Why do people have different physiques. How to determine your body type. Metabolic typing of female forms

Depending on the genetic predisposition, each person is endowed with an individual body structure, with different muscle and fat mass, different growth. This explains the fact that with the same diet and the same physical activity, men can form completely different figures with different muscle volumes.

You need to know your body type (somatotype) to develop a training process and select a diet.

Body types

From birth, men can be lean, of normal build, and prone to overweight. To date, these constitutions of the body have been distinguished into 3 main types.

An interesting fact is that they tried to make the classification of body morphology as early as the 4th century BC. In those days in ancient Greece, the physician and philosopher Hippocrates studied the connection between the constitution of the body and the tendency to certain diseases. In his opinion, well-fed people with small stature are more likely to suffer an apoplectic stroke, and thin and large people are more likely to suffer from tuberculosis.

There are several options for classifications, names and definitions of physique. For example, the German psychologist Kretschmer in 1921 identified a typology of temperaments based on physique features, which he divided according to the following criteria:

  • Asthenic(weak) - with a high and thin body structure, whose shoulders are not wide, with long thin arms and legs, with an elongated face and an elongated nose;
  • Picnic(dense) - a type of build with medium or below average height, with a tendency to be overweight. The body is vague, with a short neck and a rounded head. The face is wide with small features;
  • Athletic(wrestler) - a type of strong physique with good muscles. The height of this type of classification is medium or above average, the shoulders are wide, and the hips are narrow.

In medicine, to determine the correct proportions of body parts, by which health criteria are also assessed, the following classification of physiques is adopted:

  • Mesomorphic or normosthenic- with average criteria for anatomical features. This type is characterized by a proportionally formed body with harmoniously developed muscles and skeletal system.
  • Brachymorphic or hypersthenic- differs in the prevalence of transverse parameters and is characterized by a voluminous belly, round head and short stature. The lungs are wide, and the plexuses of the small intestine are located in most cases horizontally;
  • Dolichomorphic or asthenic- characterized by the dominance of longitudinal parameters, but with poorly developed muscles and a thin subcutaneous layer of fat. The limbs are elongated, the bones are narrow, the muscles are weak.

Determination of the type of structure on a scientific basis

The first scientific developments were made by William Sheldon, a professor at Harvard University. He identified 3 components of the structure of the body, which in "pure" manifestations are as follows:

  • Endomorph- with a massive belly, and a rounded head, weak muscles in the arms and legs, but with excess fat deposition throughout the body.
  • Mesomorph- in the classic version, broad-shouldered, with a wide chest, has well-developed muscular arms and legs. Subcutaneous fat is present in very small amounts.
  • Ectomorph- lanky and thin, with an elongated face, narrow-shouldered, with an expiratory (narrow, long and flat) chest and long limbs. There is practically no fat, and there is no tendency to acquire it, the muscles are weak and undeveloped.

It should be noted that such "pure" species are extremely rare. In most cases, all three types are present to a greater or lesser extent in the physique, but with a clear predominance of one of them.

How to determine your type?

One of the main criteria for body constitution is bone thickness, which does not change significantly with an increase or decrease in muscle or fat mass. The fastest (but not accurate) way to find out your type is to measure your wrist near the bone.

As a rule, the length of the wrist circumference is proportional to the length of the ankle circumference and is approximately 5 cm more from it.But there are times when a man's lower body is more massive than the upper one and the ankle can be 9 centimeters more from the wrist. -ten. There are also men who have the same wrist and ankle girth.

Therefore, in addition to measuring the thickness of the bones, you should pay attention to your height, the length of the limbs, the tendency to be overweight or lack thereof.

Advantages and disadvantages of each type

Each type needs to make a different effort to build a beautiful athletic body.

Mesomorph. Building muscle will take the least time of all three types. Even without training, it has strong and noticeable muscles against the background of a lack of fat. The body itself in such men is large with thick bone and voluminous muscles.
The disadvantages include the difficulty of bringing large muscles to a beautiful relief shape. By the way, mesomorphs are also subdivided into ectomorphic and endomorphic.

One of the brightest and most successful men with this body type Arnold Schwarzenegger

Endomorph... To build a beautiful muscular figure, this type of man first needs to get rid of excess body fat. Therefore, despite the fact that they easily build muscle mass, it can be overlooked behind the fat layer. Success is achieved through frequent exercise.
A well-known representative of this type, Jay Cutler is an American bodybuilder.

Ectomorph. It is most difficult for this type of man to build an athletic body, due to the long process of muscle building. In addition to playing sports, they need to pay a lot of attention to proper nutrition to gain muscle mass. More than half of the success in achieving the goal depends on properly selected nutrition.
Nevertheless, this type of people, with sufficient determination and perseverance, has every chance of having a beautiful aesthetic figure of an athlete.

Change in body type

Somatic constitutions cannot pass from one species to another throughout life, they are genetically laid down and cannot change until the end of life. Each somatotype is characterized by its own metabolism, priority formation of muscles or fat deposits, and even psychophysical formation.

At the same time, depending on nutrition, physical activity, lifestyle, diseases and other factors, it is possible to change the shape of the body itself, both in the direction of increasing muscle or fat mass, and in the direction of decreasing.

Video about body types:

Any man with any body type is able to achieve the desired result in shaping his body. And the most important factor is dedication, motivation, perseverance in classes, adherence to the regime and proper nutrition.

There are three body types or body types that affect our appearance. For details on why some of us are prone to gaining fat, while others to thinness, read the article.

It cannot be denied that in addition to our lifestyle, eating habits and exercise, there are other factors that affect how our body looks. It is often called the word "genetics", meaning that some features of the figure are inherited in us and we cannot change them. So, there are people who, despite the fact that they eat a lot, remain thin, and often even have unhealthy thinness. Many will say that this is a minor problem. But such people cannot gain weight even at the cost of great efforts. There is another class of people who, even eating in moderation, always remain quite fat and are overweight, which is difficult for them to get rid of.

There is also a third group, the rarest, - those who always look quite athletic and fit. Even short-term moderate physical activity very quickly affects their appearance. Their muscles quickly develop and it seems that they are not at all prone to weight gain.

All of the above is to blame for such a concept as body types.

What is body type?

Body type- these are the features of the development of body parts and their proportions, characteristic of a particular person.

Speaking about physique, you need to introduce one more concept - somatotype. The somatotype is rather a characteristic of the physique, which determines the genetic characteristics of the development of muscle, bone and adipose tissue. It also determines the characteristics of metabolism. Those. somatotype is a constitutional type of a person.

The difference between body type and somatotype is that body type is mainly an external, visual indicator. Body type can change throughout life. With the help of nutrition and exercise, you can change body proportions, size, amount of fat and muscle tissue, but you cannot change the somatotype. If you are genetically inclined to a greater set of adipose tissue than muscle, to a certain structure of bone tissue, then this tendency will not change throughout life. This characteristic can be influenced, but not completely changed. However, the concepts of physique and somatotype are usually used synonymously, so in this article I will use them in the same context.

There are different classifications of body types (). The most common is the typology of W.I. Sheldon. In accordance with it, there are

Three types of human physique

Ectomorph

An ectomorph is easy enough to recognize. These people are very thin, they have long, thin limbs, narrow shoulders and a flat chest. Such people are very hardy. Ectomorph little subcutaneous fat, and with this, little muscle mass... Having a very fast metabolism, they not only do not gain fat, which is undoubtedly a plus, but also face great difficulties in gaining muscle mass. They can eat a lot, but not gain weight at all.

Mesomorph

Mesomorphs are the luckiest ones. By nature, they have the makings of an athletic physique and have good endurance and high strength indicators. The mesomorph has fairly wide shoulders and chest. They have bright pronounced muscles with a low amount of subcutaneous fat... Thanks to their moderate to moderate metabolic rate, such people can gain lean muscle mass relatively easily and lose fat quickly. Unfortunately, this type is the least common.

Endomorph

An endomorph is usually said to have a wide bone. And this is absolutely true, because their bones are really massive and heavy. This body type is characterized by increased fat accumulation due to slow metabolism. Endomorphs have short and massive limbs, wide hips, and no pronounced waist. In general, they have a "rounded" shape. When practicing spores, they demonstrate low endurance. Today, this type of physique, or close to it, is the most common.

It should be noted that pure somatotypes are very rare. As a rule, a person simultaneously possesses the properties of several of them. Also, one should not forget that the somatotype is a tendency. For example, if you are an endomorph, this does not mean that you cannot be thin. This is quite possible to achieve. But, nevertheless, genetically, your body is still more prone to accumulating fat than gaining muscle mass.

Read about how to determine your body type in this article.

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Physique - the ratio and characteristics of body parts, which are influenced by the relationship of bone, adipose and muscle tissues in the human body.

The dimensions and body shapes of all people are laid down at the genetic level. Hereditary formation of physique is realized in the course of ontogenesis, that is, in the course of successive morphological, physical and biochemical modifications of the organism throughout its life.

Somatotype is a constitutional body type of a person, which implies not only the current appearance of a person, but also a program for future modifications of his body.

The constitution of a person changes throughout his life, and the somatotype is formed at the genetic level and is considered an invariable trait from birth to death of the organism. Age-related changes, all kinds of diseases, increased load can affect the size, body shape, but not the somatotype. Somatotype - body image - determined on the basis of anthropometric measurements (somatotyping), genotypically determined, constitutional type, characterized by the level and peculiarity of metabolism (predominant development of muscle, adipose or bone tissue), predisposition to certain diseases.

When drawing up training programs or nutrition systems, it is necessary to take into account the somatotype of the body.

Human body proportions

People of the same height can have drastically different sizes of body parts. The proportions of the body are assumed to be the ratio of the volumes of the trunk, limbs and their segments. As a rule, measurements of individual parts of the body are considered in relation to its length or expressed as a percentage of the total body length. To describe the ratio of body proportions, the conditional values ​​of the length of the legs and the width of the shoulders have the greatest meaning.

There is an ideal leg length for every body type. In asthenics, the legs should be 2-4 cm longer than half the height; in normostenics by 4-6 cm, and in hypersthenics, the legs should be 6-9 cm longer than half the height.

Indexes and types of bodily proportions

The harmony of bodily development is considered one of the criteria for assessing the state of a person's well-being. In case of disturbances in body proportions, it is possible to consider disturbances in the growth processes that have occurred due to negative changes in the body. The most common way to measure proportions is to calculate the length of the limbs and the width of the shoulders in relation to the whole body. According to these indicators, as a rule, 3 leading body proportions are distinguished:

  1. Brachymorphic, characterized by a wide torso and short limbs. In people of a brachymorphic physique, transverse proportions dominate, the muscles are well developed, they, as a rule, have a small stature. The heart in such people is located transversely, which is due to the high located diaphragm. In such people, short and wide loops of the small intestine come to light, which are mostly in a horizontal position;
  2. Dolichomorphic, characterized by a narrow torso and long limbs. Representatives of this body type have elongated limbs, poorly developed muscles, narrow bones and a weak layer of subcutaneous fat. Their diaphragm is placed relatively low, as a result of which the lungs in such people are slightly longer than in representatives of other types;
  3. Mesomorphic, characterized by average proportions. This type includes people whose body proportions can be called normal. They are age and gender appropriate.

It is impossible to change a genetically based somatotype, but everyone can work on a figure, adjust nutrition and improve the body, taking into account the peculiarities of constitution.

Kretschmer's human body typology

The specificity of metabolic processes and endocrine reactions is the essence of the body constitution. Scientifically proven unequal susceptibility of people of different constitutional types to external and internal factors. It is believed that even a person's temperament can depend on the physique. In real time, there are more than 100 classifications of the human constitution, based on all kinds of body features. There are classifications based on morphological, physical, embryological, histological, neuropsychic and other aspects. Of particular interest is the typology of the human body, which was put forward by the psychopathologist E. Kretschmer (1888-1964), who was convinced that the psychological characteristics of a person depend on the constitution of the body. Typology of physique according to E. Kretschmer:

  • Asthenic - poorly developed "in thickness" and relatively strongly "in length"; he is slender, thin-boned, with transparent white skin, narrow shoulders, and a long and flat chest. Fragile, tall. Visually it seems higher than it really is. Has a thin wrist, thin arms, elongated lower limbs, an elongated face, a long nose. In brightly embodied asthenics, there is a discrepancy between the elongated nose and the lower jaw due to its underdevelopment. Asthenics women resemble men asthenics, but they have every chance of being not only thin, but also of short stature. Brightly embodied asthenics are prone to premature aging;
  • The picnic is of medium to short stature, with a lot of fat, a flowing body resembling dough, a round head and a short neck, with a small, wide face. This type of people is often addicted to food and is prone to obesity;
  • Athletic - has a well-developed masculature, strong, broad-boned constitution, high or medium height. Athletics' shoulders are broad and hips are narrow. The bones of the skull are clearly visible on the face.
Apart from the melon types, Kretschmer also distinguished the dysplastic type, characterized by an incomprehensible structure and destructive disorders.

Ecto-, meso- and endomorphy

In the west, there are 3 leading body types: ectomorphic, mesomorphic and endomorphic. They received these names from the names of 3 germ layers: external - ectoderm, from which the nervous system, integumentary tissues (skin) and glands are composed; mesoderm, from which the musculoskeletal and cardiovascular systems are composed; internal - endoderm, from which the digestive system is formed. In short, ectomorphs are similar in characteristics to the pycnic body type. Mesomorphs are similar to athletes, and endomorphs have the features of an asthenic physique.

Modern methods of somatotyping

Currently, in medical practice, the following classification of human body types is most often used:

  1. Asthenic type. The main feature is the weak development of the muscular system, the dominance (relative to the normosthenic type) of the longitudinal volumes of the body and the volumes of the chest over the volumes of the abdomen; the length of the limbs - over the length of the body;
  2. Normosthenic type, characterized by proportional body volumes and harmonious development of the musculoskeletal system;
  3. The hypersthenic type, which differs from the normosthenic type in good fatness, a long body and short limbs, conditional dominance of transverse body volumes, abdominal volumes over chest volumes. Typical features of the asthenic body type.

Ideal and clean body types are not common, but traits of the dominant type can always be identified.

Due to the highest metabolic rate, asthenics gain weight with difficulty and have a low fat reserve. The muscles are weak, not prominent, the contours of the body are angular. People with this body type can tolerate excess food or alcohol without gaining weight. Fat can begin to be deposited only in adulthood, mainly on the belly. Asthenics need active strength training to build muscle mass.

  • Weight gain is difficult;
  • The ribcage is flat;
  • Narrow shoulders;
  • Outlined relief;
  • Low fat content under the skin;
  • Lack of tendency to obesity.

Typical features of the normosthenic body type

Women and men, as well as adolescents of this type, often seem to be larger than fragile asthenics, but this impression is based not on fat, but on developed muscle tissue. Often they have an increased feeling of hunger due to the highest physical activity. The normostenics are characterized by excellent health. With a sedentary lifestyle, normostenics very easily gain excess weight. The best weight loss strategy for normostenics is to keep body fat to a minimum while supporting dietary restructuring by combining special nutrition with exercise.

  • Classic athletic build;
  • Pronounced muscle frame;
  • Strong and hardy;
  • Muscles are easy to build;
  • Average tendency to obesity (in the absence of high physical activity).

Typical features of the hypersthenic body type

Due to the slowed down metabolism, hypersthenics easily gain excess weight. They, as a rule, do not like sports, preferring diets to it. However, sport with this type of physique is necessary, otherwise the risk of obesity and related diseases increases.

  • Softness;
  • The shape resembles a ball;
  • Weight increases easily;
  • High percentage of subcutaneous fat;
  • Small in stature and stocky appearance;
  • Weight loss is difficult;
  • Slow metabolism.

The amount of subcutaneous fat in the body depends not only on the lifestyle, but also on the body type of a person.

How to calculate your body type?

In order to best determine the type of physique, it is necessary to restore in memory the features of the body, pronounced in adolescence. Recall what the body looked like before it was influenced by environmental factors and lifestyle. As a rule, identifying body type is not difficult.

The following method of calculating body type is also common: you need to grab the wrist of your left hand with your thumb and forefinger of your right hand:

  • If your fingers overlap, you are an asthenic;
  • If your fingers touch, you are normostenic;
  • If your fingers do not touch, you are a hypersthenic.

In addition, various websites offer online calculators and tables for calculating body type metrics. You can use them to confirm the above signs.

Knowing the weak features of your physique, in the future you can adjust your nutrition and training to achieve more striking results.

Body types in women are variants of the norm of the human constitution. This means that the constitution determines the features of the appearance and state of health of its owner. Basically, the structural features of the female body are hereditary, but initially knowing your body type, you can make timely adjustments from an early age.

Female figure variations

There are several grading systems for the appearance of the female body. The most common is a very simple and straightforward way to determine the shape of the body:

  • asthenic (or hyposthenic);
  • normosthenic;
  • hypersthenic.

If it seems to you that knowing your body type is not very important, we bet. Certain types of figure differ in different problem areas, over which you can sweat in the gym, change your diet, the rhythm of life and choose the best clothes.

Wrist size - a measure of body type

Sometimes you don't want to bother or it is difficult to decide on your own silhouette, but there is a simple way to determine the type of physique in women, just by measuring the wrist. The Solovyov index is a parameter that will help determine the type. It is equal to the circumference of the wrist in centimeters.

Calculation of the indicator:

  • Less than 15 - asthenic;
  • In the zone 15-17 - normosthenic;
  • More than 17 - hypersthenic.

Asthenic body type in women - ectomorphs

  • According to the generally accepted opinion, these are the very happy owners of slender and slender figures. According to other ladies, these women are witches who eat a lot and practically do not get fat. Note that there are two sides of the same coin. In youth, asthenic ladies are slender, but with age, fat is still deposited in the most unattractive places: on the back and waist, which forms an inaccurate and disproportionate image.
  • It is easier for such women to maintain good physical shape, because their lipids accumulate slowly. Of the minuses, we note that although these girls are wiry, thin and energetic, untrained young ladies have the lowest level of endurance and strength indicators.

  • The development of muscles turns into sheer torture for ectomorphs. Since the growth processes are slowed down not only in fat, but also in muscles. That is why it is very difficult to give a sporty, pumped look to a silhouette.
  • The appearance of such ladies is not particularly popular among men, because they are angular, devoid of pleasant roundness and look like adolescents. Any model on display is a vivid example of this body type.
  • The shortened "upper" part of the body and long limbs create the illusion of "legs from the ears". Poorly developed lipid tissue often affects the size of the bust, and sometimes causes its absence.
  • Narrow shoulders and chest, narrow feet and hands, and narrow waist! The Solovyov index, which helps to determine the body type by the wrist, is less than 15.
  • As for training, it is easier for such ladies, since they almost never have to deal with excess weight. A female ectomorph can immediately start strength training in a split, avoiding aerobic counterparts.
  • After achieving the desired results, you should definitely go through an unpleasant but effective "drying" procedure.
  • With possible weight loss, these young ladies first start to "leave" their muscles, so calorie restriction will not help with body shaping. The panacea is special diet and strength training.

Normosthenic body type - mesomorphs

  • No matter how the changeable youth fashion dictates the demand for skinny young ladies, the figure of a mesomorphic woman (normostenic) is considered the classic ideal of beauty. They don't seem gaunt or female compasses. Their body is proportional, with well-developed muscle tissue and a minimum of body fat. These girls are naturally athletic and bold.
  • Mesomorph instantly, if desired, part with fat reserves and gains muscle mass at lightning speed. By nature, the level of their metabolism is high, but with age, in the absence of adequate physical activity, metabolic processes slow down significantly, and the weight rapidly creeps up.

  • The part of the body at the top is slightly smaller than the one below, i.e. legs are not "from the ears", but not short ones either. In this case, the average size of the chest, hands and feet.
  • Solovyov's index for wrist size 15-17.
  • Often, the figure resembles the notorious hourglass, and with extra pounds, a pear or an apple.
  • Young ladies with similar parameters can achieve records in sports in the shortest possible time.
  • The problem of the "wasp waist" is quite acute in this case, because for the coveted forms, curvy ladies will have to sweat in the hall. From sports disciplines it is worth paying attention to game types: basketball, volleyball, aerobics and tennis.

Hypersthenic trunk constitution - endomorphs

  • Endomorphs (people with a hypersthenic type) are precisely those persons whom sculptors and painters have glorified with love in their works. "Venus de Milo" by Botticelli, "Danae" by Titian, modern icons of beauty Sophia Loren, Marilyn Monroe, Beyonce and other ladies "in the body" are a vivid personification of this type of "body arrangement". Curvy young ladies are famous for their femininity and sensuality.

  • Such girls justify their excess weight by heredity, by the fact that there should be a lot of a good person and by the fact that men do not throw themselves on the dice, but there is a fundamental difference. From birth, endomorphs have more adipose tissue than muscle, but this does not mean that such ladies are doomed to eternal obesity. Such variations of the fair sex should only be given more time and effort to bring the figure back to normal. Only laziness does not allow such girls to be pumped up and elastic.
  • Transverse dimensions prevail over longitudinal ones (legs and arms are short). The chest is wide, the same waist, massive hips, large joints, feet and hands.
  • Soloviev's index is more than 17th position.

  • Fat mass prevails over muscle.
  • The combination of feminine roundness and good muscle tone will give trained endomorph ladies a seductive and exciting image.
  • But if such a young lady suddenly decides to lose weight and turn into a withered vobla, she will have to make titanic efforts that are unlikely to be crowned with success.
  • Even if weight loss succeeds, the girl's appearance will be painful and disproportionate. In such individuals, muscles grow perfectly, but they are difficult to see under a dense layer of fat, which must be burned first. The latter is problematic, since metabolic processes in this form are significantly inferior in speed to the previous two.
  • Stored fat is difficult to leave, and for training, we advise you to choose intense cardio workouts with an average load and change your diet to a low-carb one. Remember that breakdowns and relaxation will lead to an instant return of lost pounds.

You have learned the main female body types, we have described their features, advantages and disadvantages. As you can see, there is no "bad" or "good" physique, each has its own flavor. But we note that there is a common feature for all - beauty and women's health directly depends on the regularity of her visits to the gym.

Remember, whatever the type of your silhouette, only proper nutrition and increased physical activity will allow you to maintain female attractiveness for a long time.

Video: Typology of the female physique

The human body has its own unique characteristics - weight, shape, proportions. It is customary to highlight the main body types. Although every person has it at the genetic level, it can be corrected in childhood. The structure of the body and its characteristics should be taken into account during the selection of diets and workouts.

Body types

The types of figures are divided into several systems. One of the famous German doctors managed to find the relationship between psychological characteristics and characteristics of the somatotype. Kretschmer names three body types:

  • asthenic;
  • normosthenic;
  • hypersthenic.

Owners of this or that configuration are not always satisfied with their own figure. If you wish and follow simple recommendations, it is possible to change your own appearance, making the male and female physique slimmer and more perfect. In some cases, you need to change your eating habits, and sometimes you need to switch to a healthy lifestyle. The sooner you start working on yourself, the faster the results will please.


Asthenic physique

Representatives of this type of figure are distinguished by:

  • thinness;
  • long thin neck;
  • flat chest;
  • narrow shoulders;
  • elongated thin limbs;
  • long face;
  • thin nose;
  • growth is above average.

Those with a slender physique have poorly developed muscles, therefore they are not very hardy and strong. The advantage of such people can be called their energy, lightness, grace. Women with this figure are often in the spotlight of the opposite sex because they look fragile and feminine. In addition, asthenics never suffer from excess weight in their lives, since they are not prone to obesity. Metabolism in such people is very rapid, which prevents the deposition of adipose tissue.

Normosthenic physique

Normostenics are characterized by:

  • proportional figure;
  • slender legs;
  • thin waist.

Often, the fair sex with this body constitution is of average height. Such ladies have good coordination, are quick and sharp. Men with an athletic physique have well-developed musculature, the skeleton is strong and well-formed, the chest is convex, and the legs are proportional. In sports, it is better for normostenics to give preference to basketball, volleyball, tennis and water aerobics. Owners of this configuration enjoy the attention of the opposite sex.


Hypersthenic physique

Representatives of this constitution have:

  • wide heavy bones;
  • large shoulders;
  • wide chest;
  • the limbs are slightly shortened.

The growth of such people is below average. Nature endowed them with strength and endurance, but got rid of flexibility and grace. For this reason, the owners of such a figure should choose sports disciplines that will help them remove their shortcomings. Such sports include yoga, martial arts, callanetics. People with a dense physique have a very slow metabolism, so they often have problems with. They will be able to cope with their imperfections by giving preference to a healthy lifestyle.


Body types according to Sheldon

The famous American psychologist and numismatist Herbert Sheldon suggests that a person's physique can determine his temperament. However, this dependence is latent, and the relationship between the physical and mental can be revealed by highlighting certain properties. Using the photographic technique he developed and anthropometric calculations, the psychologist was able to describe the main body types of a person:

  • endomorphy;
  • mesomorphism;
  • ectomorphy.

Mesomorphic body type

Mesomorphs are distinguished by the following characteristics:

  • natural musculature;
  • lack of fat;
  • massive body;
  • thick bones;
  • bulky muscles.

Such people are more likely than anyone else to become successful in bodybuilding. A person with a normal physique has excellent potential for muscle growth and strength gain. Representatives of this species are usually classified into ectomorphs and endomorphs. For this reason, not all of them can build equally prominent, beautiful muscles.


Endomorphic body type

Endomorphs are distinguished from all others:

  • round, soft body;
  • high percentage of adipose tissue;
  • small shoulders;
  • short limbs;
  • pear-shaped type of figure.

Strongly built people have a slow metabolism. They tend to be overweight and therefore gain weight very easily, and in order to lose kilograms they have to work a lot on themselves. There are many pop stars and actresses among the owners of this constitution. However, even rounded shapes do not spoil them, but emphasize the advantages of an attractive and extraordinary appearance. Physical activity and will help them become slimmer and more perfect.


Ectomorphic body type

Ectomorphs have the following differences:

  • thinness;
  • long, thin bones;
  • skinny muscles;
  • little fat.

People with these types of physique are rarely seen in gyms, since they are the least predisposed to bodybuilding. If you ever manage to notice a person with a thin physique in the gym, then this will be a rare exception. Among them, most of these people who have certain physical characteristics that allow them to pump their body, making it stronger and more attractive.


How to determine your body type

It is not so difficult to find out to which of the above body types the body constitution belongs. Determination of physique is calculated according to the size of the girth of the wrist. For a man of average height, the following scale is taken into account: when the indicator is in the range of 15-17.5 cm, this will be a sign of a fragile bone foundation, 17.5-20 cm - medium, and above 20 cm - powerful. The girth of the wrist is in proportion to the girth of the ankle, which is five or six centimeters larger.

However, there are people whose lower half of the body is more massive than the upper one. In this case, the girth of the wrist will be 16.5 cm, and the ankle - 25 cm. And it also happens that the ankles do not differ from the wrists. Whatever the results of the calculations, you do not need to be upset, because they do not yet mean that a person will not be able to achieve certain heights in sports. The only thing is that you have to work a little more on yourself. You need to believe in yourself and that you will be able to change, no matter what level you have to start from.