27 September 2009
What is Your BMI and How Does It Figure in to Your Bodybuilding?
To make optimum gains in bodybuilding, it is important you include a scientific
and accurate approach to the process. Individuals can rely on the body mass index or BMI to determine how much you need to
improve in your program. You will find that knowing the exact digits will lead
to faster progress and enhanced muscle mass. Discover which category you belong
in, then make the needed changes.
What is BMI?
Body mass index, BMI or Quetelet index is a form of statistical measurement
that determines whether an individual's weight is proportionate to his or her
height. BMI was created by Adolphe Quetelet, a Belgian polymath between 1830
and 1850 as he was developing social physics.
The percentage of body fat is not measured, but a person can estimate how much
body weight is ideal for each particular height. It is commonly used as a
diagnostic technique to determine levels of obesity in a given population,
because it is very easy to use. It is not, however, used as a final tool to
diagnose individuals of obesity.
Your body mass index is your actual body weight divided by the square of your
height. The universal unit of measure is kg/m2. Health professionals were able
to measure if a person is too thin or too fat more objectively during the 1950s
and 1960s. One of the main purposes of BMI is to determine how sedentary people
are based on their average body composition.
The value settings for individuals are: 18.5 to 25 BMI can mean ideal or
optimal weight; below 18.5 can mean underweight and above 25 can mean
overweight. If a person has a BMI lower than 17.5, it can mean that anorexia or
other eating disorders are present. If a person has a BMI higher than 30, it
can mean that obesity or morbid obesity is present.
The Categories
Knowing your BMI will identify and compare your actual body weight from the
desirable or normal values proportionate to your height. Excess weight or lack
of it usually stems from abnormal body fat or adipose tissue levels.
Muscularity may alter or present inaccurate values since muscle is heavy. The
BMI values apply as statistical categories only when used among adults. These
do not determine whether a person is healthy or not.
Severely underweight individuals are described as having a BMI lower than 16.5
and a BMI Prime below 0.60. Underweight individuals have a BMI of 16.5 to 18.5
and a BMI Prime of 0.6 to 0.74. Individuals with normal weights have a BMI of
18.5 to 25 and a BMI Prime of 0.74 to 1.0. Overweight individuals have a BMI of
25 to 30 and a BMI Prime of 1.0 to 1.2.
Persons classified under Obese Class I have a BMI of 30 to 35 and a BMI Prime
of 1.2 to 1.4 Those classified under Obese Class II have a BMI of 35 to 40 and
a BMI Prime of 1.4 to 1.6. Those in Obese Class III have a BMI higher than 40
and a BMI Prime above 1.6.
According to a U.S. national survey, 59% of all men and 49% of all women in
America are categorized as overweight or have a BMI above 25. 2% of men and 4%
of women were classified as extremely obese. Children use BMI differently. The
calculation is similar as the adults, but values are compared to typical ones
in children belonging to the same age and gender group.
What It Means to the Bodybuilder
Knowing your BMI will help identify whether or not you need to lose more body
fat or gain more muscle mass. In some cases, bodybuilders may find that they
fall in the overweight or even obese category because their weights are
described as too heavy for their heights.
There are bodybuilders with only 4% to 8% body fat but weight over 200 pounds
on a less than 6-foot frame. Natural bodybuilders will find BMI values ideal in
zoning in on the proper training program that will lead to their ideal fitness
level and physique.
In most cases, the categories and values provided in the BMI index are
appropriate for bodybuilders in the beginner, intermediate and advanced levels.
Beginners will benefit the most since they can determine how near or far they
are from the ideal value based on the numbers. Each point will indicate how
close you are to your goal. You may add other measuring tools and methods such
as callipers and water measurements to get accurate details about your body fat
percentage and muscle mass composition.
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