People often mention using calipers to determine b/f% but I find just meeasuring the belly circumference accurately challenging enough.

I have learnt I should measure my belly just below the navel (the tape will go over the hip bones) after standing up straight and exhaling. Despite that measurement depends on how taut the tape is - so I get readings between 80-90. Maybe I should just use jeans size; as 34 are loose and 32 are tight I ammost likely a 33 - would that be my belly circumference for estimating b/f %?

Using calipers is difficult enough; last week a trainer worked out I was 18% b/f today another trainer estimated it at 13-14%.

Comments welcomed.

Maybe I should just use jeans size; as 34 are loose and 32 are tight I ammost likely a 33 - would that be my belly circumference for estimating b/f %?

It's important to note how your pants fit - that is a useful indicator of progress.

But it is completely inaccurate for measuring the waist. This is due to several possible reasons - it's not clear which will play in your case, but it's common for the actual waist to be the different than the pants waist.

my waist is 34" yet my 32 pants are loose...

my waist is 34" yet my 32 pants are loose...


how tight do you pull the tape?

when my trainer measured by b/f this morning she told me I was on the thin side - I appear bigger as I have so much loose skin/ alot on my belly (so she said). So I don't know how tight the tape should be.

If I pull it as tight as poss then I measure 77 cms

I use MyoTape. It automatically retracts around the area being measured, so the degree of tightness is consistent each time.

my waist is 34" yet my 32 pants are loose...

That's because sizes are not real sizes anymore, they are vanity sizes to make you feel thinner :D

To the OP, I find that the Myotape works well to be reasonably consistent because you can use the spring tension in it to set the tightness vs guessing what you did with your hands last time with a true tape.

But a lot of things affect the measurement for me. Hydration, etc. So if I measure, I generally do it first thing in the morning before eating or drinking anything.

Your waist is higher then your belly button not lower. :rolleyes:

Pant sizes should be 1" bigger then your actual waist.

Low riser jeans need to be bigger because they sit lower then your waist.

What was the question :lol:

Your waist is higher then your belly button not lower. :rolleyes:

That's true, your waist is the smallest point around your middle. He's measuring his abdomen.

I generally track both. It is interesting to see the variance between the two, and for me, seeing those numbers converge means I'm losing fat. My waist measurement generally won't vary as quickly when I start to gain fat.

i measure the largest part, i figure it doesn't matter as long as you measure the same location consistently. besides, i don't care if my waist is only 10" but i do care if my waist is 10" and i have love handles that hang out 40"...

I have no belly button (removed during a surgery) so I measure in two locations--just above the hip bones and around the "love handles." To the OP, I'm 5'9" and with a waist (i.e., hip bone measurement) of 34" a waist-size 32" pant feels just about right. I just finished a 4-week minibulk and a subsequent 1-week cut. I'd estimate my BF in the 16%-17% range right now.

That's true, your waist is the smallest point around your middle. He's measuring his abdomen.

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I think he wants to use one of the measuring tape formulas to figure out BF%. If he does he needs to measure in the same areas the formula is designed for.

OTOH the formulas assume you store fat the same way. It's no different then the three spot caliper test. My fat isn't really in the spots the test calls for. But if you measure in the wrong spots the errors just get even worse.

I think I remember one tape measure formula using waist,neck and maybe chest. All areas I lost fat in first. So the formula for quite a while under estimated for me.

If he's just keep notes then it doesn't matter.

For Thrust bend over at the side. Helps if you put your hands on your hips. Your waist should be the spot your body bends at.

another thumbs up for the myotape, i have body fat callipers but I'm still not great using them accurately.

i pull myself in as much as i can and then let the tape do its thing, i figure this is going to give more consistent results then letting it out, i found myself subconsciously sucking it up slightly :lol:

Tbh I'm not really worried about applying formulas, if its going down then that's what i want, if it stops i need to check, if it gos up something is going wrong! (up to now its just going down though :bb: )

I measure just below the navel.