Is your BMI a pointless measurement?

[bank5]

I just had my BMI and body fat % measured. I'm 6', 193 lbs, have a BMI of 26.2 and 7.5% body fat. What's the point of the BMI measurement?

MODS: I meant to put this under Health & Fitness. Can you move it? Thanks

[r2473]

BMI explains why the weights in my gym are all over the floor.

Your BMI (based on what you said) is 26.2 (overweight). You need to drop down to at least 170 (you will then have a BMI of 23.1.

How do you do this? You can't drop much bodyfat (you are already at 7.5%). So you need to concentrate on losing muscle.

How do you lose muscle? To gain muscle, you "lift weights", therefore (logically) to lose muscle, you have to "drop" weights.

This brings me back to my original point. Most people in my gym have discovered that they need to lower their BMI. That is why they drop weights all over the gym floor and don't rerack them (because to rerack them, they would be lifting weights, see).

(My story makes as much sense as you worrying about your BMI. You are in great shape).

[lethalfang]

I just had my BMI and body fat % measured. I'm 6', 193 lbs, have a BMI of 26.2 and 7.5% body fat. What's the point of the BMI measurement?

MODS: I meant to put this under Health & Fitness. Can you move it? Thanks

If your body fat is 7.5%, you're in great shape and you need not worry about BMI.
BMI works for a "typical" person, not a trained athlete.

[SystemicAnomaly]

BMI explains why the weights in my gym are all over the floor...

Great response, r2473!

[benasp]

BMI is a measure for inactive people, or already fat people. Muscle weight more than fat so this measurment is very simplified and don't take muscle into acount.

[Hot Sauce]

Don't worry about the BMI, it doesn't factor in muscle and ****. 6 ft, 193, 7.5% BF. You one swole ass muh ****a!

[nytennisaddict]

BMI explains why the weights in my gym are all over the floor.

Your BMI (based on what you said) is 26.2 (overweight). You need to drop down to at least 170 (you will then have a BMI of 23.1.

How do you do this? You can't drop much bodyfat (you are already at 7.5%). So you need to concentrate on losing muscle.

How do you lose muscle? To gain muscle, you "lift weights", therefore (logically) to lose muscle, you have to "drop" weights.

This brings me back to my original point. Most people in my gym have discovered that they need to lower their BMI. That is why they drop weights all over the gym floor and don't rerack them (because to rerack them, they would be lifting weights, see).

(My story makes as much sense as you worrying about your BMI. You are in great shape).
awesome response

[Il Mostro]

If you are 7.5% body fat and can crack walnuts on your a**, you should ignore your BMI, as others have already pointed out. Just wanted to get that analogy in here :-)

[Nellie]

According to my research, at 5'10", 225 lbs. to get a BMI of 32.3 (at about 10% body fat), I am close to being morbidly obese and could get on disability soon.

[Rickson]

BMI is absolutely useless for pro bodybuilders and football players who are leaner than most people. BF % is a lot more accurate than BMI.

[bhupaes]

And I would think that BMI is pretty useless for sumo wrestlers as well! I read an article on how sumo wrestlers train (sorry, I don't have a link handy), and it seems that their training methods result in a completely different fat distribution than your garden variety obese person. If I remember correctly, sumo wrestlers have all their fat on the surface, and the usual obese person has fat embedded deeper within the body. To cut a long story short, it seems that sumo wrestlers are actually super-healthy people who don't have the same problems as obese folks who may look similar in build.

[mikeler]

According to my research, at 5'10", 225 lbs. to get a BMI of 32.3 (at about 10% body fat), I am close to being morbidly obese and could get on disability soon.

I am 5'8" and 200 pounds, so I'm also morbidly obese even though I have no problems playing 3 hour matches in the Florida heat. I have several friends who are rail thin and even they are not in the proper BMI range. It's garbage if you ask me.

[Mansewerz]

Damn you OP :D, my aim is 10% bf.

[halalula1234]

What Would U Loose Muscle??? Doesnt Make Sense

[Rickson]

Ronnie Coleman is only 5'10, but he competes at 260 lbs. and weighs over 300 lbs. during the off season. Coleman is considered morbidly obese according to the BMI charts, but he's even leaner at his off season body weight than most people on the planet. Does Ronnie Coleman look obese to you? This is proof that the BMI chart is useless.

Ronnie Coleman (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mK6hc3J4e88)

[Mansewerz]

Ronnie Coleman is only 5'10, but he competes at 260 lbs. and weighs over 300 lbs. during the off season. Coleman is considered morbidly obese according to the BMI charts, but he's even leaner at his off season body weight than most people on the planet. Does Ronnie Coleman look obese to you? This is proof that the BMI chart is useless.

Ronnie Coleman (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mK6hc3J4e88)

Pro body building today is a joke. Bring back Columbu and Nubret.

[autumn_leaf]

i hate the BMI. and for you it'd be totally off since it doesn't include muscle mass.

i remember when i was in shape and i was barely on the healthy level during track season... i knew a guy in the army that was unhealthy by BMI standards and had to sit in an office to see his superior to get a wavier; this guy was 6ft tall and weighed over 200lbs but almost all of it was muscle, needless to say he got the wavier and the superior screamed at the physician for wasting everybody's time.