OMRON DIGITAL THERMOMETER/MC-601 MODEL ... $279.99 USD
WHAT IT DOES : takes your bodily temperature in 3 different places (yes, there too)
WHY we chose it : precise, functional, reliable... what else is there?
WHAT can be improved : we're still searching, we'll get back to you
ALSO worth a look : none

THE LOWDOWN
Bodily temperature can reveal a lot of things. For instance, did you know that core temperature is a good indicator of whether or not your metabolism is operating at optimal efficiency when trying to shed fat tissue? Of course you did, sorry we asked :) Then

BLOOD SUGAR MONITOR ... price varies
WHAT IT DOES : the name says it all, does it not?
WHY we chose it : we just couldn't choose...
WHAT can be improved : faster processing of results, but this is nitpicking
ALSO worth a look : the choice is vast...

THE LOWDOWN
We couldn't really decide on any specific model or manufacturer for this kind of apparatus. You see, there are so many good blood sugar monitors on the market that it would be unfair for us to choose one when several are just about equally efficient. One thing is sure however : monitoring your blood sugar can become a powerful ally in your performance advancement endeavours. For those using synthetic growth hormone and insulin as performance-enhancing tools, a blood sugar monitor becomes a vital necessity. For everyone else, such a device can be very helpful in many situations, not to mention athletes with blood sugar-related deficiencies.

OMRON BLOOD PRESSURE MONITOR/HEM-907 MODEL ... $299.99 USD
WHAT IT DOES : takes your blood pressure
WHY we chose it : very precise, easy to use, great technology
WHAT can be improved : a good-looking nurse in the package :)
ALSO worth a look : none

THE LOWDOWN
No matter what you do, monitoring your health should be as important as improving your performance. One of the easiest and most revealing markers you can (and should) verify on a regular basis is your blood pressure. Therefore, investing in the proper equipment

TANITA BI INSTRUMENT/TBF-300-GS MODEL ... $1359.00 USD
WHAT IT DOES : measures your bodyweight and your bodyfat percentage
WHY we chose it : most practical and precise of the more "affordable" techniques
WHAT can be improved : the technology itself, even if currently sufficient
ALSO worth a look : good luck

THE LOWDOWN
Okay, so bio-impedence technology is not perfect. Then again, medical science isn't either and we still rely on it, right? Bodyfat percentage can be an important marker of performance, and being able to monitor it efficiently is always a plus. Since BodPods, hydrostatic tanks and DEXAs are pretty much out of financial reach for most of us, one needs to look elsewhere for affordable, yet reliable body composition equipment. Calipers being the joke that they are and NIR presenting major technical flaws, we are left with bio-impedence, which is not all that bad if you know how to use it. Not bad at all, in fact. Bio-impedence works by sending a small, unnoticeable current up one leg and down the other, to determine the amount of bodyfat one stores. Since fat tissue impedes the current (fat is a poor electricity conductor while lean tissue is not), the device measures this resistance and calculates bodyfat values accordingly. When done right, the procedure has a +/-3% error range and though this may seem a bit wide, we need to realize that 3% isn't that significant for most people. After all, the important thing is to have a reliable AND constant reference to rely upon. A 3% error will not affect how you feel and ultimately how you perform. Don't get us wrong, 3% of bodyfat can make a difference in many sports, but a 3% result error will not, as long as it stays the same. Serious athletes would never use fat percentage values as an exclusive progress marker anyway, especially since none of the measuring techniques is absolutely precise. Even bodybuilders, for whom bodyfat percentage is crucial, will prefer the mirror to the machines, using bodyfat assays for what they truly are : practical yet expendable progress markers. Having said that, we have often seen BI results way closer to reality than the usual 3% error margin (when compared to DEXA, which is the standard and best measuring tool) so all-in-all, bio-impedence is a very worthwhile technique. As long as some specific criterias are met, BI analysis is not only reliable but as precise as it gets, all in an "affordable", non-invasive and practical package. Before we talk about the piece of equipment we've chosen, here are the few guidelines that should be observed prior to any BI test :

• Avoiding any alcohol consumption 48 hours prior to test (avoiding booze at all times is better)
• Avoiding any exercise in the 12 hours preceeding test
• Abstaining completely from food and fluid consumption for 4 hours prior to assay
• Avoiding any diuretic agent prior to testing (unless impossible due to a medical condition)
• Voiding the body completely just prior to test (in other words, visiting the can)
• Taking the test in exact same dispositions

If these conditions are met, BI analysis becomes extremely efficient, at least where most people's needs are concerned. So, what's our winner?... It's the Tanita TBF-300-GS model BI analyzer. This piece of machinery is simply beautiful from start to finish. Its construction is flawless, its design very well thought of, and its functions, easy to use. The unit comes with a separate command panel and footstand, and includes a thermal printer. Among its functions, the device includes three modes of measure (adult, athlete and wrestler), and features a 440 lb capacity as well as large bodyfat percentage range (1-75%). Results are precise (0.2 lb increments for weight, fat mass, fat-free mass and total body water / 0.1% for total bodyfat), fast and reliable.

If you need to monitor your weight and bodyfat percentage on a regular basis, look no further than this machine.

HARPENDEN SKINFOLD CALIPERS ... $420.00 USD
WHAT IT DOES : measures your skinfold
WHY we chose it : most precise skinfold measurement tool available out there
WHAT can be improved : N/A
ALSO worth a look : NOT!

THE LOWDOWN
As we have just discussed above, skinfold calipers are pretty much useless for determining bodyfat percentages, bio-impedence and other methods blatantly outdoing them in terms of accuracy and real-world calculations. There are about 100 different methods of calculating multiple skinfolds into bodyfat percentage values (can they all be any good?), and depending on the equation used, the same measurements can translate into major differences between results (7% to 12% in some cases!). At best, bodyfat percentage readings obtained through a pair of calipers via calculus are highly unreliable. Skinfold values should be used for monitoring body composition changes over time and should never be converted into fat percentages using inaccurate mathematical equations. In the hands of any skilled and experienced technician however, high-quality calipers can become quite a useful tool. The Harpenden device is the most accurate caliper ever constructed, being within + or - 0.2 mm. Such accuracy is perfect to measure whether or not specific skinfold areas have in fact decreased in thickness over any given period of time.
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