Bodyfat by eyesight

I found this posted on another fitness website by someone who found it posted on another fitness website (got it?). I liked it so I want to share it here.

"On a more serious note, as long as we're discussing judging body fat by eye sight heres a rough guide I got from somewhere or other (probably true) but at the end of the day who cares what number you assign to it what matters is what you look like in the mirror.

1. Full House = No visible muscle definition. Bodyfat level = over 20%.

2. Hard = Some muscle separation appears between delts and upper arm. Abs are still not visible. Approx. bodyfat level = 15-19%

3. Cut = More muscle separation appears particularly in the chest and back, outline of the abs begins to appear slightly. Approx. bodyfat level = 12-14%

4. Defined = Muscle separations get deeper in the arms, chest, legs and back, and abs appear when flexed. Approx. bodyfat level = 10-12%

5. Ripped = Abs are clearly visible all the time, vascularity in arms is prominent, chest and back separation is obvious, and face is starting to appear more angular. Condition can be held indefinitely. Approximate bodyfat level = 7-9%

6. Shredded = Striations appear in large muscle groups when they are flexed. Vascularity appears in lower abdomen and in the legs. Condition can be held for several days with careful dieting. Approximate bodyfat level = 5-7%

7. Sliced = Muscles and tendons begin to appear in the face when chewing, striations appear everywhere and vascularity appears everywhere. Bodyfat levels are close to 3% and subcutaneous water levels are near 0. Condition can only be held for a few hours at a time. Not a healthy condition to stay in due to lower water level."

So I guess I was "defined" earlier in the year when I posted all my photos and when I was training for the Marine PT test. Now that I have changed my training and 10 lbs. heavier, I am (I think) just "cut". I'm OK with that because at my age I can get away with murder.

I did a 36" box jump today for 4 reps, something I couldn't do earlier this year when I was "defined". But I can't do as many pullups today as I could then. There are other net gainers and net losers. I'm hoping that the net sum of it all is a big zero or a positive one.

Who is next?

[gymgirl]

this has got to be for guys right?! I would say my abs are defined #4 but i am not 10-12% body fat! the rest of my body is hard #2. I can't seem to get the cut look in my arms and legs but get it easily in abs and back.

interesting read thanks for posting!

Originally Posted by gymgirl

this has got to be for guys right

I'd say so.

[minime]

I believe that for women it is +5% as we carry more essential fat in our womanly places lol

Who ate all the pies (ahem.. pierini..)

[minime]

do their descriptions apply to 'flexed' for the most part? when I do not flex I don't show any muscle! I am probably between 3 and 4..so 15-19 range. I know if i got my diet together I could get it down but right now I really don't want it that much! I need my fat right now... brrrr

[Bob44]

Did somebody say pie? I'll take a slice before Andy starts his weekend carb loading.

I am content to be a skinny fat guy, but I am not going to give up my sweets just to get a higher number.

[Dan C]

Those definitions and estimates don't quite jive for me. I have slight separation in all my muscles except from about the mid-thigh up to my chest (top row of abs are visable on a good day but I know I'm at least in the high teens in bodyfat %.

Either way, I'd sooner go by look, or perhaps more importantly, feel. I don't put much faith in any of those methods of measuring bodyfat.

[bodyshop20]

well sliced would be dangerous to keep up, defined will suit me

[Maxgain]

wahoo Im about 10% there is an ego boost until I get proper test done to send me crashing down. I think they are being too generous.

[maverick]

I'm ripped

[CF-OC_gal]

It works for me!

[thonaker]

Oh well, not much muscle definition here. I'm more focused on gaining right now.

I'd say I'd like to be at "defined," or "ripped." I wouldn't think that dropping body fat too low would be that healthy. When I see some bodybuilders faces, they don't look quite right. I kind of frown on being too lean, it just seems too extreme. I would like the sport to get away from that. It's about muscular development and symmetry, not going to extremes to look like someone who doesn't have skin.

Troy

[ajarvis]

well it'd be close for me but not exact. Right now I'm #1, but in the past was #2. Which is where I'd like to get back to. But according to the BF tests I had I was around 19-20% bf when I was #2. I had nice definition in my legs and arms. I coudn't see my abs and never want to lol. It's just not a look for me, I would however like to have my old stomach back... but that's probably not happening and it doesn't even bothe me!