003/01/29	2003/03/06, 06:43 PM Firehawk: all the test I remember havin done were tricep pinch etc by a trainer. agree w/ carivan hard to do on your own. you might want to cal la 1-800 and get them to help you.