How To Take Tape Measurements By Yourself
Updated: Sep 21, 2019
This blog will show you the easiest way to take body measurements with a tape, with photos to demonstrate. This is great for online personal training clients or anyone else who wants to measure their progress.
How To Measure
Do it yourself... If you rely on someone else, that person will at some point not be available which means someone else will do it or you’ll do it yourself, which will lead to quite different results.
Do it first thing in the morning before food or liquid.
Use a mirror to check the tape is straight and untwisted (or a phone in selfie mode)
Apply just enough pressure to the tape to keep it from sliding, but not enough to see it bite into the skin.
Don't wear clothes (unless taking pictures for an informative blog 👍 )
Where To Measure
Measure these 7 areas monthly:
1. Your chest, at the nipple line.
2. Your 'natural waist' - this is the narrowest part of the torso and is a different height for everyone.
3. Your stomach, at the belly button.
4. Your glutes at their widest point
5. Your thigh, at the widest point.
If you find it difficult to determine the widest point, you can put your thumb on the bony front prominence of the hip (the "ASIS"), and stretch your hand fully down the leg, then measure your thigh at the tip of your little finger.
6. Your calf, at the widest point
7. Your arm:
if you can see a bulge when you flex your bicep, measure the widest part of that.
If you don't have a bicep bulge, measure the distance from armpit crease to elbow crease and use the halfway point as your measurement site.
You may also like these links
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How best to take bodyweight measurements that won't leave you frustrated.
How to take great progress photos easily.
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