Almost all health buffs are now concerned about how much body fat they have. It goes without saying that too much fat is not good at all. Conversely, no fat at all also has its negatives. Presently, there are a few ways to measure the amount of fat we have but one of the best is to use this army body fat calculator.
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How to use the army body fat calculator?
This army body fat calculator allows you to find out your body fat without having to perform complicated manual calculations. It’s a simple online tool where you only need the required measurements to get the value you need. Here are the steps to follow for this army BMI calculator:
- First, input your Age.
- Then, select your Sex from the drop-down menu.
- Enter your Height and choose the unit of measurement from the drop-down menu.
- Enter your Neck Circumference and choose the unit of measurement from the drop-down menu.
- Enter your Waist Circumference and choose the unit of measurement from the drop-down menu.
- After inputting all of the required values, the army body fat calculator automatically generates the percentage value of your body fat.
What is the maximum body fat percentage for the Army?
So you can cope with the demands of a soldier’s life, you must have the right percentage of body fat. This is one medical requirement before anyone can join and remain in the US Army. Every few years, the Department of Defense releases the requirements for body fat percentage as a part of the Standards of Medical Fitness.
The most recent release was on the 14th of June 2017 and here’s a summary of the requirements:
To join the army, these are the maximum body fat percentages allowed:
- for those aged 17-20 years old, 26% for men and 32% for women
- for those aged 21-27 years old, 26% for men and 32% for women
- for those aged 28-39 years old, 28% for men and 34% for women
- for those aged 40 and over, 30% for men and 36% for women
To stay in the army, these are the maximum body fat percentages allowed:
- for those aged 17-20 years old, 20% for men and 30% for women
- for those aged 21-27 years old, 22% for men and 32% for women
- for those aged 28-39 years old, 24% for men and 34% for women
- for those aged 40 and over, 26% for men and 36%
Use the army height and weight calculator to find out if you qualify. Meeting these initial qualifications doesn’t end there because each individual’s body fat is periodically measured. Failure to meet the mandatory requirements will subject a soldier to a mandatory program for weight loss or to administrative sanctions.
This is how they make the measurements for body fat without the use of an online military body fat calculator:
- Based on the Standards of Medical Fitness, calculate body fat using the person’s physical size.
- When they take measurements, the person should stand upright with arms resting on both sides of the body.
- Take the neck measurement just under the person’s larynx
- Take the waist measurement at either the minimum circumference or near the belly button.
- For the ladies, the hip measurement should be at the hip’s widest point.
How do you calculate body fat percentage?
Following US Army Regulation, the tape measure should be of a non-stretchable material. Take all measurements that involve circumference horizontally. To calculate body fat without an army body fat calculator, you can either use the metric system units or imperial units.
After taking the measurements, use them to find your body fat percentage. Here’s the equation to determine body fat percentage:
For men:
%BF = (86.010 * log10 (waist – neck)) – [70.041 * log10(height)) + 36.76
For women:
%BF = (163.205 * log10 (waist + hip – neck)) – (97.684 * log10(height)) – 78.387
Can you measure body fat with a tape measure?
As aforementioned, the body needs a specific amount of fat as this is the reservoir of energy which the body uses to maintain the normal bodily functions. But too much fat is an indication of poor health. The US Navy has since developed a quicker way to estimate body fat percentage by using a tape measure.
The results surprisingly are close to the true values for most people. So are the results you would get from this army BMI calculator. Here are the steps to take when measuring your body fat using a tape measure:
Guidelines for men
- First, measure your neck
- Then measure your abdomen which is an important part of your body fat as it’s in this area where you would find high concentrations of body fat. Make sure that the tape is flat against the skin without compressing the soft tissue.
- Measure your height since your body fat percentage depends upon your height.
- Use the appropriate formula to calculate your body fat or enter the values in the army height and weight calculator.
- If you’re aiming towards a specific goal like joining the military service, get advice from the experts.
Guidelines for women
- Measure around your neck with the tape flat against your skin without compressing it.
- Measure the waist at its narrowest point. This is usually located between your sternum and belly button. If unsure at what point, take several measurements and use the one with the smallest value.
- Measure your hips. Women generally have more body fat around their hips as compared to men. This is an important measurement as it provides a more accurate measurement of body fat in women.
- Measure your height. You should take this measurement into account because taller women have larger measurements than shorter ones but even with the same proportions.
- Use the proper formula to calculate body fat or use the military body fat calculator.
What are the height and weight requirements for the Army?
Use these US Army body fat percentage standards to determine if you’re qualified to join the army.
- for those aged 17 – 20, 20% for men and 30% for women
- for those aged 21 – 27, 22% for men and 32% for women
- for those aged 28 – 39, 24% for men and 34% for women
- for those aged over 40, 26% for men and 36% for women
