BF Measurement, WEIRD!!! Tanita, Athletic?

[andros]

My tanita had been saying my BF was 15% all of last month pretty consistently.

Then i discovered the "Athletic Setting", and suddenly my BF was 7.5%.
:wtf:
I got confused and bought calipers and did a 7 point test X3 the average result was 7.5%

SO what the hell is the "Standard Setting" on the Tanita? Are than more than 1 type of BF %?


I'm so confused.

 

[CROWLER]

Tanita scales are pretty wacked. I am 6' tall and when back in the day when I was doing triathlons at 160lbs Tanita said I was 28% BF.

When you were told you were 15% did you think it is correct? Diff between 15 and 7.5 is like night and day.


CROWLER

 

[andros]

The weirdest thing is that i think that i'm more like 15 than 7.5% 7.5 is ultra lean. But the pinchers cant be wrong though or?

 

[andros]

And whats up with teh Atheltic/Standard setting?

 

[Beowulf]

Tanita's are garbage. I've used them at the same time on different days within the same week and gotten close to !0% range.

 

[andros]

I agrre they are garbage. But what is the deal with the AThletic mode vs STandard Mode and how come the readouts are so different? Athletic mode says my BF is 7.5 same as the pinchers.
Can i even trust the pinchers cause i didnt think i was that lean?

 

[The Godfather]

I agrre they are garbage. But what is the deal with the AThletic mode vs STandard Mode and how come the readouts are so different? Athletic mode says my BF is 7.5 same as the pinchers.
Can i even trust the pinchers cause i didnt think i was that lean?

It would use a different equation. The equations are used to estimate body composition partly based on averages for your age and height. I am talking in terms of things like visceral fat that bot the scales and the calipers cannot measure. A standard setting would assume a more sedentary lifestyle and therefore a higher amount of visceral fat with the same subcutaneous fat while an athlete would have a lot less.

 

[andros]

Thanx Godfather! And the Pinchers? I used an average based on 3 x 7 point measures which turned out to be 7.5. I can trust that pretty well right plus minus a percent or 2?

 

[The Godfather]

Thanx Godfather! And the Pinchers? I used an average based on 3 x 7 point measures which turned out to be 7.5. I can trust that pretty well right plus minus a percent or 2?

Well obviously the calipers are estimates as well and the results are only as good as the measurer but if your readings were pretty close than I would say + or - 2-3% is an accurate range.

 

[andros]

Awesome! Thank you man.

 

[same_old]

LOL....andros you obviously wanted someone to tell you that you were around 7.5%, apparently so you can tell people that, or believe that it's true? not sure what the obsession is with that number...

 

[andros]

Ahahahahah, I guess. I just couldnt believe it since my scale had been telling me i was 14-15% for 4 months. I honestly believed the Tanita, since i'm not super ripped like my buddy whose BF is 8. :lol:

 

[hypo]

why don't you post a pic of yourself? It'd be pretty easy for us to guess a BF% +/- 2 or 3% with all the experienced people here, and it would be more accurate than a bodyfat scale.

I never understood where the age came into the BF equation. A 40 year old athlete can be in much better shape with sub 10% bodyfat while a 20 year old couch potato could be much worse. Metabolism has nothing to do with your BF% (or at least measuring it), so what gives?

I guess the only accurate way to test is that water submersion test. Anyone know how much it costs?