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Body Composition Values – Muscle Mass -2

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Our body mass consists of two main components: Fat Mass (FM) and Lean Body Mass (LBM). As mentioned in our previous article, the terms of “lean body mass” and “muscle mass” are frequently used interchangeably by the device manufacturers deliberately; however, these two values are not absolutely the same. Lean body mass (LBM) includes bone mass, body fluid, and all other body tissues, as well as muscle mass. The subject of body tissues is a very comprehensive subject.  Epithelial Tissue,  which is found in the structure of internal organs,  Supportive  Connective Tissue, chich connects organs and muscles,  Nervous Tissue, which coordinates the senses and body functioning, can be given example to these tissues.

WhenMuscle Mass  is mentioned the total mass of 3 types of muscular tissue in our body is meant:

– Striated muscles (skeletal muscles or red muscles),
– Smooth muscles (muscles in our organs),
– Heart muscle (muscles in heart tissue only).

To summarize,

Muscle Mass = Total mass of the Muscular Tissues

Lean Body Mass = Body Mass – Fat Mass

How do we measure our muscle mass?

First of all, when we say muscle mass, we have to make sure which muscular tissue is mentioned. Usually, when people talk about muscle mass, they typically mean skeletal muscles. When dieticians or trainers talk about muscle and muscle mass, they mean our skeletal muscles. Because our musculoskeletal system is the only muscular system on whose mass we can effect by diet and workout programs, and it is directly related to our basal metabolic rate. You can strengthen your heart muscles with cardio exercises, however, you cannot achieve a mass change that will affect your volume or basal metabolic rate.

So we can rephrase our question as “How can we measure our skeletal muscle mass?”.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging Method

Magnetic resonance imaging (MR or MRI) is the exact way to calculate muscle mass and its percentage.

The MR device uses powerful magnets to create an image of your muscles and creates a magnetic field. This magnetic field rearranges hydrogen atoms in your body, and it releases the energy that the device uses to determine tissues.

MR is the gold standard for determining muscle mass and percentage, but it is very costly, and the knowledge of the radiologist or specialist who interprets the results is very important. For this reason, it is not a practical method, moreover, it has drawbacks due to radiation in terms of regular use.

Multi-Frequency BIA (Bio Impedance Analysis)

In our first article, we mentioned how to obtain body composition values other than body water mass. You can access the detailed explanation using the link below.

What we want to draw your attention to is that the muscle mass value given by these devices is definitely not the skeletal muscle mass we question. It is not even the muscle mass we have described above (the total of all muscular tissues). The value provided by them is a value found by subtracting the bone tissue mass from the lean body mass. This bone tissue mass is the value obtained from a statistical table according to your age, height, and gender.

Briefly, what is provided by the BIA devices is the muscle mass value *;

muscle mass value* = Body mass – Fat mass – Bone mass.

As a result, this value includes all the tissues that make up our body such as all muscular tissues, body fluids, epithelial tissue, nervous tissue, and organ tissues. However, as mentioned in our first article and above, this issue is manipulated and this value is presented as the skeletal muscle system mass by the BIA device manufacturers, and this is presented to end-users in this way by the users in the industry.

In the figure below, the report of a top model Segmental BIA device from the most well-known BIA device manufacturer is presented as an example. As you can see they use the term Muscle Mass.   But you can see that this value is equal to Body mass – Fat mass – Bone mass , and that it’s not a measurement value, but a value calculated by a simple formula.

As a result, the value of the Muscle Mass given by BIA devices does not have anything to do with neither the muscle mass nor the skeletal muscle mass defined in the literature. This value is the estimated bone mass from the Lean Body Mass.

However, the Lean Body Mass is an effective follow-up value in Workout and Diet programs. Because we can assume that other tissues in our body, except for the musculoskeletal tissue, remain stable for 1-6 months during the workout and diet processes, when there is no advanced health problem. This means that the change in Lean Body Mass value is largely caused by the musculoskeletal tissue.

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blog-body.jpgAlthough the formulas for determining your ideal fat ratio are still controversial in the medical and fitness world, we share the two most commonly used measurement parameters below to get an average figure:
The table below is the most commonly used formula to determine the ideal body fat ratio in the world. When determining this ratio, remember that every body is different from each other and their needs should be determined accordingly. Factors such as hormonal factors, the geography you live in and gender can be determinants of your body fat ratio. For example, women need more fat cells than men to produce eggs.

Fat rate men Women
Max Rate 2-5% 10-13%
Athletic 6-13% 14-20%
Fit 14-17% 21-24%
Average 18-24% 25-31%
Obese 25%+ 32%+

 

The parameter specified as “Maximum Ratio” indicates the minimum amount of fat required for physical and mental health. This issue is still controversial among physiologists. Regardless, keep in mind that your body needs a certain amount of fat to maintain a healthy existence. Having a fat body causes all kinds of aesthetic and physical problems, and a zero fat body means an unhealthy body.

A good diet alone or regular exercise alone is not the way to be healthy. Remember that the important thing is to know your body very well and maintain a balanced lifestyle according to its needs.

For example, your age, as well as your gender, has an impact on your body's needs. While exercising, be sure to consult your doctor's recommendations and alternative methods to have information about your body.

Table 2 (Jackson & Pollock Standard):

Another very common body fat ratio table in the world is the following. Contrary to the above, this table also takes into account the age factor when determining body fat percentage.

Age men Women
20 8.5% 17.7%
25 10.5% 18.4%
30 12.7% 19.3%
35 13.7% 21.5%
40 15.3% 22.2%
45 16.4% 22.9%
50 18.9% 25.2%
55 20.9% 26.3%

 

As we get older, we need more body fat as our body and skin strength will decrease. Moreover, with age, the body's tendency to get fat also increases for this reason.

Another important point about body fats is whether they are evenly distributed in our body. Skin lubrication and organ lubrication are different from each other, and their dangers vary in line with this difference.

Body fat measurement methods such as Digime3D are the devices you should choose as they show you the other needs of your body and reveal your body fat distribution much more precisely and precisely than other methods.
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It’s no secret that January is the peak time for new gym memberships, so it’s time to act if you want your gym to be ready. The top 2 New Year’s resolutions are exercising more and losing weight, and despite the economy stalling in some areas, the fitness market is booming (we’re talking a 44% year-on-year increase in gym membership spending).

But there is plenty of competition for that spending, so how can you put yourself in the best position to capitalise on the surge of January interest? I think there are 2 questions you need to ask yourself in the run-up to the most important time of year for gym owners and managers. Here they are:

1. Why do people choose you over your competitors?

This is about what makes you stand out from the gym down the road, and it isn’t all about price – it’s about what you offer in terms of the latest fitness trends and expected standard equipment, and what support you offer members to achieve their goals.

It’s also important to get up to speed on technology. For example, people now use a range of wearables to monitor their workouts. It’s a crucial part of today’s gym culture, and if your machines integrate with their tech, you’re on to a winner.

lso new 3D body scanning technology can become another weapon in the gym manager’s arsenal. How? By revolutionizing the initial consultation and sign up phase for new members. Offering a free consultation, gyms now have the ability to do one of two things once a potential new member walks through their doors:

  • Immediately build a report with them
  • Establish a standard for benchmarking and results that speaks to the training staff’s ability to work with clients to deliver custom tailored workout routines that keep members coming back.

2. How will you retain existing members (as well as attract new ones)?

Variety is crucial to helping long-term gym members stay motivated, and new gym equipment helps create a buzz around the place while also impressing new visitors.

However, your new equipment has to fit with how they want to work out – so why not do a quick survey to see what would most interest them? You also need to consider available space and how your new purchases will fit with existing kit.

You need to place an order for gym equipment soon if you want it operational by January. After all, standard delivery times are 6 to 8 weeks.

Time is short, though. Please don’t wait until the Christmas party season is in full swing and you’ve got a quiet few minutes while everyone else is out enjoying themselves. Make time in the next week or 2 to plan, research and work out how to finance the equipment you need. Then you’ll start January 2018 up to date, competitive and well-organised so that you can keep your current members engaged and attract plenty of new ones.

Key takeaways

  • Prepare for January now – given equipment delivery timescales, you need to get started to be ready for the New Year’s crowd
  • Research which gym equipment would best suit your current and prospective members (why not survey your regulars?)
  • Search for new technologies like wearables and 3D body scanning technology .
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What is the difference between your weight on the scale and your fat percentage?

What is the difference between your weight on the scale and your fat percentage?

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What is the difference between your weight on the scale and your fat percentage?

The weight figure appearing on the scale does not help us to reach any information about our fat percentage. A person who seems too thin may actually have a high body fat percentage. Although there are a wide variety of body fat percentage measurement techniques, we can take a look at the methods that should be followed in order to reach the final result.

1- How is the Body Mass Index Calculated?

The body mass index gives us information about the harmony between our height and weight. The most commonly used and known by almost everyone, BMI can be shown as one of the body fat percentage measurement techniques that we can trust the most. The body mass index is obtained by dividing the body weight by the square of the height. The following classification is used: The resulting value is considered different for women and men.

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  • Values between 35-45, class II obesity,
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2- Waist Measurement

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3- Thigh Gap

This measure, which is especially used among young girls, is valid when there is a gap between the two legs while standing. This gap also proves that the person is thin enough.

4- Abdominal Muscles

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5- Waist-Hip Measurement

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What are Body Measurement Techniques?

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It is necessary to perform height and weight analysis and obtain the ideal weight according to these results to consider the body healthy. Today, body measurement techniques used to obtain this data involves various methods. These techniques measure the body fat, muscle, and water percentages in in detail.

Underwater Weighing Technique

Underwater weighing, which is one of the oldest body measurement techniques, is used to calculate the body fat percentage. In this technique determined based on the Archimedes’ laws, the person to be measured is weighed in a water tank, on a swing-like chair. In the meantime, the person is asked to exhale and discharge the air in his/her lungs. Thus, a much more accurate measurement will be ensured. The logic of this technique is that the body fats are heavier than water. In an underwater measurement, the person weighs less than he/she weighs outside. These values are compared with the weight measurements performed outside, and the fat percentage is determined by subtracting the first value from the latter. Underwater weighing is carried out only in large laboratories, by professional people, as it requires special devices.

Dexa Technique

Dexa technique is also among the body measurement techniques applied today. Besides calculating the body fats, this method also determines which parts of the body these fats are collected the most. An x-ray device is used for Dexa measurement. This device turns around the body, and it measures the amount of fat, muscle, and bone in the body. This process, which is completed in approximately 15-20 minutes, is quite widely used today. Dexa measurement devices are available in full-fledged hospitals.

Skinfold Calipers and Bioelectrical Measurement Techniques

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