Marine Corps Body Fat Standards...

[Achped]

I understand a standard is a standard. Marines don't compromise, and if you are out of the standard you are unsat.

However, is there any chance that the body fat percentage standard is just a little...hmm...unreasonable?

Case in point.

A devil dog I work with is a PFC, his Date of Rank is January 1st 2008. He should have been a Lance a while ago, but was put on BCP and was non-rec'd for 6 months.

His re-evaluation just came up, 19% body fat. 18% maximum allowed. non-rec'd again for 6 months. Meaning he will be a PFC for a full 15 months.

Again, I understand a standard is a standard.

But this Marine doesn't look fat. He doesn't look unproportional out of uniform, and the kicker? He runs a 270 PFT! He's got about 18 pullups, a 21 minute run, and 100 crunches.

I'm trying to help this guy out, it's absolutely ridiculous that they've got him out there PTing with the fat bodies. If he can't get below 19% again, he will have been a PFC for 21 months, as well as had a tour in Iraq under his belt!

Do any of you know of any "loopholes" (For lack of a better word. I remember reading somewhere that a commander may let someone off BCP if he thinks the Marine looks presentable in uniform)

[Mikewebe]

I don't know about loopholes but his performance should be enough. I failed 2 years ago in the guard if you can believe that when I was was competing in powerlifting, while our fat assed medics and CO couldn't pass the pft. Its BS and as stated on another thread,I have seen some big boys running around. 1% ain't but a few hours in the sauna, he either needs to just cut it or appeal to legal. And 15 is petty bs. I do agree with you about the standard but we aren't all built the same. What if he was 6'5 and weighed 140. No bueno to me but he probably wouldn't get sweated for s**t. So he can probably work something. Request Mast or something.

[hawks]

yah, lose some fat is a sweet loophole. Quit looking for loopholes, and just lose some fat, its not that hard

[Mikewebe]

With a 270 pft he shouldn't suffer the same as those who have 210's or whatever number. I'm 38 years old now, not the same as I was when I was 18. 1% can be gone easy but come on a PFC for 15 months with a 270 ? BS!

[Achped]

yah, lose some fat is a sweet loophole. Quit looking for loopholes, and just lose some fat, its not that hard

I bet you money he spends more time in the gym than you do.

[thewookie]

I bet you money he spends more time in the gym than you do.

Spending time in the gym is one thing - doing something about it is another.

I go to the gym 6 or 7 days a week, I'm about to go right now,,, and more then likely I'll see the same muscle-heads standing around the water cooler "catching a break in between rep's". - yeah right.

I feel for the guy but if you told me you'd pay me a little more, give me a little more respect and responsibility, then I'd lose that 1% rickety split.

I wrestled in HS so I know how tough it can be to lose those last few pounds, but it's doable.

- Tell him to get off the weights and to only do cardio.
- Tell him to workout before EVERY meal because it gets your metabolism going before you eat and that definitely helps you burn calories.
- Tell him to stop sneaking snacks and cheating - stick to the plan.
- Tell him to take some spin classes and some high speed aerobics classes -- you want to talk about azz kicking, spin is azz kicking.

A lot of people in the weight loss, or body fat loss game are not as disciplined as they make themselves out to be. Back in my day I knew a Marine that swore he was doing all he could to lose weight until one day I caught him sneaking some bacon at chow.

There is no excuse for something like this if you ask me, it's something he can control - no matter how much he swears he's doing all he can - he isn't.

Cut and dry.

Losing weight is like doing simple math, eat less or burn more then you take in -- it's not some Jenny Craig secret.

[sparkie]

My son in law had the same issue,1%. I told him NO more starches. Breads, potatoes,crackers,rice, nothing. He retested in a week and was fine.
Like what was said, we are all different, I knew a Capt. built like a whisky barrel, but strong and fast. He was amazing.

[yellowwing]

The only loophole is presenting a good argument to the 1st Sgt. And you better have your **** together in one sock. He's got about 100 other silly ass LCpls to tend to. So in your 8 seconds, have it together.

[SupChf]

A great exercise is PUSH-AWAY'S....push away from the table. Too many Marines believe that if they have a good workout and sweat a lot, they can eat until they are bursting at the seams...

Send him over to the MCCS Gym and get him hooked up with a nutritionist. I've seen this work for many Marines that I have worked with. It works and it's free.

Gunz out ~

[MotherGoose]

Yeah I agree sometimes the bodyfat standard doesn't seem to be universally "fair." He probably needs to examine his diet (i.e carbs... beer...) And do neck exercises, I used to see guys doing neck exercises so that they could gain an inch or so in the neck for the fat body measurement.

[ZSKI]

i think the 18% should apply only to those who don't run a first class. Come on that guy is fighting fit and that skinny **** who can't do ten pull ups is ok?

[OB MSG]

Achped,

Check the regs again. When I got out a few years ago it said that if you could get a 1st class PFT score then you were allowed more body fat, I think it was 22% or something like that. If this Devil Dog is at the 270 level he should have no trouble.

In case I am wrong, have him follow Wookie's advice and lay off the heavyweights and go for the Cardio to bring his weight down.

[maverickmarine]

yeah, it seems like since he appearance is good and his PFT is squared away that there shouldn't be an issue. I had to get body fat tested everytime because my weight didn't meet standards but that was due to hitting the weights. However, for me the body fat testing always came back good to go so never had any issue when it came to that. It was just a pain to know that I would have to go have that done everytime rather than just be good to go at weigh in.

[OB MSG]

Achped,

Check MCO 6100.10B W/CH 1 WEIGHT CONTROL AND MILITARY APPEARANCE

This might be a little dated so look for a newer version before treating this as gospel.

[Achped]

Thats what I told him at first too, I was like wtf, tell MSgt that you have a 1st class PFT. But the new MCO is that males must have 18% body fat from 17-26 years old. No exceptions.