What to measure when losing weight. How to take measurements. How to correctly indicate the size of an item

But there are a lot of ways to determine the results of training, so in order not to bother you, I will tell you about the most basic of them. To begin with, we will determine the effectiveness of training for the purpose of losing weight and gaining muscle mass, there are three of them: weighing, body measurements and measuring subcutaneous fat. These three methods complement each other and together give a complete picture of what is happening.

The simplest and most regular thing that all people involved in sports do is weigh themselves. It is necessary to monitor your weight, but you cannot rely on this indicator alone. Since when losing weight, a situation may arise that you, on the contrary, will gain a little weight, but this weight will not be gained by adding fat, but by increasing muscle mass. However, as is correct, this is a very low probability, since when you dry out (lose weight), your caloric intake decreases, and for muscle growth, on the contrary, you need to increase caloric intake (excess). Although this also happens - weight increases (body weight and volume), but not due to growth muscle tissue, but due to the appearance of excess subcutaneous fat or vice versa...

Basic rules for weighing:

You need to weigh yourself every week, at the same time and on the same day of the week.
You need to weigh yourself after using the toilet and before breakfast.

But in order for the picture to be more complete, in addition to weighing, you should take measurements of body volumes and measurements of fat folds using a caliper, because only then will you track your achievements and body changes over time (as correctly as possible). You will learn more about measuring subcutaneous fat in the article:.

The second method is body measurements

It is more accurate than the first, but as already said, they need to be combined.

Body measurements (body measurements) can be made with a regular centimeter tape, or with paper or thread, and then take readings with a ruler. The first method is more convenient, but if you don’t have a measuring tape at hand, then the second method is also perfect. So, how should you measure correctly and in what places? Let's talk about all this in order.

Body measurements for weight loss and weight gain

Wrist– the measurement takes place with a relaxed hand, in the thinnest place (above the protruding bone).

Forearm(part of the arm from the elbow to the wrist). It is measured in two states - relaxed and tense. In the first, the arm hangs calmly along the body, in the second, the arm is bent at an angle of 90 degrees, the muscles are tense. In both cases, the thickest part is measured.

Shoulder(this is the part of the arm from the elbow to the shoulder, not from the shoulder to the neck). It is measured in a calm state - the arm hangs along the body, relaxed. Freezing in a tense state - the hand is raised and clenched into a fist at head level.

Neck. It is measured in a calm state - the chin is slightly raised, the measuring tape lies horizontally, and not obliquely. Do not try to pull your neck into your body or stretch it, or even press your chin to your chest - this will not improve your training results, but on the contrary, you will deceive yourself.

Rib cage - measured at the widest point for men and at the most protruding points for women. In a calm state, the measurement is taken after a calm, normal inhalation (do not inhale too deeply or stick out your chest). In a tense state, you need to tense the muscles of your back and chest and slightly spread your elbows to the sides. There is another measurement option chest. You measure it at maximum inhalation, then also at maximum exhalation. Add up the resulting readings, then divide by two, the resulting number is the average volume of your chest.

Waist - measured at the thinnest point, if you have one. And if there is a protruding belly, then the measurement is made, on the contrary, along the widest part. Again, do not try to deceive the readings, so do not pull in your stomach, and do not pull the measuring tape too tightly, but it should not sag either - just adjust it to the measuring site. If you want to measure your waist in a tense state, then tense your abdominal muscles and measure.

Buttocks - are measured, as a rule, in a relaxed state, at the most prominent points. That is why at the very beginning of the article it is said that it is better to take measurements with an assistant; it can be difficult not only to find the most protruding points at the back, but also to measure correctly.

Hip– the widest part is measured in a relaxed state, either standing quietly or standing bent leg on a chair. In a tense state - standing, leg straightened, muscles tense.

Shin– measured at the widest point. Relaxed state - the leg is placed on a chair, tense state - raised on your toes, transfer your body weight to the leg that you are measuring.

Ankle(located between the foot and shin) - you need to measure while standing on straight legs, in the thinnest part.

Rules and features in body measurements:

You need to take measurements in the same places, at the same time of day and several times in the same place (for greater accuracy), but the most best time– morning, after the toilet and before breakfast. Since the human body tends to swell at the end of the day, weight can also fluctuate significantly depending on the amount of food eaten per day.
Taking body measurements more often than once every two weeks for those who work on mass (muscle growth) does not make sense, since muscle growth is a very long and painstaking process. But for those who are losing weight, measuring once a week is quite enough...
It is better if someone helps you take body measurements, because it is inconvenient to carry out such manipulations alone. But if they are not carried out correctly, then the results of the training may not be as encouraging as we would like...
Do not gently take measurements immediately after training. Since during training the blood vessels and capillaries (reserve) of our body expand, and therefore more blood begins to circulate through the muscles, as a result, the muscles become larger. Yes, you yourself have noticed how after training the muscles “puff up”...
By the way, the volumes of the right and left parts of the body differ due to the physiological and anatomical characteristics of each person. You will learn more about this in the article:.
Always write down or remember exactly where and on which side (right or left side of the body) the measurements were taken, so that next time you can take them exactly in the same place.
Note the state in which the body measurement was taken - relaxed or calm.

The third method is measuring subcutaneous fat

In addition to all the above measurements, it is necessary to periodically and regularly measure the fat layer (subcutaneous). Because volumes can increase due to subcutaneous fat, and you will think that it is your muscles growing.

There are a huge variety of methods for determining subcutaneous fat. Therefore, to learn in detail about each of them and choose the most suitable one for yourself, read the article: How to measure subcutaneous fat. Although I recommend a better method - Calipometry, since it is one of the accurate and simple ones.

Also, a recording of measurements missed due to lack of time or plain laziness can greatly spoil the picture of intensive training. Can you remember exactly all the numbers you received, say, a couple of weeks ago? It’s unlikely... But without this, it will be unclear how far you have progressed in losing weight or building muscle.

Other ways to determine training effectiveness

To those who are engaged strength training, results can also be recorded based on the number of approaches, repetitions and weights lifted. But all this data must be recorded in training diary, otherwise you will not be able to control your progress.
For those who develop endurance, it would be useful to record the time spent covering distances, the number of contractions of the heart muscle and the distance covered. All this data also needs to be recorded in your training diary in order to clearly see your achievements.
And the last method for today is photo diary, in principle, it is a good alternative to body measurements. Every month you take three photographs (primary) of your body, without clothes - front, back and side. But you need to constantly take photographs from the same distance and angle, otherwise the training results will not be accurate. As a result, by comparing photographs over several months, you will be able to see the difference not only in numbers, but also externally from the photographs. In this method, you can choose which part of the body to photograph, this will not interfere in any way, but on the contrary...

Don’t be too scared or worried if the weight suddenly “goes up” or the muscles stop growing. In both cases, you need to reconsider your training program and diet. You will learn more about nutrition for weight loss and muscle growth.
There may also be many reasons why it stops growing muscle mass. Some of the main ones are: lack of nutrients (energy), lack of recovery, no progression of load, poor exercise technique and your energy system is not yet ready for further growth, so it needs to be further developed (train regularly and follow the training program). If you are all If you analyze this, you will find what your problem of stagnation (plateau) is.
It is quite possible that the weight that quickly escaped decided to settle on your sides and waist again just because a series of holidays passed in your life, and your diet was slightly disrupted. Or maybe you were sick or worked very hard, so you had no time for training.

Summarize

So we looked at the topic: Based on this, it becomes clear that in any sport it is necessary to analyze and compare the results, but if you don’t do this, then you will simply “stand still” and not progress. For this very reason, all athletes attach great importance to monitoring their achievements. After all, if you scrupulously monitor any process, then in the end you will learn to manage it (results).

Exercise, eat right and get better - good luck to you.

Anthropometric measurements make it possible to determine the level and characteristics of physical development, the degree of its correspondence to gender and age, existing deviations, as well as the level of improvement in physical development under the influence of classes physical exercise And various types sports Thus, anthropometry includes determining length, circumference and other indicators. Why does a person need this in life? Using anthropometric indicators, you can monitor the dynamics of physical development and the effectiveness of physical exercise. You can also learn how to determine your clothing size. Most modern computational and graphic methods of clothing design provide as initial data information about the body size (dimensional characteristics of the figure) of a person and allowances for a loose fit. Size is an alphabetic or digital code corresponding to certain linear parameters of the human body, or that part of it for which a given piece of clothing, accessory or shoe is intended. Typically, the size is printed on a tag attached to the clothing or accessory, and in the case of shoes, it may be printed on the sole or insole.

What anthropometric indicators are used to determine the size of clothes and shoes, how to measure them correctly

Height. In order to correctly measure your height, you will need outside help, a ruler and a pencil. Stand barefoot with your back to the wall, trying not to hunch over. The ruler is placed on the head, a straight line is drawn from the top of the head to the wall, where a mark is made with a pencil. Now, using a ruler or meter, calculate the distance from the floor to the mark.

Chest circumference. You will need a flexible measuring tape. Wrap a tape measure around your chest so that it goes through all the protruding points. To obtain an accurate result, repeat the measurement procedure again.

Waist circumference is also measured using a centimeter. When measuring your waist, do not pull in your stomach, otherwise the measurement will be incorrect.

Hip girth. Measured approximately 15-18 centimeters below waist level at the most protruding points of the buttocks.

Shoe size. The size of a person’s foot is determined by two parameters - the length and width of the foot. We determine our sizes. First, measure the length of your foot. It is recommended to do this at the end of the day, because... the legs trample and become larger. Stand on a piece of paper and trace your leg with a pencil. To determine your foot length, measure the distance between the farthest points on the drawing. Measure both legs and choose the longer length. Round the result to 5 mm and find your size in the table.

Table 1. Determining clothing size

Table No. 2 Determining foot size

Table No. 3 Determining shoe size

When you are seriously passionate about something, you probably do it with all your heart, while not forgetting to monitor your results. After all, this equally applies to sports. If you are determined to achieve any results, you monitor the progress of each workout and the changes that occur in your body. But there are a lot of ways to determine the results of training, so in order not to bother you, I will tell you about the most basic of them. To begin with, we will determine the effectiveness of training for the purpose of losing weight and gaining muscle mass, there are three of them: weighing, body measurements and measuring subcutaneous fat. These three methods complement each other and together give a complete picture of what is happening.

The first method is weighing

The simplest and most regular thing that all people involved in sports do is weigh themselves. It is necessary to monitor your weight, but you cannot rely on this indicator alone. Since when losing weight, a situation may arise that you, on the contrary, will gain a little weight, but this weight will not be gained by adding fat, but by increasing muscle mass. However, as is correct, this is a very low probability, since when you dry out (lose weight), your caloric intake decreases, and for muscle growth, on the contrary, you need to increase caloric intake (excess). Although this also happens - weight increases (body weight and volume), but not due to the increase in muscle tissue, but due to the appearance of excess subcutaneous fat or vice versa...

Basic rules for weighing:

You need to weigh yourself every week, at the same time and on the same day of the week.
You need to weigh yourself after using the toilet and before breakfast.

The second method is body measurements

It is more accurate than the first, but as already said, they need to be combined.

Body measurements can be taken with a regular centimeter tape, or with paper or thread, and then take readings with a ruler. The first method is more convenient, but if you don’t have a measuring tape at hand, then the second method is also perfect. So, how should you measure correctly and in what places? Let's talk about all this in order.

Wrist– the measurement takes place with a relaxed hand, in the thinnest place (above the protruding bone).

Neck. It is measured in a calm state - the chin is slightly raised, the measuring tape lies horizontally, and not obliquely. Do not try to pull your neck into your body or stretch it, or even press your chin to your chest - this will not improve your training results, but on the contrary, you will deceive yourself.

Rib cage- measured at the widest point for men and at the most protruding points for women. In a calm state, the measurement is taken after a calm, normal inhalation (do not inhale too deeply or stick out your chest).

For girls, the girth under the bust is also important. I think everyone knows how to measure it!))

Waist- measured at the thinnest point, if you have one. And if there is a protruding belly, then the measurement is made, on the contrary, along the widest part. Again, do not try to deceive the readings, so do not pull in your stomach, and do not pull the measuring tape too tightly, but it should not sag either - just adjust it to the measuring site. If you want to measure your waist in a tense state, then tense your abdominal muscles and measure.

Buttocks(this is the circumference of the hips) - measured, as a rule, in a relaxed state, at the most protruding points. That is why at the very beginning of the article it is said that it is better to take measurements with an assistant; it can be difficult not only to find the most protruding points at the back, but also to measure correctly.

Hip– the widest part is measured in a relaxed state, either standing quietly or placing a bent leg on a chair. In a tense state - standing, leg straightened, muscles tense.

Shin– measured at the widest point. Relaxed state - the leg is placed on a chair, tense state - raised on your toes, transfer your body weight to the leg that you are measuring.

Ankle(located between the foot and shin) - you need to measure while standing on straight legs, in the thinnest part.

Rules and features in body measurements:

You need to take measurements in the same places, at the same time of day and several times in the same place (for greater accuracy), but the best time is in the morning, after the toilet and before breakfast. Since the human body tends to swell at the end of the day, weight can also fluctuate significantly depending on the amount of food eaten per day.
Taking body measurements more often than once every two weeks for those who work on mass (muscle growth) does not make sense, since muscle growth is a very long and painstaking process. But for those who are losing weight, measuring once a week is quite enough...
It is better if someone helps you take body measurements, because it is inconvenient to carry out such manipulations alone. But if they are not carried out correctly, then the results of the training may not be as encouraging as we would like...
Do not gently take measurements immediately after training. Since during training the blood vessels and capillaries (reserve) of our body expand, and therefore more blood begins to circulate through the muscles, as a result, the muscles become larger. Yes, you yourself have noticed how after training the muscles “puff up”...
By the way, the volumes of the right and left parts of the body differ due to the physiological and anatomical characteristics of each person. You will learn more about this in the article: What to do if you are alone pectoral muscle more than the other.
Always write down or remember exactly where and on which side (right or left side of the body) the measurements were taken, so that next time you can take them exactly in the same place.
Note the state in which the measurement was taken - relaxed or calm.

I also advise you to keep a sign and write down your results, so you will most effectively track your progress.

The third method is measuring subcutaneous fat

There are a huge variety of methods for determining subcutaneous fat. Therefore, to learn in detail about each of them and choose the most suitable one for yourself, read the article: How to measure subcutaneous fat. Although I recommend a better method - Kalipometry, since it is one of the most accurate and simple.

We examined this type of measurement in detail yesterday, measured and determined the level of fat content of our carcasses)

And other ways to determine the effectiveness (achievements) of training

For those involved in strength training, results can also be recorded based on the number of approaches, repetitions and weights lifted. But all this data must be recorded in a training diary, otherwise you will not be able to monitor your progress.
For those who develop endurance, it would be useful to record the time spent covering distances, the number of contractions of the heart muscle and the distance covered. All this data also needs to be recorded in your training diary in order to clearly see your achievements.
And the last method for today is a photo diary, in principle, it is a good alternative to body measurements. Every month you take three photographs (basic) of your body, without clothes - front, back and side. But you need to constantly take photographs from the same distance and angle, otherwise the training results will not be accurate. As a result, by comparing photographs over several months, you will be able to see the difference not only in numbers, but also externally from the photographs. In this method, you can choose which part of the body to photograph, this will not interfere in any way, but on the contrary...

Don’t be too scared or worried if the weight suddenly “goes up” or the muscles stop growing. In both cases, you need to reconsider your training program and diet.
There can also be many reasons why muscle mass stops growing. Some of the main ones are: lack of nutrients (energy), lack of recovery, no progression of load, poor exercise technique and your energy system is not yet ready for further growth, so it needs to be further developed (train regularly and follow the training program). If you are all If you analyze this, you will find what your problem of stagnation (plateau) is.
It is quite possible that the weight that quickly escaped decided to settle on your sides and waist again just because a series of holidays passed in your life, and your diet was slightly disrupted. Or maybe you were sick or worked very hard, so you had no time for training.

Summarize

And so we looked at the topic: How to take body measurements correctly. And how to determine the results of training? Based on this, it becomes clear that in any sport it is necessary to analyze and compare the results, but if this is not done, then you will simply “stand still” and not progress. For this very reason, all athletes attach great importance to monitoring their achievements. After all, if you scrupulously monitor any process, then in the end you will learn to manage it (results).

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 already said, before we begin 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 personal trainer(or you yourself) should be guided in 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 to determine at what stage of physical development you are in this moment, as well as in order to understand what is worth striving for and what 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 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 set your ideal weight taking into account height, age and physique.

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 results to appear faster, and in such a situation some people suck in their stomachs, others pull the tape, others take a deep breath of air, etc. Of course, everyone wants to achieve results by any means necessary. desired result, 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 they don't. the best way observing an improvement in shape than seeing one’s own figure at all stages 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 the 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 of 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.