About Measuring Body Size & Structure
Body size, structure and composition are separate yet interrelated aspects of overall physique. Body size refers to the volume, mass, length and surface area of the body, body structure refers to the distribution or arrangement of body parts such as the skeleton and muscle-fat distribution, while body composition refers to the amounts of these constituents of the body (see Body Composition Tests).
anthropometry measurementBody size and structure measurements can be used for monitoring growth patterns and changes with training, and for identifying appropriate sports for individuals. There is a large range of tests in the category of Body Size. There is also more details about testing for girth, length and breadth.
Many training or exercise programs are geared solely to modify body size or shape in some way. Body size testing provide a way of measuring current levels and determining changes over time. You must ensure that the time between tests is appropriate to see significant changes. If you test every couple of days, and differences you see from test to test will be clouded by day to day variations and test error. There should be at least one week between measurements.
Related Pages
- The list of Body Size Tests
- Anthropometric Charts
- About Body Composition Testing
- Using MyoTape for girth measurement
- Body Size for Sports
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