The Student Room Group

Bodyfat %'s in Pictures

There's been a lot of as of late about BF% and people wondering what they were

Now whilst there will be inaccuracies with every method [some being very bad, others more accurate]

There is a certain level of defintion that a given % of BF ought to look like

So below I've presented a list of pictures [mostly me, cos it's easier than googling it and it's easier to see the difference in the same person]

Alongside the pics, will be commentary on what should be there to warrant that level of BF% and will generally correspond to that reading being given via calipers [most common of the more accurate measures]

I've been tested a few times using a 9 site caliper test, and I was given readings between 8-12% so I base my pictures based on how I compared to the times I did get tested and also on others who have similar level of BF%

Note: Vascularity [visible veins] does become more prominent with lowered BF% but that's one of the reasons, I have very thin skin and the veins lay closer to the surface than most people hence why I appear more vascular at any given BF% than most people.

1. 'Smooth' | 20% BF +

If you are muscular, you will just look 'bulked up' if you don't have enough muscle, you'll look chubby.

No examples needed as suffice to say; if you aren't as defined as the below pictures it would be fairly accurate to say your BF% is ~20% or higher

2. 'Soft' | 16-19% BF

Very light shoulder seperation when flexed, arms have contours to them

You look quite samey until you reach 15% or so because a 2-3lb difference in fat wouldn't result in any increase in definition [just perhaps a smaller waist]

Example [me @ 18-19% BF]

Spoiler



3. 'Lean' | 12-15% BF

Cuts/Seperation begins to show around shoulders/chest/arms when flexed. Developed abs will show lightly when flexed.

Muscles appear 'harder'

Examples [me @ 13-14% BF]

Spoiler



4. 'Cut' | 10-12% BF

Abs show when flexed, You can see seperation between the 3 delt heads, light chest lines when flexed, seperation between delts/arms esp in a back double bicep pose

Extensors/Flexors show on forearms when flexed

Muscles in general look 'hard/dense'

Examples: me @ 10-11% BF

Spoiler



5. 'Ripped' | 7-9% BF

Abs show at all times, individual seperation between the tricep heads when flexed, light feathering of triceps will start to show

Chest lines very pronounced when flexed, shoulder lines show when flexed, Obliques start to get defined

Examples, me @ 8% BF and Stan around 6% BF

Spoiler



6. 'Shredded' | 4-6% BF

Competition Level, Straitions [the muscle fibers themselves being visible] appear everywhere

Only held for short time periods

Examples

Stan McQuay at 4% BF, and Eduardo Correa at 4% BF

Spoiler



7. 'Deathly Lean' | 2-3% BF

Literally, skin on muscle with no water/muscle underneath

Held for a few hours at a time [because of low water levels not being possible to maintain]

Few ever get there because of the dangers of being that low in fat/water.

Spoiler

Scroll to see replies

Reply 1
I'd like to add, a lot of people go on about "you must have 10% BF to see abs" or something like that

This isn't strictly true, as more developed abs can show up to 15% BF or even higher

But don't say "I have abs, therefore I must be 10% BF" not always true, do you have abs AND shoulder/arm seperation? etc...
Reply 2
DUDE. 2-3% is insane.


what about people who have next to no muscle but are at these BF% levels? I notice that everyone there is pretty shredded. think of the poor Ethiopian kids who are also like 5% BF
Reply 3
yodude888
DUDE. 2-3% is insane.


what about people who have next to no muscle but are at these BF% levels? I notice that everyone there is pretty shredded. think of the poor Ethiopian kids who are also like 5% BF


it'd be hard to find pictures of the untrained who have 5-6% BF, and those who care about such things tend to be trained

and yes, Andreas Munzer was on the next level lean-ness

it's not so much his level of fat, because a lot have reached that level but rather his use of diuertics because below 5% BF it's only really water that determines wheter u look shredded VS anatomy chart

I love this picture of Phil Heath just cos of his 'bone-dry, i have no water in me' look

Spoiler

Reply 4
Adonis
it'd be hard to find pictures of the untrained who have 5-6% BF, and those who care about such things tend to be trained

and yes, Andreas Munzer was on the next level lean-ness

it's not so much his level of fat, because a lot have reached that level but rather his use of diuertics because below 5% BF it's only really water that determines wheter u look shredded VS anatomy chart

I love this picture of Phil Heath just cos of his 'bone-dry, i have no water in me' look



random question, but would he bruise a lot more easily when he's that dry? also, how does he walk with those legs? surely they hit into each other and bruise and chaffe. :confused:
Reply 5
yodude888
random question, but would he bruise a lot more easily when he's that dry? also, how does he walk with those legs? surely they hit into each other and bruise and chaffe.


lol, good Q's

yes, you get 'damaged' easier

and i have no idea lol, my legs started to rub together from time to time when i was heavier, so they must walk with legs out a fair bit.. or just suffer chaving ... i dunno, i'll ask dudes i know who have 30" + quads
Reply 6
How long did it take you to get from soft to cut?
Reply 7
londonboym
How long did it take you to get from soft to cut?


it's not in chronological order

but if it was my main aim - 8 weeks

I've only really done a "soft-to-cut" diet once, the below picture is 8 weeks apart, the left picture is me after I stopped training for over a year..and I decided to diet down before I re-bulked

Spoiler



so yeh, I'd say 8-10 weeks for most people to do the same
Reply 8
ahh ok, sweet as.
Reply 9
EmmaDilemma
Good God.
I personally think bodies like this are horrible.. most girls I know prefer guys with just a little bit of muscle..its insane sometimes when guys think the more muscle the more likely someone is to be attracted to them.

2-3% almost looks like something from a superhero movie like that guy from fantastic 4..


the ones who are interested in getting to that size/condition

aren't the ones who do it for the gash

they do it because they wanna maximise their physiques for self satisfaction
I just couldn't look at that picture for 2-3% without automatically closing my eyes and then opening them again with morbid fascination, and then looking away. I suppose being "cut" is probably the best way to be.
EmmaDilemma
Good God.
I personally think bodies like this are horrible.. most girls I know prefer guys with just a little bit of muscle..its insane sometimes when guys think the more muscle the more likely someone is to be attracted to them.

2-3% almost looks like something from a superhero movie like that guy from fantastic 4..


but would you tap that for £100?
Adonis
the ones who are interested in getting to that size/condition

aren't the ones who do it for the gash

they do it because they wanna maximise their physiques for self satisfaction


And it's absolutely, gloriously mental. To be fair the amount of time they spend in the gym they probably haven't got time for chasing tail...and if they did they would probably bore the girls stupid talking about their diets, how much they can bench, etc. etc. :tongue:

Interesting pics though, thanks.
EmmaDilemma
:yep: oh aye.

No seriously I couldn't..just looking at it gives me the heebie jeebies.


to me he looks like something you'd buy at a deli counter.
Reply 14
magicbuspass
I just couldn't look at that picture for 2-3% without automatically closing my eyes and then opening them again with morbid fascination, and then looking away. I suppose being "cut" is probably the best way to be.


they only ever 'peak' at that level of BF% for a competition, and its only held for a few days and shredded/ripped for like weeks

rest of the time, they remain at the cut level, some go higher
Is it true that as body fat % decreases and muscle mass increases that penis size decreases?

As in do hardcore bodybuilders have smaller pieces?
Reply 16
From the pics, i think i would most be happy with the Cut 10%-12%bf one - if i ever got there lol) The rest (with the exception of No.5) looks simply strange and nightmarish :eek:

(no offense though to those who wants to acheive it :wink: )
Reply 17
vas876
Is it true that as body fat % decreases and muscle mass increases that penis size decreases?

As in do hardcore bodybuilders have smaller pieces?


no, your penis is just blood vessels

balls shrink when on steroids, off they restore

it may SEEM a lot of them have small pieces cos of their huge legs
Reply 18
added another 3% BF

shows off 'the cut ass'

cos last place fat goes from
magicbuspass
I just couldn't look at that picture for 2-3% without automatically closing my eyes and then opening them again with morbid fascination, and then looking away. I suppose being "cut" is probably the best way to be.


I agree, also I love your signature!

On a side note, what is up with number 6, picture 1's penis? Does he have something stored down there (like say, an iron...) or is that supposed to be real?

I am bothered about body fat % but obviously not muscles in the slightest. I would like someone to make a thread like this geared towards females.

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