With the growing trend of virtual fitness training, and/or training on your own, there exists the need for individuals to know how to measure their body parts, towards their weight change & body compositional analysis, with a great degree of accuracy.
In this blog article we will:
- Give a brief overview of what the term “body composition” is.
- Give a brief overview re the value of taking measurements of your body, while on your fitness/body transformation journey.
- Outline the general parts of your body measured towards the assessment of your weight change & body composition.
- Explain & show how to take your body measurements specific for your weight change & body composition analysis.
- Brief on Measurements Limbs on Both Sides of Body Versus Measuring Limbs On Only One Side
Body Composition: Overview
“With respect to health and fitness, body composition is used to describe the percentages of fat, bone and muscle in human bodies. The body fat percentage is of most interest because it can be very helpful in assessing health.”
Source: UC Davis Health| Sports Medicine
Value of Taking Body Measurements: Specific for Your Fitness/Body Transformation Journey
Taking our body measurements at the beginning of our journey, and at specific date intervals while on our journey, will give us a good reference point to see how our size has changed. For those of you with the desire of toning, or bulking up, taking your measurements will aid significantly towards helping you see how your body parts of focus, have also changed. Combined with your bodyfat & weight values, and your body images; this will help significantly towards giving you a very accurate picture of the effectiveness, or, ineffectiveness of your current body transformation regime.
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General Body Parts Measured Towards Your Weight Change & Body Composition Analysis
The areas of your body generally measured by clinical or field exercise professionals are:
- Neck
- Arm
- Bust/Chest
- Waist
- Hip
- Thigh
- Calf
How To Take Measurements of Your Body Parts
Needed Equipment (if taking measurements by self): Tape Measure & Mirror.
Attire: Ideal is minimal garment, or close-fitted garment
Neck
Starting at “0” wrap the tape measure for close-fit around neck. Where the number on the tape measure intersect with 0, that’s what you record as your neck measurement.
Arm
Locate the midpoint of your arm. Ensure your arm (to be measured) is resting on your side (no flexing). Starting at “0” wrap the tape measure for close-fit around arm. Where the number on the tape measure intersect with 0, that’s what you record as your neck measurement.
Bust/Chest
Place the tape measure at the widest part of your bust/chest (generally 1-2 inches above nipple line). Starting at “0” wrap the tape measure for close-fit around bust/chest. Where the number on the tape measure intersect with 0, that’s what you record as your bust/chest measurement.
Waist
Traditionally, the measurement of the waist would’ve been at the most narrow point only. What we do is measure the smallest & largest points of the waist. Starting at “0” wrap the tape measure for close-fit around both points of your waist. Where the number on the tape measure intersect with 0, that’s what you record as your waist measurements. Be sure not to “hold in your stomach” while taking these measurements.
Hip
For this site, you should measure the widest point. You can identify this point easily by standing with feet together, and looking directly at your mirror.
Thigh
Similar to the arm, you’re going to locate the midpoint (thickest part) of your thigh. Starting at “0” wrap the tape measure for close-fit around your thigh. Where the number on the tape measure intersect with 0, that’s what you record as your neck measurement.
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Calf
For the calf your going to locate the thickest section. Starting at “0” wrap the tape measure for close-fit around calf. Where the number on the tape measure intersect with 0, that’s what you record as your neck measurement.
Brief on Measuring Limbs on Both Sides of Your Body Versus Measuring Limbs On Only One Side
There does exist fitness practitioners who’ll express that limbs on both sides of your body should be measured. What we’ve found through our experience of measuring over 1000 individuals, is that there generally is a difference of up to .5 inches between the two. This in our opinion is not significant of a difference to warrant measuring. If it were towards subcutaneous body fat depositional analysis, however, this would be different.
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About The Author
Oshane Bryant: BSc Geology, Geography Minor; ACE CPT since 2012; Jamaica Business Development Corporation (JBDC) Accelerator Graduate-2018 cohort; Licensed KUKIBO Martial Arts & Self Defense, Senior Instructor; OB Fitness Founder & Managing Director.