In my opinion, body fat percentage is the best, most accurate way for guys to measure their progress on a strength training plan. By now you guys probably know that I’m all about setting goals, and more importantly, having concrete ways to measure those goals. After all, having a goal is a prerequisite to actually getting somewhere…otherwise you’re just going through the motions and getting nowhere.
One of the biggest problems guys face when they’re trying to start or stick to a fitness plan is that their goals are too big, or are just not clearly defined. If “I want to be as ripped as Tom Hardy” is your goal, that’s great, but how do you measure that?
If we don’t have a clear idea of where we want to go with our fitness goals, it’s tough to set a plan for success and even tougher to stay motivated. For those guys that know they want to get as lean as possible, body fat percentage can be a key measurement of success.
How Can You Measure Body Fat Percentage?
There are tons of ways to measure body fat percentage…some of them pretty expensive and most of them inaccurate. I discuss some of the ways to measure body fat percentage in video, but not all of you will have the tools required to get an accurate reading. That’s why I’ve put together this series of images to show what different body fat percentages look like. Hopefully these photos will help you be able to identify where you’re at, and how much work you have ahead of you.
It’s important to keep in mind that not everybody stores fat the same way, so two bodies with the exact same body fat percentage could look pretty different. Fat distribution in men also changes as we age.