Bowflex 2 manual Optional Picture Taking, Starting body-fat percentage

Measurements

Using Calipers When Measuring Skinfolds

The procedure for measuring skinfold thickness is to grasp firmly with the thumb and forefinger a fold of skin and surface fat and pull it away from the underlying muscle. Take the caliper in your other hand and open the jaws. Clamp the jaws over the pinched skin and fat. The jaws exert constant tension at the point of contact with the skin. The thickness of the double layer of skin and fat can then be read directly from the caliper, which is marked in millimeters.

Women	Men
Suprailium	Chest
Triceps	Abdomen
Thigh	Thigh
Total	Total

Use these figures on the following chart to determine your body-fat percentage and enter the number on the line below.

Starting body-fat percentage

Optional Picture Taking

Pictures can be the most exciting evaluation you can do. The numbers and the tape measurements are great, but actually seeing differences from comparison photographs of yourself is quite satisfying.

Taking full-length photographs is not difficult, but to see the maximum difference between before and after, you should follow these guidelines.

1)Keep everything the same. Wear the same outfit, a snug solid color is best, and have the person taking the picture stand in the same place, with the same setting behind you.

2)Make sure you stand against an uncluttered, light background.

3)Have the person taking the photograph move away from you until he can see your entire body in the viewfinder.

4)Stand relaxed for three pictures, front, right side, and back. Do not try to suck in your stomach.

5)Interlace your fingers and place them on top of your head, so the contours of your torso will be plainly visible. Keep your feet 8 inches apart in all three pictures.

6)When you get the film developed tell the processors to make your after photos the same size as your previous ones. This way, your height in both sets of photos is equal and more valid comparisons can be made.

65