What bodyfat percentage is optimal for peak athletic performance?

Discussion in 'Boxing Training' started by megavolt, Feb 23, 2012.


Page 1 of 2
  1. megavolt

    megavolt Constantly Shadowboxing Full Member

    13,622
    34
    Dec 25, 2009
    Question for all you physiology heads- what bodyfat % is optimal for peak athleticism?

    When I see many classic boxers, they're most often cut to shape but not super shredded. When I first read up on bodybuilding years back, contestants would cut down to dangerously low bodyfat levels during competition week like 3-4% or something like that, just for the week. The fact that it was dangerous led me to assume that bodyfat has some form of importance one way or another, but its marginal utility rapidly diminishes past say, 11% or so?

    Anyways, is there a function? and how much should an athlete have?
     
    megavolt, Feb 23, 2012
    megavolt, Feb 23, 2012
    #1
  2. lefty

    lefty Boxing Addict Full Member

    5,802
    2
    Apr 29, 2006
    It varies from athlete to athlete and sport to sport. In some sports such as gymnastics body fat makes a significant biomechanical difference. People feel different at different levels of bodyfat, some people can handle a low percentage while others perform a lot better with a higher percentage. It's a bit of a problem because many coaches have an ideal in their mind which could be fine for somebody but result in poor performance for someone else in the same sport.
     
    lefty, Feb 23, 2012
    lefty, Feb 23, 2012
    #2
  3. Fredd

    Fredd Member Full Member

    250
    0
    Aug 23, 2011
    Lefty pretty much just summed it up:yep.
     
    Fredd, Feb 25, 2012
    Fredd, Feb 25, 2012
    #3
  4. Juxhin

    Juxhin Guest

    ^ That is what your looking for
     
    Juxhin, Feb 25, 2012
    Juxhin, Feb 25, 2012
    #4
  5. phantasma

    phantasma Active Member Full Member

    523
    0
    Jun 28, 2011
    Average is about 8%.
     
    phantasma, Feb 25, 2012
    phantasma, Feb 25, 2012
    #5
  6. Primate

    Primate Boxing Addict Full Member

    4,833
    6
    Nov 16, 2010
    According to who?
     
    Primate, Feb 25, 2012
    Primate, Feb 25, 2012
    #6
  7. viru§™

    viru§™ Boxing Junkie Full Member

    9,561
    178
    Aug 28, 2007
    Well that was a random statement... Care to elaborate?
     
    viru§™, Feb 25, 2012
    viru§™, Feb 25, 2012
    #7
  8. El Puma

    El Puma between rage and serenity Full Member

    4,310
    2
    Jan 8, 2006
    / thread


    Look no further than "The Last Emperor" Fedor.
     
    El Puma, Feb 25, 2012
    El Puma, Feb 25, 2012
    #8
  9. El Puma

    El Puma between rage and serenity Full Member

    4,310
    2
    Jan 8, 2006
    I was about to tell you to GTFO but give you the benefit of the doubt and say you were mentioning pro boxers as whole average wise?
     
    El Puma, Feb 25, 2012
    El Puma, Feb 25, 2012
    #9
  10. scurlaruntings

    scurlaruntings ESB 2002 Club Full Member

    35,621
    12
    Jul 19, 2004
    According to the tea bag he just read.
     
    scurlaruntings, Feb 26, 2012
    scurlaruntings, Feb 26, 2012
    #10
  11. scurlaruntings

    scurlaruntings ESB 2002 Club Full Member

    35,621
    12
    Jul 19, 2004
    I doubt there are many pro boxers in around that percentage. Either way BF is almost meaningless. There's no such thing as an optimal BF. BF is only an indicator of muscular conditioning. Performance wise it means nothing. As you know having a low BF doesn't translate into a better performance in your said sport.
     
    scurlaruntings, Feb 26, 2012
    scurlaruntings, Feb 26, 2012
    #11
  12. scurlaruntings

    scurlaruntings ESB 2002 Club Full Member

    35,621
    12
    Jul 19, 2004
    Fedor was the perfect athlete for me. Unlike many guys in his circle he was not concerned about his look. But the reality was despite his look he was far more effective than ANY of his peers during his prime and light years ahead of all them despite having a fairly average build. Too many get caught up in stats.
     
    scurlaruntings, Feb 26, 2012
    scurlaruntings, Feb 26, 2012
    #12
  13. El Puma

    El Puma between rage and serenity Full Member

    4,310
    2
    Jan 8, 2006
    Nice to have you back 'round here:good
     
    El Puma, Feb 26, 2012
    El Puma, Feb 26, 2012
    #13
  14. scurlaruntings

    scurlaruntings ESB 2002 Club Full Member

    35,621
    12
    Jul 19, 2004
    I'm just browsing... :yep And i try to train in principle the same way as Fedor. I don't care about my weight any more. Whatever weight i settle in at and feel comfortable performing at that's my weight.
    Right now i'm 217lbs. Was 250lbs 4 months ago. Haven't been this light in dam near a decade. But iv been working out like a beast and really switched up my training. Haven't been this good in a long long time.
     
    scurlaruntings, Feb 26, 2012
    scurlaruntings, Feb 26, 2012
    #14
  15. El Puma

    El Puma between rage and serenity Full Member

    4,310
    2
    Jan 8, 2006
    :happy:happy:happy Keep it up!!
     
    El Puma, Feb 26, 2012
    El Puma, Feb 26, 2012
    #15
Page 1 of 2