How to determine the body type of women and men visually and using measurements?

You can determine your body type by visual inspection or taking measurements. Knowing it is important for creating a suitable training program, nutrition plan, and even selecting wardrobe items. This parameter is hereditary and does not depend on the person. However, if desired, the figure can be adjusted to suit any body type. To do this, you need to regularly engage in suitable sports and follow a special diet.

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Body types

There are several main body types: ectomorphic, mesomorphic and endomorphic. They are determined genetically and are called somatotypes. Belonging to one type or another affects the level and distribution of fat, the volume of muscle mass and even the human psyche.

Ectomorph

Ectomorphs are naturally thin people with thin bones. Men and women belonging to this type have the following distinctive features:

• fast metabolism, due to which fat deposits are minimal;
• narrow shoulders and hips;
• quite tall;
• long legs and arms, short torso;
• difficulties with gaining mass, both fat and muscle;
• low endurance.


Ectomorph guys do not have pronounced muscles. They are often called lanky. Girls have a boyish figure, reminiscent of a rectangle, without pronounced roundness.

To make the body beautiful and sculpted, ectomorphs should engage in strength training, avoiding long-term cardio exercise. You need to eat in a calorie surplus.



Mesomorphs are distinguished by almost ideal proportions and harmoniously developed muscles. To stay in shape, you need to combine strength training and cardio training. Such people do not require strict diets, since their metabolism is quite fast. But uncontrolled eating can still lead to excess weight.



Endomorphs can easily build muscle, but their relief will be invisible due to the fat layer. To get rid of it, you will have to make a lot of effort. You will need to carefully monitor your diet and do cardio 3 to 5 times a week.

How to determine your somatotype?

There are various ways to find out your body type. The simplest is a visual inspection and comparison with the above signs.

But it is not always possible to objectively assess your body. In addition, somatotypes are practically never found in their pure form.

Wrist circumference

In this case, you can take measurements using a measuring tape. The main parameter for determining body type is wrist circumference. It should be measured at the thinnest point along the bone or where the wristwatch is worn.




Depending on the result, you can find out your somatotype:

• ectomorphs - up to 15 cm in women and up to 18 cm in men;
• mesomorphs - 15-17 cm in women and 18-20 cm in men;
• endomorphs - more than 17 cm in women and 20 cm in men.

If you don't have tape at hand, you can take the measurement even faster. In this case, it is enough to clasp the wrist under the bone with the thumb and middle finger of the other hand. Depending on their location, the somatotype will be as follows:

• ectomorphic - one finger covers the other;
• mesomorphic - fingers touch each other;
• endomorphic - fingers do not touch.

Measuring your wrist is a fairly reliable way to determine your body type. But still he does not give one hundred percent guarantees. Therefore, it is advisable to combine it with visual inspection and other methods.

Intercostal angle

Another test to determine the somatotype is measuring the intercostal angle. To carry it out you need:

1. 1. Slightly pull in your stomach. Find the lower borders of the ribs with your palms.
2. 2. Place both thumbs on them so that their tips touch at the top point.
3. 3. Fix the position of your fingers and remove them from your stomach.



Intercostal angles

If the angle between them is straight, then the body type is mesomorphic. If acute - ectomorphic. An obtuse angle between the fingers is formed in endomorphs.

Leg length

You can understand what body type a person is by measuring his height and leg length. Belonging to one or another somatotype will depend on their ratio:

• leg length is less than half the height - endomorphic type;
• more by 2-4 cm - mesomorphic;
• 6-8 cm longer - ectomorphic.

The length of the legs should be measured from the heel to the protrusion of the femur at the level of the pelvis.

Body types

Somatotypes are not the only body type classification. There are also body types based on the ratio of chest, waist and hips. It can be an hourglass, pear, inverted triangle, rectangle or apple.

This division is usually used by women. It allows you to create a training program and nutrition plan taking into account individual characteristics. In this case, you can determine your body type by simply looking in the mirror or measuring your bust, waist and hips.

Hourglass

The ideal body type for girls is an hourglass. In this case, the hip circumference is equal to the chest circumference, and the waist is clearly defined.




Owners of this figure have slender legs, rounded buttocks and medium-sized breasts. Their fat is deposited evenly throughout their body.

Pear

The most feminine body type is the pear. These women have hips much wider than their shoulders. They have developed buttocks and broad-boned legs. Their calf and ankle circumferences are quite large, while their wrists are thin.




The upper body of pears is poorly developed. The shoulders are sloping and narrow, the bust is usually small. A big plus is the thin waist, which, together with wide hips, makes the silhouette very feminine and attractive. Fat accumulates mainly on the thighs and buttocks. Because of this, owners of such a figure often suffer from cellulite.

Inverted Triangle

Girls with an inverted triangle-shaped figure, on the contrary, have shoulders wider than their hips. They often have large breasts, narrow hips and flat buttocks.




Fat is deposited mainly in the upper part of the body. The main advantage is slender legs. You can balance this figure by performing weight-bearing exercises on your legs and buttocks.

Rectangle

Another type of figure is a rectangle. It is characterized by equal volumes of the chest, waist and hips.



Women with such a figure look boyish. To correct it, you need to do strength training with a predominance of basic exercises (squats, bench press, etc.). Then the shoulders and hips will become wider, and the waist will be more pronounced.

Apple

The last body type considered is the apple. Such girls have a full bust, small hips and undeveloped buttocks. The main feature is a wide waist, since fat tends to accumulate on the stomach and sides.




Typically, apple-shaped women are short, have short necks and round faces. Their main advantage is their slender legs. To make their body proportional, they need to carefully monitor their diet and do cardio.

The body types considered are genetically determined. They cannot be changed, but you can correct your figure through diet and exercise. Thus, over the course of their lives, ectomorphs can gain excess weight, while endomorphs can become slim and fit.

And a little about secrets...

The story of one of our readers Alina R.:

I was especially depressed about my weight. I gained a lot, after pregnancy I weighed as much as 3 sumo wrestlers together, namely 92 kg with a height of 165. I thought the belly would go away after giving birth, but no, on the contrary, I began to gain weight. How to cope with hormonal changes and obesity? But nothing disfigures or makes a person look younger than his figure. At the age of 20, I first learned that plump girls are called “WOMAN” and that “they don’t make clothes that size.” Then at the age of 29, divorce from my husband and depression...

But what can you do to lose weight? Laser liposuction surgery? I found out - no less than 5 thousand dollars. Hardware procedures - LPG massage, cavitation, RF lifting, myostimulation? A little more affordable - the course costs from 80 thousand rubles with a nutritionist consultant. You can, of course, try to run on a treadmill until you go crazy.

And when will you find time for all this? And it's still very expensive. Especially now. That's why I chose a different method for myself...