Our Military Physique Fats Calculator estimates your physique fats proportion utilizing your intercourse, weight, age, and waist circumference. It’s based mostly on the brand new Military one-site tape take a look at launched in 2023, which simplifies and improves the Military’s technique for assessing physique composition.
The Military makes use of these calculations to find out should you meet the physique fats requirements required for enlistment, service, or promotion. These requirements assist guarantee troopers keep match, wholesome, and prepared for the calls for of army service.
Military Physique Fats Calculator
What Is an Military Physique Fats Calculator?
An Military Physique Fats Calculator estimates your physique fats proportion and helps you establish whether or not you meet the Military’s physique fats requirements.
Frequently monitoring your physique fats is essential to staying inside these requirements, which impression your capacity to affix the Military, advance in rank, and proceed serving.
When you exceed the boundaries as an enlisted soldier, you might be positioned within the Military Physique Composition Program (ABCP), the place you’ll obtain structured weight loss plan and train steering to enhance your physique composition.
Failing to make progress within the ABCP may end up in administrative actions, equivalent to being flagged for restrictions on promotions, assignments, and even separation from service.
Learn how to Use the Military Physique Fats Calculator
Observe these steps to finish the one-site tape take a look at, the Military’s technique for assessing physique fats:
- Measure your waist circumference (on the stomach button) utilizing a versatile tape measure. Spherical to the closest 0.5 inch.
- Weigh your self and spherical to the closest pound.
- Enter your waist measurement, weight, age, and intercourse into the Military Physique Fats Calculator.
Repeat these steps each month or so and log your outcomes. Over time, you’ll construct a transparent image of how your physique fats proportion is altering, making it simpler to regulate your coaching and weight loss plan as wanted to remain inside the Military’s physique fats requirements.
The Military Physique Fats Calculator Formulae
If you wish to crunch the numbers your self, listed here are the formulae you want:
Military Physique Fats Calculator Components for Males
Physique fats % = -26.97 – (0.12 x physique weight in kilos) + (1.99 x stomach circumference in inches)
Instance
Measurements: Stomach = 35 inches; Weight = 210 kilos
- ( 0.12 x 210 kilos ) = 25.2 to get your first quantity
- (1.99 x 35 inches) = 69.65 to get your second quantity
- -26.97 – (25.2) + (69.65) = -52.17 + 69.65
- -52.17 + 69.65 = 17 % (precise quantity is 17.48%; spherical to the closest complete %)
Military Physique Fats Calculator Components for Ladies
Physique Fats % = -9.15 – (0.015 x physique weight in kilos) + (1.27 x stomach circumference in inches)
Instance
Measurements: Stomach = 30 inches; Weight = 165 kilos
- (0.015 x 165 kilos) = 2.475 to get your first quantity.
- (1.27 x 30 inches) = 38.1 to get your second quantity.
- -9.15 – (2.475) + (38.1) = -11.625 + 38.1
- -11.625 + 38.1 = 26 % (precise quantity is 26.475%; spherical to the closest complete %)
Understanding the Military’s One-Website Tape Take a look at
In 2023, the Military launched the one-site tape take a look at to simplify and enhance the way it measures physique fats. The brand new technique replaces the outdated multi-site take a look at, which required you to measure your neck, waist, and hips (for girls).
Now, you solely have to measure your waist circumference on the stomach button, then enter it into the Military Physique Fats Calculator alongside along with your weight, age, and intercourse to see should you meet the required requirements.
The Military applied this alteration after the Military Complete Physique Composition Examine analyzed information from over 2,600 troopers and located points with the outdated take a look at.
The outdated technique typically flagged troopers with excessive quantities of muscle as exceeding physique fats requirements, even when they had been match and performing properly. The one-site tape take a look at solves this by specializing in a single, standardized measurement, which reduces errors and improves accuracy.
Passing the Military’s Physique Fats Requirements
You have to meet the Military’s physique fats requirements to affix or stay within the Military. These requirements range by age and intercourse and are outlined in Army Regulation 40–501 and Army Regulation 600-9.
The Military physique fats tables under present the utmost allowable percentages:
What Occurs if You Fail the New Military One-Website Tape Take a look at?
As of June 2024, the Military’s single-tape take a look at is the only authorized method for measuring physique fats.
Beforehand, troopers who failed the one-site tape take a look at might request a affirmation take a look at utilizing the older multi-site tape technique, however this feature was solely obtainable for one yr after the directive was issued in June 2023.
Now, should you fail the Military one-site tape take a look at, you may request a physique fats evaluation utilizing instruments like a DXA scan, InBody 770, or The Bod Pod, offered they’re “fairly obtainable,” one thing a Commander decides to make sure the method is honest and constant throughout all models.
When you don’t request a supplemental evaluation or fail it, you’ll be flagged and enrolled within the ABCP, the place you’ll obtain assist to satisfy the required requirements.
In fact, probably the greatest methods to keep away from all of that is to make use of our Military Physique Fats Proportion Calculator to see how shut you might be to assembly the Military’s physique fats requirements and, if wanted, how a lot fats it’s good to lose to adjust to them.
Exceptions to the Military’s Physique Fats Requirements
When you rating 540 or increased on the Military Fight Health Take a look at (ACFT) and earn at the very least 80 factors in every occasion, you don’t have to satisfy the Military’s physique fats requirements.
This exemption accounts for troopers with increased muscle mass, who could exceed physique fats limits though they’re match for responsibility. In different phrases, by excelling on the ACFT, you show you’re prepared for service, even when a U.S. Military Physique Fats Calculator suggests in any other case.
For everybody else, the one-site tape take a look at stays the usual for assessing physique fats.
Why Are There Totally different Requirements for Becoming a member of and Remaining within the Military?
The Military allows increased physique fats limits for brand new recruits to make enlistment extra accessible, with the expectation that they’ll lose fats throughout coaching and meet the stricter requirements for staying in service.
As soon as enlisted, troopers should meet decrease physique fats limits to make sure they keep match for responsibility. Those that exceed the boundaries could also be enrolled within the ABCP, and failing to make progress can result in administrative motion.
Learn how to Decrease Your Physique Fats Proportion
When you’ve simply used our Military Physique Fats Calculator and located that you just don’t meet the Military’s physique fats proportion requirements, you is likely to be questioning what to do subsequent.
Or possibly you’re inside the limits however need to enhance your physique composition so that you by no means have to fret about failing a take a look at.
The excellent news?
Reducing your physique fats proportion whereas sustaining or constructing muscle is less complicated than most individuals assume. It principally comes right down to:
- Consuming the fitting variety of energy
- Consuming sufficient protein
- Doing loads of heavy weightlifting
- Strategically utilizing cardio
- Taking the fitting dietary supplements
That is the precise protocol these folks adopted on Legion’s body transformation coaching service, and take a look at how their our bodies modified:
If you wish to obtain comparable outcomes and meet (or exceed) the Military’s physique fats requirements, right here’s what it’s good to do:
Eat the Proper Variety of Energy
Studies present that making a calorie deficit of 20-to-25% (consuming 20-to-25% fewer calories than you burn each day) will aid you lose fats lickety-split with out dropping muscle or wrestling with extreme starvation, lethargy, and the opposite hobgoblins of low-calorie weight-reduction plan.
To be taught extra about what number of energy it’s best to eat, try the Legion Calorie Calculator here.
Eat Sufficient Protein
High-protein dieting beats low-protein in each means, particularly while you’re weight-reduction plan to lose fats.
To lose fats, goal to eat 08-to-1 grams of protein per pound of physique weight day by day.
And should you’re very obese (25%+ physique fats in males and 30%+ in ladies), cut back this to round 40% of your complete day by day energy.
To be taught precisely what number of grams of protein it’s best to eat every day, try the Legion Protein Calculator here.
Do a Lot of Heavy Weightlifting
To maximise the muscle-building and fat-burning results of energy coaching, do the next:
- Raise weights 3-to-5 occasions weekly.
- Prioritize compound workout routines such because the squat, deadlift, bench press, and overhead press. Studies present that these workout routines produce the best will increase in metabolic price, muscle mass, and energy.
- Train with 75-to-85% of your one-rep max (weights that you are able to do 6-to-12 reps with earlier than failing). Research shows that lifting heavy weights helps you construct extra muscle and burn extra fats than coaching with lighter weights.
- Attempt so as to add weight or reps to each train in each exercise. This is named progressive overload, and it’s the only most important driver of muscle progress.
READ MORE: The 12 Best Science-Based Strength Training Programs for Gaining Muscle and Strength
Strategically Use Cardio to Enhance Fats Loss
To make use of cardio that will help you lose fats as rapidly as attainable, right here’s what it’s good to do:
- Do at the very least two low- to moderate-intensity cardio exercises per week of 20-to-60 minutes every.
- Do one HIIT exercise weekly should you take pleasure in it.
- Restrict complete cardio to 2-to-3 hours weekly.
- Do your cardio and weightlifting on separate days if attainable, and if you need to do them on the identical day, raise weights first and attempt to separate the 2 exercises by at the very least 6 hours.
READ MORE: Concurrent Training: The Right Way to Combine Cardio and Strength Training
Take the Proper Dietary supplements
The perfect dietary supplements to spice up weight reduction are:
- Caffeine: 3-to-6 mg of caffeine per kilogram of physique weight per day will increase metabolic price and helps you prepare tougher whereas weight-reduction plan.
- Yohimbine: 0.1-to-0.2 milligrams of yohimbine per kilogram of physique weight earlier than fasted coaching enhances fats loss.
- Fats Burner: Efficient fat burners include elements that enhance the variety of energy you burn and cut back starvation and cravings, making weight reduction extra simple.
(And should you’d wish to know precisely what different dietary supplements it’s best to take to succeed in any and your whole health targets, take the Legion Supplement Finder Quiz.)
FAQ #1: How does the brand new Military tape take a look at calculator work?
The brand new Military tape take a look at calculator estimates your physique fats proportion based mostly on the Military’s one-site tape take a look at launched in 2023. Not like the outdated multi-site technique, which measured the neck, waist, and hips (for girls), the brand new take a look at simplifies the method through the use of a single waist measurement on the stomach button.
This variation got here after analysis confirmed that the outdated take a look at typically misclassified muscular troopers as exceeding Military physique fats requirements. The one-site tape take a look at improves accuracy by round 10%, so troopers get a fairer evaluation of their physique composition.
To see should you meet the Military’s physique fats requirements, enter your weight, age, intercourse, and waist measurement into our Military Physique Fats Calculator above.
FAQ #2: What’s the distinction between the Military Physique Fats Calculator and the Military Top and Weight Calculator?
An Military peak and weight calculator is a screening software used to rapidly test if a soldier or recruit meets the Military’s weight requirements based mostly on their peak. It really works equally to a BMI calculator—in case your weight is at or under the utmost restrict in your peak, you routinely move the Military’s physique composition requirements.
When you exceed the burden restrict, you will need to assess your physique fats proportion utilizing an Military Physique Fats Calculator. This includes measuring your waist circumference utilizing the one-site tape take a look at to estimate your physique fats proportion.
In different phrases, the peak and weight calculator is a primary step, whereas the physique fats calculator determines whether or not you meet the Military’s precise physique fats requirements should you exceed the burden threshold.
FAQ #3: What occurs if I fail the Military one-site tape take a look at?
When you fail the Military one-site tape take a look at, you might be eligible for a supplemental physique fats evaluation utilizing instruments like a DXA scan, InBody 770, or The Bod Pod, however provided that these strategies are “fairly obtainable” at your unit.
When you don’t request a supplemental take a look at—or should you fail it—you’ll be flagged and enrolled within the Military Physique Composition Program (ABCP). This program supplies steering on weight loss plan and train that will help you cut back your physique fats proportion so that you fall inside the requirements once more.
Nonetheless, failing to make progress within the ABCP may end up in administrative motion, which might impression your profession development.
One of the best ways to keep away from that is to often use our Military Physique Fats Calculator to make sure you’re inside the requirements earlier than an official take a look at.
FAQ #4: How typically ought to I test my physique fats utilizing the Military Physique Fats Proportion Calculator?
To remain forward of Military necessities, test your physique fats proportion as soon as month-to-month utilizing the Military Physique Fats Proportion Calculator above.
Common monitoring makes it simpler to identify developments in your physique composition and modify your coaching and weight loss plan accordingly. That is particularly necessary should you’re near the restrict in your age and intercourse.
For probably the most correct readings, at all times take your waist measurement on the stomach button and weigh your self on the identical time of day, underneath the identical circumstances.
FAQ #5: Does the Military single tape take a look at apply to all troopers?
Sure, the Military single tape take a look at is the usual technique for assessing physique fats, however there’s one exception.
When you rating 540 or increased on the Military Fight Health Take a look at (ACFT) and get at the very least 80 factors in every occasion, you’re exempt from physique fats assessments.
This exemption accounts for high-performing troopers with extra muscle, who could exceed the Military’s physique fats requirements regardless of being in wonderful form.
For everybody else, utilizing an Military Physique Fats Content material Calculator alongside the brand new one-site tape take a look at is the usual technique for figuring out whether or not you meet the required physique fats proportion.
Scientific References +
- Potter, Adam W, and Karl E Friedl. “US Army Accession and Retention Standards: Impact on Obesity and Medical Readiness.” Military Medicine, 25 Dec. 2024, doi.org/10.1093/milmed/usae554, https://doi.org/10.1093/milmed/usae554. Accessed 9 Feb. 2025.
- Huovinen, Heikki T., et al. “Body Composition and Power Performance Improved after Weight Reduction in Male Athletes without Hampering Hormonal Balance.” Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, vol. 29, no. 1, Jan. 2015, pp. 29–36, https://doi.org/10.1519/jsc.0000000000000619.
- Farinatti, Paulo TV, and Antonio G Castinheiras Neto. “The Effect of Between-Set Rest Intervals on the Oxygen Uptake during and after Resistance Exercise Sessions Performed with Large- and Small-Muscle Mass.” Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, vol. 25, no. 11, Nov. 2011, pp. 3181–3190, https://doi.org/10.1519/jsc.0b013e318212e415.
- MARX, JAMES O., et al. “Low-Volume Circuit versus High-Volume Periodized Resistance Training in Women.” Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, Apr. 2001, pp. 635–643, https://doi.org/10.1097/00005768-200104000-00019.
- Mangine, Gerald T., et al. “The Effect of Training Volume and Intensity on Improvements in Muscular Strength and Size in Resistance-Trained Men.” Physiological Reports, vol. 3, no. 8, Aug. 2015, p. e12472, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4562558/pdf/phy20003-e12472.pdf, https://doi.org/10.14814/phy2.12472.
- Schoenfeld, Brad J. “The Mechanisms of Muscle Hypertrophy and Their Application to Resistance Training.” Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, vol. 24, no. 10, Oct. 2010, pp. 2857–72, journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/fulltext/2010/10000/The_Mechanisms_of_Muscle_Hypertrophy_and_Their.40.aspxLike.
