The progress pinch (page 2 of 2)

The abdominal area is where most people carry the majority of their fat weight. Because your abdominal muscles may get stronger but typically do not grow significantly from training, it would be very unusual to see an increase in your waist size unless it is due to fat. Even massive bodybuilders with a lot of muscle mass have narrow waists measuring 80 centimeters or less. Your arms, on the other hand, tend to carry less fat and usually only change in size due to hypertrophy or the growth of muscle. Therefore, a convenient ratio to track is the ratio of your abdominal circumference to the circumference of your upper arm.

To make this measurement, simply stand relaxed with your arms at your sides. The abdominal measurement is taken at the widest point between your hips and navel. Take this after a natural breath and don't push out or suck in your gut. The arm or biceps measurement is taken at the widest point of your upper arm between your elbow and shoulder. Again, measure it with arm relaxed, not flexed.

Take the abdominal measurement and divide by the biceps measurement to get your ratio. For example, someone with a 90cm waist and 36cm arms would have a ratio of 90/36 or 2.5.

Over time, you'll want this ratio to decrease. A lower ratio means you are losing fat and/or gaining muscle. A higher ratio, however, means you are either losing muscle or gaining fat.

These are two methods that are relatively easy and inexpensive to use. The following chart will help you determine your success based on how the measurements change:



As you can see, it's relatively easy to take a progress pinch or use a simple tape measure to plot your success. These methods are useful when performed every few weeks to gauge your progress. If you find you are losing muscle or gaining fat it simply means it's time to take a closer look at your nutrition and training to determine where changes can be made. While it's important to make adjustments when necessary, always allow a solid 1 - 2 months on a new program before you start changing things around so that you have time to take a realistic look at your progress.