^^
Are we thinking about the same value? Since body fat % are so up in the air and it's hard to be fully accurate unless you take professional measures.
Athletes across many sports vary between 9-11 % body fat, during the season. This is the best composition to ensure optimal muscular performance with least amount of fat retention. Any lower and you compromise performance and get into some of the effects you mention.
Contrast the following:
![[Image: cristiano%20ronaldo.jpg]](http://www.juntosbien.org/sites/default/files/images/cristiano%20ronaldo.jpg)
![[Image: michael-phelps-low-body-fat-percentage.jpg]](http://munfitnessblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/michael-phelps-low-body-fat-percentage.jpg)
These are healthy, athletic and elite physiques. Any man can benefit from a similar body composition, with really minimal drawbacks (I can't think of any besides a more rigorous diet to maintain the physique).
I don't think Ronaldo is compromising sexual function by being in this shape, at roughly 10%. Or thousands of other athletes.
On the other hand, the following I think we can agree is unhealthy and should not be a goal for 99.9% of people who workout, with the obvious exception being bodybuilders during their contest:
![[Image: attachment.php?attachmentid=72474&d=1069531013]](https://forum.bodybuilding.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=72474&d=1069531013)
Are we thinking about the same value? Since body fat % are so up in the air and it's hard to be fully accurate unless you take professional measures.
Athletes across many sports vary between 9-11 % body fat, during the season. This is the best composition to ensure optimal muscular performance with least amount of fat retention. Any lower and you compromise performance and get into some of the effects you mention.
Contrast the following:
These are healthy, athletic and elite physiques. Any man can benefit from a similar body composition, with really minimal drawbacks (I can't think of any besides a more rigorous diet to maintain the physique).
I don't think Ronaldo is compromising sexual function by being in this shape, at roughly 10%. Or thousands of other athletes.
On the other hand, the following I think we can agree is unhealthy and should not be a goal for 99.9% of people who workout, with the obvious exception being bodybuilders during their contest: