A skin fold test with a special skinfold caliper is considered to be the more accurate way to estimate body fat percentage than methods that use simple tape measurements. Caliper should be placed 1 cm away from thumb and finger perpendicular to skinfold and halfway betweencrest and base of fold. Skinfold measurements measure subcutaneous fat located under your skin and not visceral fat located within your abdomen. Triceps vertical fold on the posterior midline of the upper arm halfway between the bony processes shoulder and elbow. Measurements are taken at either 3 or 7 different sites on the body. The body fat calculations are based on the jacksonpollock 3 site caliper method.
All calculator measurements should be made on the right side of the body. The caliper testing method of body fat measurement works on the notion that 50 percent of total body fat lies under the skin. Pinch should be maintained while reading the caliper. If you dont have a skin fold caliper i suggest you try the military body fat calculator instead which only requires a tape measure and 2 or 3 body part measurements. Or if you do have a skin fold caliper but would prefer fewer than seven sites feel free to use the 3 site body composition calculator which is based on a 3 site skin fold test. Direction of fold is vertical and is taken two centimeters to the side of the umbilicus.
The instructions on how to perform the caliper measurement of fat are. By doing this at the key locations can be a quite accurate representative of the total amount of fat that is on your body it is also possible to estimate the total percent of bodyfat on your body. These metrics are best combined with circumference measurements and weight to create a complete picture of your health. Position the caliper perpendicular to the fold about 1 centimeter beneath the thumb and index finger then press on the thumb pad. Read the dial two seconds after you release the trigger. 4 site skinfold durnin womersley protocol.
Thigh vertical fold on the anterior midline of the thigh half way between the proximal border of the patella and the hip. The skinfold caliper is a device which measures the thickness of a fold of your skin with its underlying layer of fat. Skinfold caliper body fat calculator this caliper body fat calculator is a skinfold method of determining total body fat percentage lean body mass fat body mass and bmi. Pinch the skinfold with your left thumb and index finger so the fold is 1 centimeter above the site. Wait 1 to 2 s and not longer before reading caliper. Choose from 3 site 4 site 7 site and 9 site skin fold options below.
Skinfold calipers measure the thickness of your subcutaneous fat the fat underneath the skin at certain body locations.