BMI and my Pharmacist Friend

[OZ-USF-UFGator]

Ugh...you should get a kick out of this. I posted on FB about how I am 5-10, 205 pounds and 17.5% bodyfat, up 50 pounds in 3 years from strength training, yet BMI says I am nearly obese.

To which my pharmacist friend replied


"I've had this discussion with an orthopedic surgeon friend of mine. He said that even through the BMI states you are not technically "obese" as a body builder you are in fact overweight. He said the bones can only carry so much weight. Even though you are stronger and your muscles surrounding bones can also be stronger, the bones had a definitive weight carrying capacity. I understand both sides but I don't know enough about BDI."

[Mark Rippetoe]

This is really funny.

He said the bones can only carry so much weight. Even though you are stronger and your muscles surrounding bones can also be stronger, the bones had a definitive weight carrying capacity.

Goddamn, that's pretty good. These are the people who would be on the Board of Exercise Prescription Examiners, on the other thread.

[CJ Gotcher]

He said the bones can only carry so much weight. Even though you are stronger and your muscles surrounding bones can also be stronger, the bones had a definitive weight carrying capacity. I understand both sides but I don't know enough about BDI."

*Facepalm*. I'm pretty close to your BMI and have heard this from people before, so I sympathize.

Of course, my Bone Density Z-Score (by DEXA) is 1.8, which should put me around the 95th percentile for my age group... but of course they're not capable of handle a few pounds of extra bulk: it's "definitive." I wonder how much load your friend's orthopedist thinks bones like mine (and quite possibly yours based on your training history) can handle when compared to a sedentary, 'normal-weight' individual.

[ForbiddenDonut]

He said the bones can only carry so much weight. Even though you are stronger and your muscles surrounding bones can also be stronger, the bones had a definitive weight carrying capacity. I understand both sides but I don't know enough about BDI."

You should send that doc a video of Ed Coan squatting

[MattJ.D.]

You should send that doc a video of Ed Coan squatting

sadly, he'll then google "Ed Coan" and see that he had a hip replacement and then blame it on the squats

theres no winning with people like this

[Luke Evans]

They're absolutely right. Squats are a ticking time bomb.

In order for this not to be the case, your bones would need to be made out of some kind of material that would adapt to stress and grow stronger.

Frankly, the stuff of science fiction.

[Jay Mund]

Right, because only muscles respond to strength training, not bones. Oh, wait...

[John Watson]

Ugh...you should get a kick out of this. I posted on FB about how I am 5-10, 205 pounds and 17.5% bodyfat, up 50 pounds in 3 years from strength training, yet BMI says I am nearly obese.

To which my pharmacist friend replied


"I've had this discussion with an orthopedic surgeon friend of mine. He said that even through the BMI states you are not technically "obese" as a body builder you are in fact overweight. He said the bones can only carry so much weight. Even though you are stronger and your muscles surrounding bones can also be stronger, the bones had a definitive weight carrying capacity. I understand both sides but I don't know enough about BDI."

He seems to think that bones are inorganic and don't adapt to strength training.

A quick google search will bring up tons of indisputable proof of the contrary.

Bone density sharply enhanced by weight training, even in the elderly - NaturalNews.com

[John Watson]

Ugh...you should get a kick out of this. I posted on FB about how I am 5-10, 205 pounds and 17.5% bodyfat, up 50 pounds in 3 years from strength training, yet BMI says I am nearly obese.

To which my pharmacist friend replied


"I've had this discussion with an orthopedic surgeon friend of mine. He said that even through the BMI states you are not technically "obese" as a body builder you are in fact overweight. He said the bones can only carry so much weight. Even though you are stronger and your muscles surrounding bones can also be stronger, the bones had a definitive weight carrying capacity. I understand both sides but I don't know enough about BDI."

Wait, is he saying that someone who gets a squat to 300 - 500 pounds, the resulting additional muscle mass will be too much for their bones?

[jhoyda]

"I've had this discussion with an orthopedic surgeon friend of mine. He said that even through the BMI states you are not technically "obese" as a body builder you are in fact overweight. He said the bones can only carry so much weight. Even though you are stronger and your muscles surrounding bones can also be stronger, the bones had a definitive weight carrying capacity. I understand both sides but I don't know enough about BDI."

Is his name Dr Obvious by chance?

Are there any documented cases of a bony structure failing due to overload from weight training? Bones are enormously strong in compression.