![]() In terms of maximum strength and energy levels, 11-12% and above is where you want to be.Īt this body fat percentage, you’re still leaner than 95%+ of the population. Some guys could probably maintain 8% and also be fine.īut for the vast majority of guys out there, about 10% is as lean as you’d want to get for a prolonged period in order to function optimally both physically and mentally.Įven 10% is very lean if we’re talking about a true 10%. The Ideal Body Fat Percentage For MenĪs a general rule, most guys on average will probably start running into adverse effects once they drop below 10% body fat. In the far majority of cases, claimed body fat percentages are a rough estimate. Take the numbers people give you with a grain of salt. I see other guys who say they’re 14% who are literally around 20% body fat. I see guys online quoting themselves as 8% when they’re probably more like 12%. Most people significantly underestimate what their true percentage actually is. The truth is that most body fat percentage measuring methods have a large margin for error. Unless you were able to physically slice your body up and measure all the different tissues individually, there’s just no way to get a perfect reading. Without a DEXA scan, any specific body fat number someone gives you really shouldn’t be trusted.īody fat is notoriously difficult to measure accurately. But keep in mind that even a DEXA scan isn’t always accurate. Unless someone is specifically showing you their DEXA scan results, it’s unlikely they’re actually 6% body fat. Most People Who Claim To Be 6% Body Fat Are Much Higher In Body Fat Unfortunately, we are often exposed to these exceptions due to social media, which normalizes extremely lean physiques and portrays them as being “healthy”. But keep in mind that people like this are the exception. Varying body fat percentages can look different on different people. There are also some people who will take a DEXA scan and the results will show a body fat percentage that’s a lot lower than normal, even though they might not look exceptionally lean. There are always going those who can get really lean and stay that way without any problems. Please keep in mind that there are always going to be genetic outliers. Even though it might help them sell more programs, it probably does more harm than good overall. Those who promote this idea should really rethink their marketing approach. People need to stop buying into this 6% body fat hype. ![]() However, I really don’t recommend that most people try to get this shredded. If you fit into one or both of these categories, or you’ve done the proper research to really understand what it is that you’re getting into, then go ahead. There are some valid reasons to get this lean, such as: In more extreme cases, at least in certain people who are predisposed to it, there can also be long term problems with things like eating disorders and body dysmorphia. When your body fat gets too low, you’ll also have less energy, less strength, your mood will go down, you won’t be as mentally sharp, your sex drive will tank from decreased testosterone, and you’ll probably feel more neurotic about your appearance. This isn’t just a matter of “ being hungrier” either. Getting this lean is a controlled form of starvation. If you ask most people who get that lean how they feel, they’ll likely admit that even though they look impressive, they feel terrible. In reality, unless they’re using performance-enhancing drugs, they probably felt like shit when that picture was taken. You might see pictures online of guys with a big smile on their face on Instagram with shredded abs, striated shoulders, extremely vascular with veins popping everywhere, and are 6-7% body fat. Leaner is not inherently better, and promoting this idea can cause harm to fitness enthusiasts, especially beginners who don’t know any better. The truth is that it’s just not realistic to get this lean. ![]() This is not only false, but this type of misinformation is a pretty dangerous thing to promote. Some of these “experts” claim that if someone can’t achieve and maintain this extremely low body fat percentage, then it just means that they aren’t on the right program and should buy that particular “expert’s” program. These people promote the idea that achieving and maintaining 6 or 7% body fat is a realistic long-term goal. I know there are certain fitness “experts” out there who make this part of their marketing approach. ![]() Why? Because aside from a very small percentage of genetic outliers or performance enhancing drug users, the vast majority of average, natural lifters have no business trying to maintain this body fat percentage long-term.Ī natural lifter won’t be able to get this lean without experiencing significant side effects. Is 6% body fat achievable? In this article, I’m going to discuss the truth about getting to 6% body fat.
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