6'3 and 300lbs that is considered Obese. How is that calculated when it comes to Football Players and other athletes 

BMI is old news today.  My Doc  says Bruce Willis BMI would put him in the pre-obese range. And Arnold in obese.  My doc uses fat mass %  at different age levels.  His goal for me is 16-18%.  If I tried to get down to a BMI of 24 I would need to weigh 159 and my college weight was 168 and I dont want to look like that again.
Hell, I'am beginning to look like Mike the Ford guy and thats OK for me.
Good luck and forget BMI - Buy a web belt  and keep cutting the ends

 I've been told that BMI is for the general populous.  Athletes like football players and such just don't fall into the normal BMI range.  I've always been a jock....nothing on the pro level but I've always been active with some form of cardio and I'm not a stranger to the weight room.  With that being said recently I had a body fat percentage test done and it came back that if I had no fat on my body at all right now I'd weigh 173lbs.  Going by BMI at 6'0" I should weigh 180lbs.  That would give me only 7lbs of body fat!?!?!?  No way in hell.  I've talked it over with my surgeon and my PCP and we're going off body fat percentage for me.

I agree with the others that body fat % is a better measure of fitness.

However, I think the raw weight number is still relevant.  Our skeletons and connective tissues are not really made to deal with obesity long-term.  Obviously athletes get injured from their activity, but many of them have bone and joint problems (and enlarged hearts) from carrying the extra weight -- just like fat people.

That's why when I think about my fantasy ideal body shape (for me), it's not a muscleman build.  I'm thinking less mass but with good tone and definition, and being light on my feet.  More of a tennis player or decathlete type build.

I use body fat percentage rather than BMI. When I owned my gym body fat % was what we used to assess a person's body composition.  At my last visit, my Doc and Nutritionist at Vandy said to disregard the BMI chart, because that since I've added more lean muscle the body fat % is a much more accurate gauge. Body fat % gives a reading of the person's body composition in regards to lean muscle and bone vs. body fat.

This is from Wikipedia:

Body fat percentage

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

A person's total body fat percentage is the total weight of the person's fat divided by the person's weight. The resulting number reflects both essential fat and storage fat.

• Essential fat is that amount of fat necessary for maintenance of life and reproductive functions. The percentage for women is greater than that for men, due to the demands of childbearing and other hormonal functions. Essential fat is 2–5% in men, and 10–13% in women.

• Storage fat consists of fat accumulation in adipose tissue, part of which protects internal organs in the chest and abdomen. The minimum recommended total body fat percentage exceeds the essential fat percentage value reported above. A number of online tools are available for calculating estimated body fat percentage.

Arguably, body fat percentage is the superior gauge of an individual's fitness level, as it is the only body measurement which directly calculates the particular individual's body composition without regard to the individual's height or weight. The widely-used body mass index (BMI), on the other hand, simply makes blanket assumptions as to what every individual of a certain height should ideally weigh, regardless of the body composition which makes up that weight. The BMI gives particularly inaccurate information with regard to individuals with above-average lean muscle mass, classifying such individuals as "overweight" or "obese" despite the fact that their body fat percentage would indicate they are in excellent physical condition.

Recommendations

Some body fat percentage levels are more culturally valued than others, and some are related to better health or improved athletic performance. Actual levels of body fat are dependent on gender and age.^[1] Different authorities have developed different recommendations for ideal body fat percentages, such as these from the The American Council on Exercise:

Description	Women	Men
Essential fat	10–12%	2–4%
Athletes	14–20%	6–13%
Fitness	21–24%	14–17%
Acceptable	25–31%	18–26%
Overweight	32-41%	27-37%
Obese	42%+	38%+

Note that the essential fat values in the chart above are lower than the recommended minimum body fat percentage levels. A small amount of storage fat is required to be available as fuel for the body in time of need. It is unclear whether falling in a particular category of these body fat percentages is better for one's health than any other, but there seem to be enhancements in athletic performance as one nears the ideal body fat percentage range for one's particular sport. The leanest athletes typically compete at levels of about 5–8% for men or 10–15% for women. Bodybuilders will often compete at ranges even lower than these levels. Certified personal trainers will suggest to male bodybuilders that they should aim for a body fat percentage between 2–4% by contest time. Getting to this level usually requires a carefully planned and implemented exercise program, specific and carefully monitored variations in fluid consumption, energy intake and macronutrient ratios, sodium and potassium, and sometimes also use of ointments and alcohol.^[2]

OK - here's the dumb question...how is body fat percentage measured?

There are different methods. The most accurate is a hydrostatic or bouyancy test, but it's expensive and hard to find someone who does it. Skin fold is the most common used, such as 5 point and 7 point. Calipers  re used to "pinch" check certain areas on the body - chest, abdomen, biceps, thighs, back, etc. There is a formula they use to calculate the body fat % from these numbers.

Also, you can search for Body Fat Calculator on the Net.  There are several generic calculators out there that use neck, waist, hip and wrist size plus body weight, height, and age. Some are fairly accurate while others are way off.

 LOL well I failed that test, haha

Thanks for the answers.. not so lite reading

It's too bad that the body fat percentage tests are so complicated.  I'm 6'1". The BMI charts say I should weigh 174 lbs. So that's where I set my goal. But to be honest.. If I could get to 190 or below and ride a bike again. I'd be OK with that.

 why cant you ride a bike now?