# Body fat?



## harrison180 (Aug 6, 2013)

My scales say I'm 11.5% body fat. How low does body fat have to be to get good definition?

whats the lowest you have ever been?


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## FelonE1 (Dec 23, 2013)

harrison180 said:


> My scales say I'm 11.5% body fat. How low does body fat have to be to get good definition?
> 
> whats the lowest you have ever been?


Wouldn't trust bf scales mate. Before I started this cycle I was about 11 percent


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## harrison180 (Aug 6, 2013)

FelonE said:


> Wouldn't trust bf scales mate. Before I started this cycle I was about 11 percent


I'm just using them as a rough guide mate. I have weighed myself on them a few times to see if the results change but they only drop like point 1. Eg 11.5 to 11.4%


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## saxondale (Nov 11, 2012)

harrison180 said:


> I'm just using them as a rough guide mate. I have weighed myself on them a few times to see if the results change but they only drop like point 1. Eg 11.5 to 11.4%


Machine doesn't work mate, end of. Stick a picture up, some cruel git will tell you your 30 odd%

Still hurts, tell you


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## andyhuggins (Nov 21, 2008)

harrison180 said:


> My scales say I'm 11.5% body fat. How low does body fat have to be to get good definition?
> 
> whats the lowest you have ever been?


The lowest I have been is sub 5%.


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## Bad Alan (Dec 30, 2010)

andyhuggins said:


> The lowest I have been is sub 5%.


Sure? 

Never seen a contest pic blown up - let's have a look. 4-5% is pro condition so respect if achieved.


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## andyhuggins (Nov 21, 2008)

Well tbh when I came 3rd in the NPA uk champs, I was told that. So I well have may been off that tbh.


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## G-man99 (Jul 15, 2008)

I'm around 11-12% in my avi if that helps


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## saxondale (Nov 11, 2012)

andyhuggins said:


> Well tbh when I came 3rd in the NPA uk champs, I was told that. So I well have may been off that tbh.


Never heard of them, is that the one Arnie plays in?


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## latblaster (Oct 26, 2013)

saxondale said:


> Never heard of them, is that the one Arnie plays in?


It's this.....

http://nationalpigeonassociation.co.uk/

:lol:


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## saxondale (Nov 11, 2012)

latblaster said:


> It's this.....
> 
> http://nationalpigeonassociation.co.uk/
> 
> :lol:


Explains his chest then.

Just kidding


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## FelonE1 (Dec 23, 2013)

saxondale said:


> Explains his chest then.
> 
> Just kidding


Meow


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## Ultrasonic (Jul 13, 2004)

harrison180 said:


> I'm just using them as a rough guide mate.


The trouble is it isn't even a rough guide. This article includes one study showing it could be off by something like +/- 8%:

http://weightology.net/weightologyweekly/?page_id=218

Personally I use calipers to track progress but never really worry about what my actual body fat percentage is (and wouldn't trust my caliper skills to estimate this).


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## FelonE1 (Dec 23, 2013)

The best way is to stick a pic up and let us guess.I was about 11% roughly in my avi


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## Ultrasonic (Jul 13, 2004)

You will get photo guides like this one that people refer to FWIW:










But the trouble with them is that they don't factor in age. I have read that as you get older a higher proportion of your body fat is internal (visceral fat) rather than under the skin (subcutaneous fat). The photos just show difference in subcutateous fat.


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## Boshlop (Apr 1, 2012)

G-man99 said:


> I'm around 11-12% in my avi if that helps


when you've got a 3" thick ab wall BF from the front is deceiving!

for OP though, im up at 15-16% in my avi for a guide, with a 36" waist there though


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## saxondale (Nov 11, 2012)

Boshlop said:


> when you've got a 3" thick ab wall BF from the front is deceiving!
> 
> for OP though, im up at 15-16% in my avi for a guide, with a 36" waist there though


Nah that looks less than 15, how did you have it measured?


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## FelonE1 (Dec 23, 2013)

saxondale said:


> Nah that looks less than 15, how did you have it measured?


That's what I was thinking


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## Boshlop (Apr 1, 2012)

saxondale said:


> Nah that looks less than 15, how did you have it measured?


i was carrying alot of fat there, i say "a lot".... but when you take into account the legs and back i was up at 15, think i was 19t urning 20 in that photo and my waist and ab line exploded by 4" in a few month from a bit of growth and squat and DL obsession, really spread out the sub q fat, my abs look quite similar al the way from 16 - 10% ime


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## saxondale (Nov 11, 2012)

Boshlop said:


> i was carrying alot of fat there, i say "a lot".... but when you take into account the legs and back i was up at 15, think i was 19t urning 20 in that photo and my waist and ab line exploded by 4" in a few month from a bit of growth and squat and DL obsession, really spread out the sub q fat, my abs look quite similar al the way from 16 - 10% ime


I'd settle for that mate.


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## gymspaz (May 23, 2014)

andyhuggins said:


> Well tbh when I came 3rd in the NPA uk champs, I was told that. So I well have may been off that tbh.


bikini class I presume ?


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## harrison180 (Aug 6, 2013)

saxondale said:


> Machine doesn't work mate, end of. Stick a picture up, some cruel git will tell you your 30 odd%
> 
> Still hurts, tell you


Why did this happen to you mate? My pics are in that 12 week comp thread in the journal section mate.


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## Boshlop (Apr 1, 2012)

harrison180 said:


> Why did this happen to you mate? My pics are in that 12 week comp thread in the journal section mate.


got a link to the post, its annoying to scan though that many pages. tell you how accurate they are then


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## harrison180 (Aug 6, 2013)

FelonE said:


> The best way is to stick a pic up and let us guess.I was about 11% roughly in my avi


My pics are up in that 12 week comp journal mate. Only pronlem is i aknt got much muscle either lol so u might not get a good idea.


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## ConP (Aug 18, 2013)

Watch this if you believe you have ever been 6% or lower.

11% is pretty damn lean we're talking lines in all muscle groups and not a ton of fat to pinch.


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## harrison180 (Aug 6, 2013)

Boshlop said:


> got a link to the post, its annoying to scan though that many pages. tell you how accurate they are then


http://www.uk-muscle.co.uk/member-journals-pictures/271992-ukm-transformation-comp-2014-a.html

Im on the first page mate. As i said though i aint got much muscle either so dunno if you can give an accurate reading.


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## FelonE1 (Dec 23, 2013)

I'd say more than 11.5%


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## harrison180 (Aug 6, 2013)

FelonE said:


> I'd say more than 11.5%


Is that taking into consideration theres not much muscle built up there at the min mate?


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## Boshlop (Apr 1, 2012)

harrison180 said:


> http://www.uk-muscle.co.uk/member-journals-pictures/271992-ukm-transformation-comp-2014-a.html
> 
> Im on the first page mate. As i said though i aint got much muscle either so dunno if you can give an accurate reading.


i have to say its above 12%, there isnt much fat there, but it isnt on a giant frame either, so id say roughly around 16+%, but it is hard to tell atm


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## Ultrasonic (Jul 13, 2004)

harrison180 said:


> http://www.uk-muscle.co.uk/member-journals-pictures/271992-ukm-transformation-comp-2014-a.html
> 
> Im on the first page mate. As i said though i aint got much muscle either so dunno if you can give an accurate reading.


To make it easier for others, here's one picture:










The rest are here:

http://www.uk-muscle.co.uk/member-journals-pictures/271992-ukm-transformation-comp-2014-a.html#post5114342


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## saxondale (Nov 11, 2012)

A good base to work from there mate


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## FelonE1 (Dec 23, 2013)

I wouldn't worry too much about bodyfat if I was you.I'd bulk,put on some size then do a cut


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## harrison180 (Aug 6, 2013)

Boshlop said:


> i have to say its above 12%, there isnt much fat there, but it isnt on a giant frame either, so id say roughly around 16+%, but it is hard to tell atm


So should i just keep crammin all sorts of food down me to bulk up as i find puttin weight on really difficult or clean it up abit and build my muscle up wothout extra tons of fat?


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## saxondale (Nov 11, 2012)

harrison180 said:


> So should i just keep crammin all sorts of food down me to bulk up as i find puttin weight on really difficult or clean it up abit and build my muscle up wothout extra tons of fat?


The latter if your natty.


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## G-man99 (Jul 15, 2008)

Lean bulk for sure


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## Boshlop (Apr 1, 2012)

harrison180 said:


> So should i just keep crammin all sorts of food down me to bulk up as i find puttin weight on really difficult or clean it up a bit and build my muscle up without extra tons of fat?


if i was you i would eat more, but not to stupid amounts, you dont really want to go more than 500-600 kcal above to start with, then once you;ve started to build up increase to more if you want. progress is just slow, so dont aim for a goal weight or you'll end up fat. the idea of dirty bulking sounds appealing, but the second part of it really isnt...


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## Ultrasonic (Jul 13, 2004)

harrison180 said:


> So should i just keep crammin all sorts of food down me to bulk up as i find puttin weight on really difficult or clean it up abit and build my muscle up wothout extra tons of fat?


Lots of people will tell you to just eat shed loads of food. Personally I wouldn't, having overeaten when I first joined this site and frankly just got fat. You might find this interesting:

http://www.t-nation.com/diet-fat-loss/bulking-diet-delusion

You need to eat enough to gain, but don't go crazy.


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## ConP (Aug 18, 2013)

You look like a normal human being that has not trained with weights.

Not fat not skinny just normal.

It's a little disturbing that you're already so obsessed with your body image considering your level of development.

I say do some weight training eat healthy and focus your attention else where.

You look fine:thumb:


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## harrison180 (Aug 6, 2013)

ConP said:


> You look like a normal human being that has not trained with weights.
> 
> Not fat not skinny just normal.
> 
> ...


Just sick of lookin thin mate. Just hoping when I do get a half decent body that ill see it and be happy with it.


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## harrison180 (Aug 6, 2013)

Ultrasonic said:


> Lots of people will tell you to just eat shed loads of food. Personally I wouldn't, having overeaten when I first joined this site and frankly just got fat. You might find this interesting:
> 
> http://www.t-nation.com/diet-fat-loss/bulking-diet-delusion
> 
> You need to eat enough to gain, but don't go crazy.


I think I'm managing around 2500 a day mate. I seem to be putting it on slowly, I'm nearly 11 stone now which I've never been I don't think. So its happening atleast


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