Anthropometric measurements were partially touched upon in our previous article. There we also described the importance of carrying them out and for what purpose they are carried out. Many questions remain unanswered, and it is here, in the second part of the article about the human body, that we will try to illuminate them.
As we have already said, before you start physical activity, you need to fix three things: the starting point, the desired goal and the path to achieve it. In other words, it is necessary to record the current state of health and shape, as well as indicators associated with them. Determine the final desired result (we talked about this in the article). And by comparing the initial data with the desired end result, choose the optimal way to achieve the goal. These are three mandatory steps that a personal trainer (or yourself) should follow when working with clients.
Body measurements themselves will not give you much unless you conduct a comparative analysis with tables of ideal height, weight, age, fat content, and volumes of body parts. A comparative analysis is carried out in order to determine what stage of physical development you are at at the moment, as well as to understand what you should strive for and what you need to start from. And if we looked at the indicators of height, weight, age and fat content in the previous article, here we will first look at tables of ideal indicators for men and women, then we will learn how to take measurements, and in the end, how often progress should be recorded.
Ideal volumes for men
So, let's start with anthropometric measurements by determining the ideal coefficients of your body. They must satisfy the relationships shown in the table below. To determine your coefficient, divide your weight in kilograms by your height in centimeters. If your weight is, say, 80 kg, and your height is, for example, 185 cm and you want to know your ideal chest, waist and hip size, divide 80/185 = 0.432. Thus, checking the table, we see that the coefficient is between 0.423 and 0.451. This means that to determine breast volume, let’s calculate the arithmetic mean between 101.7 and 105.2. We get 101.7 + 105.2 = 206.9 / 2 = 103.4 cm. This will be your ideal chest volume. You understand how to carry out calculations, and now we will present a table with which you will compare the data obtained.
You can measure other parts of the body in the same way. The numbers that you can get from this table are only a certain reference value. If you have never had to lift weights before, and you have not subjected your body to stress, you can consider these numbers as a starting point in building a muscular body. Write them down and remember them as where you started. In the future, when taking body measurements, it will be interesting to look at your starting point and evaluate how far you have come and what work you have done.
Ideal volumes for women
Below are tables reflecting the ideal (reference) indicators of height, weight, age, waist, hips and more. I emphasize that the information below concerns ideal proportions for women. Men can safely skip this block.
There are various formulas for determining your ideal weight. For some time, in practice, the ratio of weight and height was used according to Brock’s formula: “Ideal weight equals height minus 100.” However, it is now believed that this formula is designed for women 40-50 years old. The optimal weight for women 20-30 years old should be reduced by 10-12%, and after 50 years old it should be increased by 5-7%. Today, tables and formulas are increasingly being used that also adjust for body composition. Using the following table, you can quickly and accurately determine your ideal weight, taking into account your height, age and build.
Here we also provide a table of ideal hip volumes, taking into account height, age and body type.
For girls, it is worth noting that these indicators are ideal and your body may not currently correspond to them. This is not a reason to be upset at all! On the contrary, these discrepancies can serve as a reason to sign up for a gym and start adjusting your figure in accordance with your preferences, and the tables given here will only help with this and tell you in which direction to move.
Body measurements
Now we come directly to how exactly anthropometric measurements should be carried out.
ADVICE. Before we get started, we need to consider the following tips. First: Body measurements should be taken with a regular measuring tape. Second: the most suitable time for measurements is the morning, that is, when the muscles are most relaxed. Third: The measuring tape should not sag or, conversely, be overtightened. Fourth: for a more accurate assessment, take measurements in the same place several times (2-3). Fifth: Keep a diary of measurements and photographs to track progress.
Regarding the last point, we have already talked about in our article, and we were talking about the fact that the diary is primarily important based on the considerations that without it it will be difficult to track progress. If you do not keep a diary, then the progress, which occurs gradually, and perhaps in volumes will amount to several millimeters, will simply not be noticeable to the eye and it will seem to you that you are marking time. And this, in turn, can lead you to a loss of interest, decreased motivation and, ultimately, a complete reluctance to train, which in our case is naturally unacceptable. In order to avoid such dire consequences, you need to keep a diary.
You can often hear people say that their numbers are different. This often happens due to the fact that they take body measurements at different times of the day. After training, it is pointless to take measurements, since blood flows to the muscles and they increase in volume. Over time, blood will flow out and muscle volume will decrease, which will also affect the measurement results. As I said above, measurements must be taken in the morning.
Try to avoid embellishing the numbers. Very often you want the results to appear faster, and in such a situation some people suck in their stomachs, others tighten the tape, others take a deep breath, etc. Of course, everyone wants to achieve the desired result by any means, but there is no need to deceive yourself. This won't work in your favor. Be objective.
The figure shows exactly where you need to take measurements of a particular part of the body: 1- biceps; 2- neck; 3- chest; 4- waist; 5- forearm; 6- wrist; 7- pelvis; 8- thigh; 9- shin; 10- ankle.
Thus, based on all the above data, you have the power to manage your progress and adjust your nutrition and training program on the fly, based on what works for you and what doesn’t. This process may seem difficult at first, but when you see the first results in the mirror, it will begin to motivate you to continue moving forward towards your goal.
Photo recording
Just like anthropometric measurements, it is a fairly working means of tracking one’s own progress. The numbers look good on paper, but there is no better way to see your fitness improve than by seeing your body at every stage of its development.
To begin with, before you start exercising, it will be enough to take a full-length photograph in three positions: front, back and side. Later, when you begin to progress and build muscle, you can move to a more advanced level and, as a person seriously involved in fitness and/or bodybuilding, be photographed in the positions of performing athletes: abs and thighs in front, double biceps in the back, triceps on the side, etc. .d.
Thus, regarding measurements and fixation, the main thing remains to be said. It is optimal to take body measurements and photographic recordings once a month. You can link to a specific calendar date. For example, every month on the first day in the morning, record all parameters: weight, fat, muscle volume, take photographs and record the results in a diary. Why once a month? Because this is the minimum period of time during which you can track specific visible progress without the use of any drugs or means that accelerate this progress.
Conclusion
As indicated at the beginning of the article, in order to move somewhere, you need to determine the current state of things, the ultimate goal and the path to achieve it. The purpose of this article was to help determine the current state of affairs, learn how to take anthropometric measurements and record progress. Be patient in training, follow a diet, be objective in measurements and be critical of the results of photographic recording, since, as we know, there is no limit to perfection.
