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BOD POD: The cutting edge of body-fat testing ..............................

Underwater weighing has long been the standard for body-fat testing, but a

sophisticated contraption called the BOD PODmay one day replace it. The

BOD POD is a 5-foot-tall fiberglass chamber that looks like a giant egg with

a tinted window. You sit in the chamber for two or three 50-second tests

while computerized pressure sensors determine how much air your body

displaces — in other words, how much space you take up. (Underwater weigh-

ing determines the same information, just in a way that’s less convenient.)

Research suggests that the BOD POD may be as accurate as underwater

weighing, but the technology is so new that only a few studies have been

conducted. Although the machine costs about as much as a luxury car, at

universities, fitness expos, and some health clubs around the country, you

can get a BOD POD test for about $25.

DEXA: X-ray vision ...............................................................................

Another method is Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DEXA). Not only does

it measure how much fat you have, but it also determines where the fat is

located on your body, a more relevant health indicator. Originally developed

to scan bone density, DEXA is available at hospitals and in doctors’ offices; it

usually requires a physician’s referral. (The test costs from $150 to $200.) You

lie on a bed while low doses of two different X-ray energies scan your body

from head to toe.

How Strong Are You? ....................................................................................

Fear not: You won’t be required to do one-arm push-ups or lift a barbell that

weighs more than your dad. Strength tests, like the other tests that we describe

in this chapter, are simply designed to give you a starting point. If you get

started on a good weight-lifting program and stick to it, you’re likely to see

dramatic changes when you take another fitness test in two or three months.

Most health clubs don’t take true strength measurements; in other words,

they don’t measure the absolute maximum amount of weight you’re capable

of lifting. Going for your “max” can be dangerous and can cause more than a

Chapter 2: Testing Your Fitness 25