Body fat percentage is the percentage of an individual's weight represented by fat versus lean tissues, such as muscle. Using various forms of tests, athletes and coaches can gain useful information regarding their training and nutrition plans. While body fat percentage is commonly thought of as a performance indicator, body fat testing can also play a role in safety.
Significance
Body fat percentage is an important conditioning measure because muscle and fat play different roles in athletic performance. Muscle is what allows an athlete to exert force, while fat plays no direct role in strength. An athlete who is 200 lbs. at 9 percent body fat will most likely be stronger and more powerful than one who is 200 lbs. and 20 percent body fat.
Testing Methods
There are several methods used to test body fat percentage, all with their advantages and disadvantages. The two most popular are weighing in water and skin fold calipers. Weighing an athlete in water is considered the most accurate method of body fat testing. By testing an athlete's buoyancy, an accurate estimate can be made. The disadvantage to this method is that it is impractical, and rarely used outside of clinical settings. Most athletes and coaches rely on a skin fold caliper, which estimates an athlete's body fat percentage based on skin thickness at specific anatomical sites. Although not quite as accurate as water weighing, it is far easier to perform.
Considerations
Leaner is not always better. While some athletes should strive for low body fat percentages, others need more body fat for optimal performance. Athletes who rely on speed, such as sprinters, soccer players and basketball players should be as lean as possible to avoid carrying unnecessary weight. Others, such as football offensive linemen need more body fat for mass, weight and protection from constant hits. For some specialized athletes, such as baseball pitchers, body fat levels will vary greatly, with no apparent ideal body type.
Safety
Body fat percentage is an important safety tool because it can be used to identify athletes who are either too fat or too lean to safely engage in their sport. When a football lineman shows up for summer training camp following the off-season, his coach may test his body fat to see if he has put on too much body fat to practice in the summer heat with pads. In the case of a college wrestler, a body fat test will show if that athlete is already too lean to safely compete at a lower weight class.
Solution
For an athlete who is unhappy with her body fat percentage, there are a number of variables to consider. For an athlete who is too lean, generally the solution is to simply eat more. For athletes who need to lower their body fat percentage, either muscle gain or fat loss will improve the percentage. Athletes trying to improve their body fat percentage will generally reduce their calorie intake to lose body fat, while using resistance training to build and maintain muscle mass.
References
- "Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning, 3rd Edition"; National Strength and Conditioning Association; 2008
- "The Metabolic Diet"; Mauro Di Pasquale M.D.; 2000
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