Body fat ranges for athletes
Healthy body fat ranges shift for athletes. Here's how to read your number when training is part of life.
4 min readReviewed May 1, 2026
Quick answer
General "healthy" ranges (men 10–20%, women 18–28%) are screening tools. Athletes often sit lower, but very low values aren't sustainable for most people.
Typical athlete ranges
- Endurance athletes: men 6–13%, women 14–20%.
- Strength athletes: men 10–18%, women 16–24%.
- Team-sport athletes: a wide spread depending on position.
- Bodybuilding stage condition: very low and not sustainable long-term.