fat free mass index...and Barry Bonds

[go Yankees]

In this week's Sports Illustrated, there is a preview of Game of Shadows, about Bonds and steroid use. Some of the evidence that the authors used to implicate Bonds as a steroid user (apart from his size and muscularity all of a sudden) is the fat free mass index, which was developed by a Harvard doctor, Dr. Harrison Pope. It's like BMI except it works from your lean body mass. Supposedly if you score above 25 you've used anabolic steroids.

--I got a 25.1 for when I was 5'8, 172 and 4% bf the day of my last show, when I'd only done a prohormone cycle.

--I got a 27.8 today, at 5'8, 202, and est. 9.5% bf after 8 weeks on test E.

I found the formula at http://www.naturalphysiques.com/cms/index.php?itemid=23

the formula is:
First, subtract your estimate for body fat from 100 to get the lean mass amount.

For example, if you believe your body fat percentage is 30%, then your lean mass percentage is going to be 70% (100% - 30%).

Second, divide the result (e.g.,79% by 100 to get a decimal. In this case, the result is 0.7.

Third, take your weight and divide by 2.2 to convert it into kilograms.

Fourth, multiply the number of kilograms of weight (in this case, 84) by the percentage of lean mass (0.9) to arrive at the number of kilograms of lean mass (in this case 76 kilograms).

Fifth, convert your height from feet and inches to meters by multiplying the number of feet and inches by 0.0254.

For example: I am 5 ft. 10 inches tall (70 inches). 70 inches multiplied by 0.0254 = 1.78 meters.

Sixth, multiply the number of kilograms of lean mass by your height in meters squared to get your lean mass index. In my case, that's 76 x (1.78 x 1.78) = 23.90.

In the study, the Fat Free Mass Index was adjusted for a 1.8 meter tall person. So,

Finally, to arrive at an adjusted Fat Free Mass Index (FFMI), use the following formula:
FFMI + 6 * (height in meters - 1.8). In my case, that means, 23.90 + 6*(1.78-1.8) or 23.90 - 0.12 = 23.78 or 23.8.

To Recap:


Fat Free Mass Index (FFMI) = Lean Mass (kg) / Height (m) ^ 2
Adjusted FFMI = FFMI + 6.0 * ( Height (m) - 1.8 )

Does anyone know more about this formula, or has read the article in SI and has anything to share? Is this just a mathematical way to say, "hey, he looks like he's juicing?"

FYI, Bonds' FFMI went from 24.8 in 1997 to 28 in 2002

[mindstar]

I'm natural right now and my FFMI is 24.7...so I've nearly maxed out my potential?

[coffee-guy]

I call bullshit - I came up with almost 27 - I hope no one writes a book about me based off of this bogus equation...

Also, in step six you say to multiply 76 times 1.78 squared - this doesn't work out to 23.9 bro. I believe you meant to type divide 76 by 1.78 squared but I could be wrong....

[mindstar]

He did..he wrote the equation correctly below, just not in his instructions. I used the calculator on the site.

heh...all new folks considering AAS cycles must have a minimum FFMI of 24.9 before they will be helped here :D

[coffee-guy]

He did..he wrote the equation correctly below, just not in his instructions. I used the calculator on the site.

heh...all new folks considering AAS cycles must have a minimum FFMI of 24.9 before they will be helped here :D

Gotcha - I just did it while reading the instructions. I still say it is crap though as I am well above 25 and don't "have a history."

[go Yankees]

foghat, that's right, I cut and pasted that so it must be an error on the page

mindstar, I do not know what to say about the number. Pope is far smarter than I -- he is a Harvard psychiatrist, testified before Congress last spring, wrote The Adonis Complex, about male body issues...I don't know, maybe the formula is flawed (just like BMI). BUT, I do think it touches upon something -- there is a level of muscle beyond which the human body cannot NATURALLY create. I imagine there is some relationship between that and someone's height (maybe not a linear relationship, though)

maybe a change in FFMI over time, at a certain age can flag someone...

btw, Steve Reeves, who won Mr. America naturally, was a 25 in his prime -- he is the source of the "25" figure

[Shibby]

btw, Steve Reeves, who won Mr. America naturally, was a 25 in his prime -- he is the source of the "25" figure

That's the thing about this though, who determines what's naturaul? As you know, PH and PS are not natural, but since it dosn't use a needle and isn't an AS in the usualy meaning; some think they are still naturaul.

[go Yankees]

I doubt Reeves used PHs though -- he won Mr America is 1947 and Mr USA in 1948.

[Shibby]

I'm just making the point that we don't know what he was taking and he may not have really known. I also think it's rediculous to compare people of the 40's to people now. As people, espeacially athletes, we are quite a bit bigger now and know so much more about nutrition.

[mindstar]

It's an interesting tool and something to think about, but human physiology is so diverse in it's manifestations that at best things like this can show a tendancy rather than an absolute rule.

It's nice to be near 25 naturally though :)

[Stonecold54]

the very first sentence that says "estimate" your body fat makes the rest of the equation worthless.

[Ashop]

interesting I will say that. doubt that is accurate way to measure though.

[go Yankees]

stonecold, I agree, but since few people have their bf numbers sitting around (like we do), the equation then becomes impractical. I imagine if you know it reasonably accurately, your FFMI should be fairly accurate

[hitmansb]

Absolute horseshit science. That formula has as much credibility as an old wives' tale: if you believe that, you might as well believe that you'll break your mother's back if you step on a crack, or that you need to knock on wood to prevent jinxing yourself.

[slayer of souls]

Absolute horseshit science. That formula has as much credibility as an old wives' tale: if you believe that, you might as well believe that you'll break your mother's back if you step on a crack, or that you need to knock on wood to prevent jinxing yourself.

I fully agree with you on this. :bravonew: