Optimal Body Fat for Athletes?

[The Passion]

I know the average or acceptable body fat percentage for men is around %15, but what is a good body fat level for an athlete, especially one that has to make weight....considering that %0 is dangerous?

 

[Wartorment]

probably 8-11%

 

[The Passion]

Is that a guess or based on something? (Not trying to have a sarcastic tone)

Anyone have a solid answer?

 

[Forsaken]

I think that's a personal question, I don't think there is an optimum body fat percentage.


Nor do I think a body fat percentage of 0 is possible.

 

[Ian Coe]

I would also opt for 0%bf being not possible


I would hazard a guess at the 8-12% region.

Don't know why though. I do recal someone saying ages ago that once you get under 6% your immune system is severely weakend

 

[Suspi]

Everyone's body is a little different, but from my experiences with cutting weight: 8-9% and I felt fine. Anything less and I felt lethargic. Of course, we weren't doing underwater submersion tests or anything so that's just an estimate.

Some olympic athletes go as low as 4.5% or so. I doubt they feel particularly good, but they are certainly competitive.

 

[Vipergq]

The myth that it unhealthy to be below 8% is wrong.

I am always below 8% and sometimes below 6% I get sick maybe once or twice a year and never for longer than a couple days.

Most athletes are 5-8 percent, especially fighters, except heavyweights and linemen, ect...

If it was so bad to be that low in bodyfat, why is it that almost all elite athletes are so low...

 

[The Wood]

The myth that it unhealthy to be below 8% is wrong.



If it was so bad to be that low in bodyfat, why is it that almost all elite athletes are so low...

I assume you can back up those statements? Scientific information? Long-term effects?

 

[GnP-4eva]

professional basketball players average a bodyfat of 13 percent. hockey around 12. soccer its around 10. none of these ridiculous 6 percent numbers

 

[Standard]

6 - 13% for men

Wikipedia is great!!

that i would agree with as an "athlete" can be from any sport; a runner is going to have alot lower then a lineman but both would be in the range they need to be.

 

[The Passion]

I think that's a personal question, I don't think there is an optimum body fat percentage.


Nor do I think a body fat percentage of 0 is possible.

Maybe the equipment was not accurate enough, but this idiot on my wrestling team would eat 1 apple or 1 banana a day for like a week or two in a row and only have a certain number of dixie cups of water every day, and my coaches body fat meter could not register a number on him. Maybe it was the lack of water, but he was skinny as shit.

This is obviously stupid and not something I would aim for, but I think it's possible

 

[The Passion]

Hmmm...looks like I will aim around 8 for now.

 

[Madmick]

It's not possible to have 0% BF. You'd be dead.

 

[Ian Coe]

It's not possible to have 0% BF. You'd be dead.

he disagrees

 

[David Bolton]

This is from "Burn the fat feed the people"

TYPICAL AVERAGE BODYFAT FOR ATHLETES (Males)
Distance Runners= 5-10%
Elite Marathon Runners= 3-5%
Sprinters=5 -12%
Jumpers and hurdlers= 6-13%
Olympic Gymnasts= 5-8%
Football Players, running backs, recievers, def backs 7-9%
Football Players, linebacks= 14%
Football Players, lineman= 16-19%
Soccer Players= 7-12%
basketball/softball players= 10-14%
Pro basketball players= 7-12%
Wrestlers= 4-12%
Cross country skiers= 7-13%
Tennis Players= 10-16%
Swimmers= 6-12%

 

[argracy1]

For Highschool wrestling the min your allowed to have is 7%

so i'm guessing below 7% is unhealthy for most...alot of it depends on your bodytype so there may be no magic number

 

[MMA Wembly]

This is from "Burn the fat feed the people"

TYPICAL AVERAGE BODYFAT FOR ATHLETES (Males)
Distance Runners= 5-10%
Elite Marathon Runners= 3-5%
Sprinters=5 -12%
Jumpers and hurdlers= 6-13%
Olympic Gymnasts= 5-8%
Football Players, running backs, recievers, def backs 7-9%
Football Players, linebacks= 14%
Football Players, lineman= 16-19%
Soccer Players= 7-12%
basketball/softball players= 10-14%
Pro basketball players= 7-12%
Wrestlers= 4-12%
Cross country skiers= 7-13%
Tennis Players= 10-16%
Swimmers= 6-12%

NIce post. You wouldnt happen to have a link to article would you?

 

[David Bolton]

NIce post. You wouldnt happen to have a link to article would you?

It is from the a book by Tom Venuto.

 

[The Passion]

I've heard swimmers tend to gain fat because they're always swimming in water that's lower than their body temp, so they're body compensates by adding fat.

 

[tstolt]

It's not possible to have 0% BF. You'd be dead.

i think bruce lee's body fat % contributed to his death, which i dont think was 0% but it was down there