Do you think army height weight standards are outdated? What would be a more accurate way that take muscle into consideration?

2019-01-15T17:30:27-05:00

I get taped Everytime and I know I don't even look overweight. I weightlift and bodybuild so I have built a decent amount of muscle which weighs more than fat would.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 15 at 2019 5:33 PM

2019-01-15T17:33:02-05:00

The Army tape test depends on the one doing the taping. If you were to go to an Army Wellness Center and use the bod-pod, which calculates muscle vs fat, you would see that they are very close. The bod pod will actually tell you you have more fat than the tape test.

Response by MSG Frank Kapaun made Jan 15 at 2019 5:35 PM

2019-01-15T17:35:40-05:00

If you were an officer, it would not be a problem. They get a pass big time on height and weight.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 15 at 2019 5:37 PM

2019-01-15T17:37:12-05:00

If you are saying that you're muscular, and you pass height and weight, then the height and weight standards are correct. You get taped because of the screening weight

Response by SGM Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 15 at 2019 9:43 PM

2019-01-15T21:43:20-05:00

The standards are fine, in that the tape test allows for any achievable amount of lean muscle mass gain, as well as a max percent of bodyfat based on age.
If anything, that max allowed is generous.
But since the method of measurement used is the least accurate and easiest to implement, that generous max is required to cover the margin of error.
Calipers are more than twice as accurate as the tape test, inexpensive, and require minimal training.

https://www.militarytimes.com/2013/05/21/experts-tape-test-has-huge-margin-of-error/

Experts: Tape test has huge margin of error

Who are you calling fat?

Response by LTC James McElreath made Jan 15 at 2019 10:24 PM

2019-01-15T22:24:20-05:00

Well in the 70's If I am not mistaken there was no taping and many soldiers were in your situation. There were a lot of people that had been body builders, both before and after joining the Army. They did adopt the pinch test with calipers, a swimming pool flotation and calipers, then the present weight and tape system. It appears that when uncle wants to thin out the ranks they buy into the weight control program with a vengeance.. Just give the Army a little more time and they will improve on what they do now.

Response by Maj John Bell made Jan 16 at 2019 10:33 AM

2019-01-16T10:33:05-05:00

The Marine Corps used to allow caliper or submersion body fat measurement. For males under age 35, as long as you were under 18% body fat you were good to go. I believe there is now a body fat electric conductivity scale that is a few hundred dollars, that is accurate to 0.1% It seems that putting one in the base clinics would allow a quick check on "questionable" or outside the norm body composition.

Response by SPC Mara Manzer (Spurgin) made Jan 16 at 2019 2:23 PM

2019-01-16T14:23:35-05:00

A water immersion test