The Muscle Index

How to Accurately Measure Muscle Mass

Measuring muscle mass isn’t as simple as it might seem, and unless you have access to a high tech body
composition lab you will be left guessing at how much muscle mass you have and more importantly if
your muscles are growing.

There is confusion and some common mistakes made when trying to define muscle mass gains and
changes in muscle mass, and much of this confusion comes from a misunderstanding of the following
two definitions “Lean Body Mass” and “Skeletal Muscle Mass”.

Lean Body Mass - Definition:

This is all the parts of your body that are not fat. This includes skeletal muscle, smooth muscle, bone,
organs, blood vessels, blood, intracellular water, extracellular water, and depending on the way you
measure it the food in your stomach and intestines will also show up as lean body mass.

Skeletal Muscle Mass - Definition:

Skeletal muscles are the ones you build in the gym by working out with weights like your biceps, chest
legs and back. You have conscious control of your skeletal muscles. In other words you can decide when
you want to flex these muscles (as opposed to the smooth muscles of your digestive and cardiovascular
system which are not consciously controlled…you don’t have to consciously think to make your heart
beat or your intestine digest food).

Skeletal muscle mass usually makes up about 50% of your total Lean body Mass (the rest is bone, blood,
organs, smooth muscles, water and other non muscle tissues).

These definitions are important because “Lean Body Mass” and “Skeletal Muscle Mass” are often
assumed to be the same thing (which as you can see they are not).

Many measurement techniques can only determine changes in total Lean Body Mass without
distinguishing the skeletal muscle mass component from the rest. Research studies on muscle building
tend to look at total lean body mass changes instead of skeletal muscle mass changes specifically. This
can produce false results as transient changes in hydration (body water) and food in your system (having
a full or empty stomach) can greatly influence your lean body mass measurement without any real
change in skeletal muscle mass.
In fact rapid changes in bodyweight are usually due to changes in the other parts of your Lean Body
Mass that are NOT Skeletal Muscle.

The most accurate way of measuring changes in the size of specific muscles is with a DEXA scanning
machine. But this unfortunately is not available to the general public as it is a highly specialized and
incredibly expensive piece of scientific equipment that is usually only found in composition labs in
universities or other highly specialized health care facilities. Some universities and colleges offer a body
composition service to the public for a fairly decent price (approx $50). If you check with your local
university you might be able to get into one of these labs to have you body composition done. Just be
aware that they typically will only be measuring Total Lean Body Mass vs Fat Mass and have limited or
no ability to distinguish how much Skeletal Muscle Mass you actually have. From there the base
assumption will be that approx 50% of your total lean mass is skeletal muscle.

In other words, since you’re not getting your hands on a DEXA or physiology lab any time soon you’ve
got to come up with a cheaper and simpler way to measure your muscle mass.

This manual is a comprehensive step by step procedure on how to measure your muscle mass without
becoming a body composition scientist.

There are 2 facts that we know about body composition that can be combined to create a simple and
effective way to measure gains in muscle mass.

1. Muscle Cross Sectional Area is directly related to the strength of the muscle. In other words,
the bigger the muscle is the strong it is. I’m sure this isn’t news to you.

2. Your waist measurement can give us an accurate indication of your overall fat mass as men
typically store the bulk of their fat around the waist.

With these two pieces of information we can determine how much muscle you have with the two
following measurements:

1. Volume Index (VI): compares muscle size to waist size

2. Strength Index (SI): compares strength to bodyweight
VI x SI = Muscle Index (MI)
The Muscle Index is your most accurate way of determining both your total muscle mass and changes in
your total muscle mass. This is a relative number that accounts for your body weight, fat mass and
hydration status.

The following pages of this guide show you how to calculate your Volume Index and Strength Index.
These two values multiplied together give you your Muscle Index number.
 Volume Index (VI)

There are multiple key circumference measurements that tell us about the size of various muscles on
your body. The key circumference measurements you must take are as follows:

M#1: Upper arm circumference

Take this measurement at the thickest part of your bicep/tricep girth. Take this measurement in the
flexed position (keep in mind to flex both bicep and tricep at the same time)

M#2: Shoulder circumference

This is a measurement of the circumference of your shoulder girdle which includes the size and
thickness of your shoulders mid chest, traps and upper back. Take this measurement standing in good
posture with the tape wrapping around the outside of your shoulders across the middle of your chest
and across the widest part of your upper back. The tape measure should be lined up with the widest
part of your shoulders and will be approximately at the height of your arm pit (as viewed with your arms
relaxed at your sides)

M#3: Chest circumference

This measurement is taken as a circumference around the thickest part of your chest and around your
back. The tape measure goes under your arms and around your chest at approximately the height of
your nipples.

M#4: Thigh circumference

Thigh measurement is taken at the thickest part of your leg approximately 2/3 up from your knee joint.
Take this as a circumference around your leg.

M#5: Waist circumference

Take your waist measurement at the level of your belly button.

Add the first 4 measurements together (M1 to M4) then divide it by the M5, the answer is your Volume
Index (VI).
 Volume Index Measurement Guide

M#2

M#1 M#3
Measure at the thickest part
M#5

M#4
Note: Keep in mind that each of
these measurements are a
circumference of the given area.

Calculating Volume Index (VI)

(M1 + M2 + M3 + M4) ÷ M5 = VI
 Strength Index (SI)

We know the strength of a muscle is directly related to its cross sectional area (size) therefore strength
must be included in our muscle mass measurement. Strength is also exercise specific and rep range
specific. This means that a person who regularly trains in the 10-12 rep range will have developed
strength in this rep range more so than in the 3-5 rep range. For this reason we use a formula to predict
your one rep max strength (instead of measuring your 1 rep max directly)

The formula for your estimated 1 rep max (e1RM):

[(weight lifted x reps) x 0.0333] + weight lifted = e1RM

Let’s look at a bench press example:

If you can bench press 225lbs for 8 reps you would estimate your 1 rep max (e1RM) as follows:

[(225lbs x 8) x 0.0333] + 225lbs = 284.9lbs (round to 285lbs)

By using this formula you can test your strength in the rep range that you are most comfortable with
and that matches your regular workout rep ranges. Most people never actually workout with their 1 rep
maximum weight so it’s impractical to test it directly.

TEST LIFTS
There are 5 standard lifts that you will use to test your maximum strength.

(Click each exercise to see a video example of the correct form for each lift)

1. Squat

2. Bench Press

3. Deadlift: Conventional or Sumo

4. Standing Military Press

5. Chin Ups (or Pulldowns if you cannot complete a chin up with your bodyweight)

Note: Select a weight that will allow you to complete between 5 – 15 reps for each lift.
Testing procedure
It is too difficult to test your entire body during one session therefore you must break up your test days
into sections. The following breakdown is what I have found works best for testing each muscle group
without compromising the other tests.

Test Day 1 Deadlift & Standing Military Press

Test Day 2 Bench Press & Pull Ups (or Pulldowns)
Test Day 3 Squats

Warm up the specific test muscles with a series of light sets (approx 40-60% of your working weight) for
3-5 sets (you can take more warm up sets if you feel it’s necessary). Once you feel that you’re joints and
muscles are warm enough complete one test set for each exercise listed. Select a weight you can
complete more than 5 reps but less than 15 for the test set. The total number of reps x the weight you
lift is your aggregate upper body strength number.

If you regularly train in the 8-12 rep range choose a weight that you are fairly certain you can lift for 10
reps to test with. On the other hand if you routinely train in the 3-7 rep range choose a weight that you
are fairly certain you can lift for 5-7 reps and use it for your test set.

Note: It doesn’t matter if you don’t use the test exercises in your regular workout routine. You can
still use them as a measurement of relative strength. Any change you have in muscle mass and
strength will be reflected in these test exercises regardless if they are part of your workouts.

Use this Formula to determine your 1 rep max strength for each lift:

[(weight lifted x reps) x 0.0333] + weight lifted = e1RM

Exercise Weight Reps e1RM

Squat =(S1)
Bench Press =(S2)
Deadlift =(S3)
Standing Military Press =(S4)
Chin Up (or Pulldown) =(S5)

Calculating Strength Index (SI)

[(S1) + (S2) + (S3) + (S4) + (S5)] ÷ bodyweight = SI
 Calculating Muscle Index

Your muscle index is the product of multiplying your STRENGTH INDEX x VOLUME INDEX

Calculating Muscle Index (MI)

Strength Index (SI) x Volume Index (VI) = Muscle Index (MI)

Bodyweight, strength, fat mass, changes in ‘other’ lean mass, hydration status, and food intake
are all accounted and corrected for with the Muscle Index.

Your Muscle Index is the most accurate scale for measuring changes in your true muscle mass.

From now on the Muscle Index will be the only measurement you should concern yourself with
for measuring your muscle building progress.