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How to Calculate Body Fat From the Pinch Test

Everyone is looking for ways to get fit and healthy. It is helpful--and an excellent motivator--to chart your progress along the way. This allows you to see real improvement, no matter how incremental. Measuring your body fat with skin fold calipers is a private, inexpensive way to do this task. Although not 100 percent accurate, skin fold measurements are a very good indicator of body fat levels. For the most accurate estimation of body fat percentage, you will need to take four readings. Due to location of some of the readings, you will need someone to assist you.

Things You'll Need

  • Skin fold calipers
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Instructions

  1. Where to Take Measurements

    • 1

      Know that reading one requires taking a measurement on the back of your upper arm (triceps). Grasp the skin fold in a vertical direction midway between your elbow and shoulder.

    • 2

      Know that reading two requires taking a measurement on the front of your upper arm (bicep). Grasp the skin fold in a vertical direction midway between your elbow crease and shoulder.

    • 3

      Know that reading three requires taking a measurement on your waist. Grasp the skin fold in a horizontal direction just above the hip bone protrusion.

    • 4

      Keep in mind that reading four requires taking a measurement on your back, directly below your shoulder blade. Grasp the skin fold at a 45 degree angle at the lower tip of the shoulder blade.

    How to Take Measurements

    • 5

      Measure on your dominant side (if you are right-handed, measure on your right side and vice versa). Pull up the fold of skin and the underlying fat layer.

    • 6

      Press down tight on the caliper trigger. Grasp the skin fold and fat layer with the caliper jaws. Be careful to only pinch the skin and fat, not the muscle. Continue to firmly hold the skin fold.

    • 7

      Release the caliper trigger and allow the caliper jaws to close tightly on the skin fold. Do not release your fingers from the skin fold while taking the measurement.

    • 8

      Allow the caliper jaws to "drift" along the skin fold. When the drifting slows, read the measurement and write it down.

    • 9

      Add up the four readings. Determine your body fat percentage by reading the charts. See the Resources section for a link.

    • 10

      Locate your caliper reading total in the left-hand column of the chart. Then, using the appropriate age and gender column, locate your body fat percentage. If your caliper reading total falls between two numbers in the left-hand column, take the body fat percentage readings from both totals and average them.

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