Body fat % - what is a good target?

[DrMekon]

I had a DEXA scan the other day, and was chuffed to get a result of 7.3% total body fat (that's with me weighing 3kg more than when I was training hard last summer), having had a Tanita tell me I was over 11%. Then I read Tyler Hamilton's book - sub 4%! Nuts.

I was BMI 19.X when I was scanned, and I know as I get sub 19, I have to work really hard to keep the weight off. I've assumed it's because very low body fat isn't that good. What is a sensible target for a cyclist?

[CoolC]

I think the top pro's are down under 5% but I'd say (with VERY little knowledge on the subject) anything below 10% is great.

I'll await the answers from those with more knowledge with interest though.

[mcelliott]

All depends on what body type you are, but as cycling is mostly about power to weight ratio the less 'timber' you're carrying the better. I'm roughly 7% at 74 kgs (height 5ft 8). Anything less than 5 or 6% would be unhealthy in my opinion.

[Maxymillion]

I have been sub 5 % a few times. But now, with a change of sports, this is no longer necessary or desired. Being at this level of leanness has various side effects, Anything between 8 and 15 percent is fine, all depends on you and how well you feel you function. If you function at your particular sport/lifestyle at a higher body fat, then by all means go higher.

[VerbalKent]

I think anything under 4% is dangerous as the body needs a minimum amount of fat to function properly. I remember reading Nicolas Roaches book and he mentioned that he was about 6% body fat. Last time I looked I was around 14% which is okay I think. If your into single figures then you probably fall into the athlete category.

[Jayfish]

VerbalKent said:

I think anything under 4% is dangerous as the body needs a minimum amount of fat to function properly. I remember reading Nicolas Roaches book and he mentioned that he was about 6% body fat. Last time I looked I was around 14% which is okay I think. If your into single figures then you probably fall into the athlete category.

I'm 8% and I'm no athlete I'm just st at eating

[T5SOR]

No idea, but I think around 10-15%. Problem is I like alcohol too much

[Jayfish]

swerni said:

Jayfish said:

VerbalKent said:

I think anything under 4% is dangerous as the body needs a minimum amount of fat to function properly. I remember reading Nicolas Roaches book and he mentioned that he was about 6% body fat. Last time I looked I was around 14% which is okay I think. If your into single figures then you probably fall into the athlete category.

I'm 8% and I'm no athlete I'm just st at eating

You look much more than that

That just goes to show how many layers I had on

[burriana]

Everyone is different and it is all subjective but, as ever, Google is your friend

If you look at these these photographic examples

at 7% you are presumably more ripped than Peter Andre? I am, from these shots, at the 15% mark but trying to get to 12%. Having said that, when I was going to the gym regularly, I had my body fat measured at 12%... and I didn't have abs like that!

[DrMekon]

No, definitely not more ripped than our oily friend. The ultrasound I had done said there was about 6mm of sub-cutaneous fat around my abdomen, so if there was something there, it should show. But there's not. The dexa showed that I have more gynoid (bottom) than android (top) fat, which probably explains why a couple of colleagues came out with ~3mm sub cut abdomen fat, but higher total body fat %.

Looking at those pictures, I'm definitely leaner than the 10-12% picture, but nothing like that 7% picture.

I've taken on another cyclist for weight loss coaching to see if the techniques I've used are useful for others. It'll be interesting to see if it works for them.

[billzeebub]

not a lot of the 'middle aged Lycra enthusiasts around my village getting near 10%!..most seem to be hovering around the 100% mark! #Icansqueezeintothat

[AyBee]

Depends what kind of cyclist you are. I'll never be particularly light but I'm also not really a climber a-la Wiggo etc. I'd be interested to know what % Cav is since I'm very similar in build to Cav. Also, what % are Hoy & Kenny?

[rhinochopig]

burriana said:

Everyone is different and it is all subjective but, as ever, Google is your friend

If you look at these these photographic examples

at 7% you are presumably more ripped than Peter Andre? I am, from these shots, at the 15% mark but trying to get to 12%. Having said that, when I was going to the gym regularly, I had my body fat measured at 12%... and I didn't have abs like that!

With the greatest respect, using photographic examples is pure bks. Google TOFI. Measuring body fat really needs to be done using MRI.

Here's a summary though http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2006/dec/10/medi...

[yellowjack]

Body fat % - what is a good target?

I've no idea about percentages, but so long as I can see my feet, and reach down to tie my shoe laces, that'll do for me.

[dubbs]

One of the most accurate ways is to use a BodPod.... look 'em up as I sued one in Euston last year a couple of times to see how I got on during reasonably intensive training for a busy year of events.

This year I've done nothing and it's all gone piling back on!!!

[burriana]

rhinochopig said:

burriana said:

Everyone is different and it is all subjective but, as ever, Google is your friend

If you look at these these photographic examples

at 7% you are presumably more ripped than Peter Andre? I am, from these shots, at the 15% mark but trying to get to 12%. Having said that, when I was going to the gym regularly, I had my body fat measured at 12%... and I didn't have abs like that!

With the greatest respect, using photographic examples is pure bks.

No it's not. It may only be a "rough" guide, but it is not, as you say "pure bks". I know from experience that someone who has a body fat of only 7% is going to look pretty damned ripped, whereas someone at around 12-14% will look toned but not with prominent abs showing. These photographs seem to mirror that "rough" guide and are a simple quick reference.

If you want definitive then yes, you have to have it done in a proper scientific way by someone who knows what they are doing.

[rhinochopig]

burriana said:

rhinochopig said:

burriana said:

Everyone is different and it is all subjective but, as ever, Google is your friend

If you look at these these photographic examples

at 7% you are presumably more ripped than Peter Andre? I am, from these shots, at the 15% mark but trying to get to 12%. Having said that, when I was going to the gym regularly, I had my body fat measured at 12%... and I didn't have abs like that!

With the greatest respect, using photographic examples is pure bks.

No it's not. It may only be a "rough" guide, but it is not, as you say "pure bks". I know from experience that someone who has a body fat of only 7% is going to look pretty damned ripped, whereas someone at around 12-14% will look toned but not with prominent abs showing. These photographs seem to mirror that "rough" guide and are a simple quick reference.

If you want definitive then yes, you have to have it done in a proper scientific way by someone who knows what they are doing.

Apologies, using 'bks' was probably a bit strong.

But I would caution the use of photos even as a guide as the example you give is not always the case. It depends on your muskuloskeletal system, i.e. ectormorphic, mesomorphic, or endomorphic.

I can give you a practical example, when I was rowing seriously, I was around the 85-90 kilo weight (for 6'5") and had a resting HR of <40 and a max of 210 and a BF% of around 10%. You could see every sinew and muscle fibre in my legs and arms and yet my stomach, because I have a huge rib case (pigeon/barrel chested), never ever showed a 6 pack - just two strips of muscle - and this is despite doing thousands of sit-ups of all types. Most of my 'excess' fat seemed to be stored around my stomach. To look at those pics my stomach would have put me at the 20-25% level - or 100% out.

[burriana]

Hell! < 40bpm is seriously healthy! The lowest I ever got when I was racing was mid-50s.

Yours is a very specific situation and I know what you mean about abs. I do 200 sit-ups a day mixed between upper, lower and side and the abs are just starting to show slightly.

As a rule of thumb, to answer the original question what is a good body fat %. very generally I would say that (to a normal bloke): 15% is pretty good - 12% is very good - and anything in single figures is getting towards ripped status and will make most of the other blokes on the beach jealous!