View a SAMPLE HYDROSTATIC COMPOSITION report here!

HYDROSTATIC COMPOSITION Pretest Requirements

1. Bring a towel and bathing suit.
2. Avoid exercise prior to testing.  In order to keep our water clean you will be required to rinse off if your facility provides access to a shower (or hose!) but this must be done before your testing time starts.
3. Avoid eating a big meal immediately before testing.  While fasting is not essential, a few hours without eating before your test is recommended to provide a repeatable measurement over multiple visits.

HYDROSTATIC COMPOSITION Test Procedure

(approximately 4 minutes of measuring in a 15 minute appointment block)

1. Client completes waiver on site.
2. Client changes into bathing suit or other clothing suitable for immersion under water.
3. Client is weighed on the land scale.
4. Client is weighed in the water tank.  We will find a position where the client can successfully exhale completely and duck under the water completely.
5. Test is repeated as many times as necessary to get 3 identical measures.
6. Client changes back into other clothing.
7. Client report is presented in time remaining.

WHY HYDROSTATIC WEIGHING?

Composition measuring has rapidly gained prominence with the increased availability of convenient methods of measure, and an industry emphasis on redefining individual weight.  If an individual is attempting to define a healthy weight, and track changes in fat and lean mass,  Hydrostatic Weighing has been the go to tool for decades.

The hydrostatic testing method has been around for over 50 years and is based on Archimedes principle which states "that when a body is submerged in water, there is a buoyant counter force equal to the weight of the water which is displaced". Since bone and muscle are denser than water, a person with a larger percentage of lean body mass will weigh more in the water and ultimately have a lower body fat percentage versus someone with less lean muscle mass. By obtaining your land weight and water weight (based on buoyancy), our specialized program can calculate your body fat as a percentage of your total weight.

YOU WILL BE COMPLETELY SUBMERGED FOR AT LEAST A FEW SECONDS.  Yes your hair will get wet!