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Our Navy body fat calculator is a great tool to help determine the percentage of fat in your body. You can use this tool to evaluate your physical readiness for joining the U.S. armed forces. If you are not planning for that, you can use our navy fitness calculator to find out how fit you are and what improvements you need to make to become as fit as a military person. This calculator uses the exact formula and the same factors that are used by the U.S. Navy to judge the fitness levels of its personnel, so you can expect a high level of accuracy.
But, how accurate is a navy body fat calculator in general? What are the navy BMI and body weight standards and how can you meet them? Read on to get the answers.
💡 Quick Tip: To use our navy body fat calculator, you need to measure the circumference of your waist, hip, and neck. Unless you are a fitness freak, an athlete, or an aspiring military person, taking these measurements every two or four weeks may be just too much work to do. In that case, you can buy a smart weighing scale such as Etekcity Smart WiFi Scale for Body Weight and Fat. These scales use bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) technology and often have a high accuracy level.
Etekcity Smart WiFi Scale for Body Weight and Fat
Our Navy Method Body Fat Calculator
Body Fat Rating :
Navy body fat calculator formula
As I said above, our navy fitness calculator uses the exact Navy-seal formula.
For males, the formula is body fat percentage = 86.010 x log10 (abdomen – neck) – 70.041 x log10 (height) + 36.76
For females, the navy body fat percentage formula is 163.205 x log10 (waist + hip – neck) – 97.684 x log10 (height) – 78.387(1)
To use our navy body fat calculator, you need to measure your weight, neck circumference, and hip circumference. When you insert these values, you will get your body fat percentage. The calculator will also tell you if your body fat is acceptable or not based on the Navy BMI standards mentioned below-
| Age | Max % of body fat acceptable for males | Max % of body fat acceptable for females |
| 18 to 21 years | 22% | 33% |
| 22 to 29 years | 23% | 34% |
| 30 to 39 years | 24% | 35% |
| Above 40 years | 26% | 36% |
📖 Related Article: If you are trying to meet the Navy fitness standard, you may be interested in our Reverse BMI calculator that can help you find out exactly how much weight you need to lose. Here is a detailed guide and our reverse BMI calculator.
How to take measurements for our navy method body fat calculator
The Navy BCA standards do not consider the standard BMI that the CDC recommends. That's because BMI is not a very accurate way of measuring a person’s fitness level. An athlete can have a much higher BMI due to the weight of his lean muscles, which may put him/her in an unhealthy category.
Navy BMI standards are different. It considers your age, weight, and height along with the circumference of the neck, waist, and hip. The circumference has to be measured from a specific point as mentioned below.
💡 Quick Tip: The standard measuring tape you have at home may be difficult to use for taking body measurements. You may have to ask someone to hold the tape and note down the reading. If you are serious about losing or gaining inches, you should buy RENPHO body measuring tape. Because of its easy-lock design, you can use it on your own.
RENPHO body measuring tape
How to measure neck size for body fat
To measure the circumference of your neck correctly, make sure the measuring tape passes below the larynx i.e. Adam’s apple. Keep your head straight and your shoulders down and relaxed. Your shoulders must not be hunched and your neck must not be flared.
How to measure the waist size for navy method body fat calculator
For men, the measurement should be taken at the navel level. For women, it should be taken at the narrowest width, which is usually above the navel.
While taking measurements, relax and exhale. Do not tighten your abdominal muscles. Do not suck in your stomach. Keep your arms relaxed by your sides.
How to measure the hip for navy fitness calculator
The measurement should be taken at the widest point of the hip. If you can, remove your clothes before taking measurement or you may pull the tape slightly to account for the bulk of your clothing.
Once you have taken all the necessary measurements, use our navy method body fat calculator and the body fat reference table above to find out where you stand.
📖 Related Article: If you are preparing to join the military forces or if you are an aspiring bodybuilder, you may be interested to know if you can gain muscles without eating a lot.
How accurate is the navy body fat calculator
No body fat calculator is 100% accurate, not even the navy seal one. It has an accuracy level of 96%-97%. In fact, most reliable body fat measuring methods have an accuracy of 95% to 97% and the navy method falls within this range.
Other methods that may have better accuracy than the navy body fat calculator are hydrostatic weighing, BOD POD test, and DEXA/DXA scan. But, these are professional-grade tests. You can’t do them at home whenever you feel the need. That's why a Bioimpedance analysis (BIA) or body fat scales and Skinfold test are gaining a lot of popularity. I recommend MEDca Body Fat Caliper because it is easy to use and comes with its own measuring tape. Sequoia Fitness TrimCal 4000 Body Fat Caliper is another best-rated option for those who want a low-cost user-friendly way of measuring their body fat percentage. If you are ready to spend a few hundred dollars, you can buy an Omron HBF-306C Handheld Body Fat Loss Monitor.
Wrap up
Knowing your body fat percentage and where you stand can give you a rough idea about your overall health. You may use this data to determine what kind of approach you need to take to stay healthy.
I hope I have explained everything you would want to know about the navy method body fat calculator. If you still have any questions or if you want to share an idea or suggestion, leave a comment or email me.
