Army Female Weight Standards and Tape Test

[Anonymous]

I am a black female soldier in the Army and I feel that the tape test was not made for all females.**I feel the weight and tape test standards should be set according to that person origin.**I do not know how the military set those standards nor who they used to set those standards.**AR 600-9 needs to be revised because it is not clear enough about the way females should be taped.**Please e-mail me anything that would help me understand how the military got their standards and who they used to set those standards.**Also I want to know how other female soldiers feel about the Army Weight and Tape Test Standards.



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KBELL1@HOTMAIL.COM

[Anonymous]

I tape soldiers ALL THE TIME and have been a Master Fitness Trainer for ten years now.**I have never been a fan of the tape test and can't tell you exactly how the Army came up with it.**However, one of the reasons it was changed from the caliper test to the tape was becauseyou had to be a certified Medic (at least) to conduct the caliper - plus the caliper itself cost money (though I can't see how it could have cost too darn much).**It was easier for the Army to train soldiers to slap a tape around a waist or hips with a 75 cent tape.**The sites were selected based on where men and women do and don't carry excess weight.**I can't say for a fact, but I don't think ethnicity or body types (endomorphe, ectomorphe) for that matter were given enough consideration.**For example, many black women DO carry weight differtly that white women.... hispanic women carry weight differently too!**The same thing goes with the differences for men....**As a First Sergeant (love it!) and MFT, I've gained years (whew!) of experience on weight control issues, though needless to say I can't give you scientific data.** Bottom Line: I'm with ya on this one, Kendra!** Not only are the ethnic differences an issue, the tape test is about six to eight percent higher than other tests I've dealt with at different health clubs.**** The Army needs to invest some bucks in the new wave stuff.**I don't know the technical talk, but there are computers/programs that measure bodyfat.... ya just place it on a body part, such as your foot, and you get the results in seconds.**** You made a good point.......**1SG F.



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fergujm@primenet.com

[Anonymous]

Not to be labor the point made by 1SG Ferguson but there are other calulators out there.**Ladies we are taking about your health here not your looks.**Take some of this energy and put it to accomplishing some research on what the point is. Your heath and your longevity is the BOTTOM line.**The American Heart Assn web site has a body composition and body mass index calculators.**www.americanheart.org/Heart_and_Stroke_A_A_Guide/body.html. The guide also provides gender and racial statistical data.**The body fat allowance (BFA) is very much like the APFT you know the answer before you take the test.If you truly desire to &quot;Be all that you can be&quot;, you'll get so far below the current standards that you'll never have to think twice about it again.**Don't let the &quot;TAPE&quot; chase you for years take charge of the situation now.**You know what you want and you know what needs to be done to go get it.**SO GO GET IT!!



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kayak4u@aol.com

[Anonymous]

Hey Kendra,I totally agree with you!**I have been in for 14 years, and after that 3rd year in, I have been consistently battling with that tape test.**However until things change, and they probably never will, just try your best to maintain the standards.**My goal has been to try to stay at least 2% under, but like I said it's a battle and these hips aren't gonna get any smaller!**Good luck to you.: I am a black female soldier in the Army and I feel that the tape test was not made for all females.**I feel the weight and tape test standards should be set according to that person origin.**I do not know how the military set those standards nor who they used to set those standards.**AR 600-9 needs to be revised because it is not clear enough about the way females should be taped.**Please e-mail me anything that would help me understand how the military got their standards and who they used to set those standards.**Also I want to know how other female soldiers feel about the Army Weight and Tape Test Standards.



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penny@worldnetla.net

[Anonymous]

I agree totally with Kendra on the female weight standards and tape test.**I am a 20 year old female and was supposed to ship out yesterday for army boot camp, but at 0630 I was told I couldn't go because I was at 32% body fat.**Let me tell you I may be big, but there is no way I have 32% body fat!**It is all muscle!**I have been lifting weights and running to get in shape for the past six months just to have it all thrown in my face.**Is it really true that the tape test is wrong? If it is than I could have shipped out for basic.**I was really looking forward to leaving and starting a part time career with the national guard.**My bubble was burst yesterday when I was told this.**I really wanted to be in the military.**I feel like a reject.**Should I try again or just let what I want go?**Please write back with any advice you might have for me.**



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kdsarng@hotmail.com

[Anonymous]

: I tape soldiers ALL THE TIME and have been a Master Fitness Trainer for ten years now.**I have never been a fan of the tape test and can't tell you exactly how the Army came up with it.**However, one of the reasons it was changed from the caliper test to the tape was becauseyou had to be a certified Medic (at least) to conduct the caliper - plus the caliper itself cost money (though I can't see how it could have cost too darn much).**It was easier for the Army to train soldiers to slap a tape around a waist or hips with a 75 cent tape.**The sites were selected based on where men and women do and don't carry excess weight.**I can't say for a fact, but I don't think ethnicity or body types (endomorphe, ectomorphe) for that matter were given enough consideration.**For example, many black women DO carry weight differtly that white women.... hispanic women carry weight differently too!**The same thing goes with the differences for men....**As a First Sergeant (love it!) and MFT, I've gained years (whew!) of experience on weight control issues, though needless to say I can't give you scientific data.** Bottom Line: I'm with ya on this one, Kendra!** Not only are the ethnic differences an issue, the tape test is about six to eight percent higher than other tests I've dealt with at different health clubs.**** The Army needs to invest some bucks in the new wave stuff.**I don't know the technical talk, but there are computers/programs that measure bodyfat.... ya just place it on a body part, such as your foot, and you get the results in seconds.**** You made a good point.......**1SG F.




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boyermel@hotmail.com

[Anonymous]

: Not to be labor the point made by 1SG Ferguson but there are other calulators out there.**Ladies we are taking about your health here not your looks.**Take some of this energy and put it to accomplishing some research on what the point is. Your heath and your longevity is the BOTTOM line.**The American Heart Assn web site has a body composition and body mass index calculators.**www.americanheart.org/Heart_and_Stroke_A_A_Guide/body.html. The guide also provides gender and racial statistical data.**The body fat allowance (BFA) is very much like the APFT you know the answer before you take the test.If you truly desire to &quot;Be all that you can be&quot;, you'll get so far below the current standards that you'll never have to think twice about it again.**Don't let the &quot;TAPE&quot; chase you for years take charge of the situation now.**You know what you want and you know what needs to be done to go get it.**SO GO GET IT!!This is such an arrogant response to the really outdated tape measure.**I am 33 years old. I run 30 miles a week-at an average 8.5-9.0 pace. In addition I eat a fairly strict vegetarian diet, have inpeccable blood work, and work out with weights and do cardio in ADDITION to my running. I barely meet the tape standard-it's really not a fiar measurement-fairness aside, it's innaccurate.**If the ARMY-Military wants an accurate way to measure-use underwater weigh in as the standard.




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wildcd@hotmail.com