hi guys i just took my bf with callipers and the measurments wer
thigh 12mm
abdomen 13mm
chest 12 mm
it gave me a total of 10 percent bf

but my scale gives me 15%

i can see my top 4 abs fairly well so which one is right??

I recall someone(JS I think) noting that the scale got less accurate for BF as they got down to a lower BF. Calipers seem to be the most trusted method around here(short of a dip tank). Also, they say abs start to become visible around 10%. So I'd guess 10 is more accurate.

If you can see your top four abs "fairly well", you're not at 15%. 10% would be more likely.

post a picture. if you don't know the difference between 10 and 15%, then you might not being using your calipers correctly.



hi guys i just took my bf with callipers and the measurments wer
thigh 12mm
abdomen 13mm
chest 12 mm
it gave me a total of 10 percent bf

but my scale gives me 15%

i can see my top 4 abs fairly well so which one is right??

I got this off t-nation, it's just a very rough estimate so take with grain of salt:

1. Full House = No visible muscle definition. Bodyfat level = over 20%.

2. Hard = Some muscle separation appears between delts and upper arm. Abs are still not visible. Approx. bodyfat level = 15-19%

3. Cut = More muscle separation appears particularly in the chest and back, outline of the abs begins to appear slightly. Approx. bodyfat level = 12-14%

4. Defined = Muscle separations get deeper in the arms, chest, legs and back, and abs appear when flexed. Approx. bodyfat level = 10-12%

5. Ripped = Abs are clearly visible all the time, vascularity in arms is prominent, chest and back separation is obvious, and face is starting to appear more angular. Condition can be held indefinitely. Approximate bodyfat level = 7-9%

6. Shredded = Striations appear in large muscle groups when they are flexed. Vascularity appears in lower abdomen and in the legs. Condition can be held for several days with careful dieting. Approximate bodyfat level = 5-7%

7. Sliced = Muscles and tendons begin to appear in the face when chewing, striations appear everywhere and vascularity appears everywhere. Bodyfat levels are close to 3% and subcutaneous water levels are near 0. Condition can only be held for a few hours at a time. Not a healthy condition to stay in due to lower water level.

here is a pic guys tell me your honest opinion
and whether i should continue to cut or bulk

should continue to cut or bulk

I don't think a bulk would hurt. How long have you been cutting and how severe? If it's been a while, give you muscles a break and feed them so they can get bigger and nastier.

bulk.....slowly

take the average of the 2 results BTW....probably about 12%-13%

Yep, slow and clean bulk - get you some chest, shoulders, and arms. :tu:

Yeah, looks like you are lean except for "The spot" which everyone fights at the end of a cut. I'd say bulk. You could definitely add to your arms and chest, and don't forget to work legs!

ok thanks for the advise i know what you mean by a clean bulk but what do u mean buy a slow bulk, how much should i gain per week??
and how much do you think i should put on in total before another cut?? why im asking is because i was thinking of putting on a good 10-13kg in the next 6 months do you think that i would look FAT at the end of that if i did regular cardio a solid weights program and ate clean foods??

A slow bulk would mean that you add maybe 3-400cals/day per week until you're gaining 1-2 lbs/wk. You can still track your measurements and make sure you're not packing on fat. Let's see. 10kgs=22lbs. Ok, so over 6 months that's just under 1lb/wk, right? So I think your goal is reasonable. I don't think you'll look fat. Even though you'll be less lean, you'll have more muscle to help you with your next cut, so you can take the fat off faster next time.

And if you don't like the way things are going, you can always cut out a few calories until your weight gain slows. You won't suddenly wake up fat one morning 3 weeks from now.

ok kool, because i want to compete in next years comp at my local gym for my weight division, so do you think if i bulked from now 10-12kg and then cut 5-6kg b4 the comp things should look alright

1. Full House = No visible muscle definition. Bodyfat level = over 20%.

2. Hard = Some muscle separation appears between delts and upper arm. Abs are still not visible. Approx. bodyfat level = 15-19%

3. Cut = More muscle separation appears particularly in the chest and back, outline of the abs begins to appear slightly. Approx. bodyfat level = 12-14%

4. Defined = Muscle separations get deeper in the arms, chest, legs and back, and abs appear when flexed. Approx. bodyfat level = 10-12%

5. Ripped = Abs are clearly visible all the time, vascularity in arms is prominent, chest and back separation is obvious, and face is starting to appear more angular. Condition can be held indefinitely. Approximate bodyfat level = 7-9%

6. Shredded = Striations appear in large muscle groups when they are flexed. Vascularity appears in lower abdomen and in the legs. Condition can be held for several days with careful dieting. Approximate bodyfat level = 5-7%

7. Sliced = Muscles and tendons begin to appear in the face when chewing, striations appear everywhere and vascularity appears everywhere. Bodyfat levels are close to 3% and subcutaneous water levels are near 0. Condition can only be held for a few hours at a time. Not a healthy condition to stay in due to lower water level.


Hm, that's a very interesting and handy rough guide. I use a variety of measurements and they vary from as low as about 10 to about 16. I dunno, my body is weird-- I look a lot chubbier when I let it all hang out. When i stand normally, I can start to see definition, and I am actually pretty pleased with what I look like when I flex. Seriously, if my abs looked like they do when they are flexed all the time, I'd be happy. :) I'm guessing that puts me around 12 - 13 or so. Maybe my Omron is right-- it has me at 12.9%.

I'm guessing that puts me around 12 - 13 or so. Maybe my Omron is right-- it has me at 12.9%.[/QUOTE]
upload a pic if possible

I'm guessing that puts me around 12 - 13 or so. Maybe my Omron is right-- it has me at 12.9%.
A blind hog can find an acorn sometimes. Get an effective weight program and lift hard iron.:bb:

Maybe my Omron is right--

Accidents will happen.

14-16% bf