The main components of the body type are the following components. Body types of women. Whiteles and Pignet index. Norm of height and weight

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 health of its owner. Basically, the structural features of the female body are hereditary in nature, but initially knowing your type of figure, you can make timely adjustments from an early age.

Variations of the female figure

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

asthenic (or hyposthenic);
normosthenic;
hypersthenic.

If you think that knowing your body type is not particularly important, we bet. Certain types of figures are distinguished by 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 - an indicator of the type of figure

Sometimes you don’t want to bother or it’s hard to decide on your own kind of silhouette, but there is an easy way to determine the body type in women, just by measuring the wrist. Solovyov's 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 zone 15-17 - normosthenic;
More than 17 - hypersthenic.

Asthenic body type in ectomorph women

According to the generally accepted opinion, these are the very happy owners of slender and thin figures. According to other ladies, these women are witches who eat a lot and practically do not gain weight. Note that there are two sides of the same coin. In their youth, asthenic ladies are slim, but with age, fat is still deposited in the most unsympathetic places: on the back and waist, which forms an inaccurate and disproportionate image.
In the matter of maintaining good physical shape, it is easier for such women, because their lipids accumulate slowly. Of the minuses, we note that although these girls are sinewy, thin and energetic, but 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-up look to the silhouette.
The appearance of such ladies is not particularly popular among men, because they are angular, devoid of pleasant roundness and look like teenagers. Any model on the show is a vivid example of this type of physique.
The shortened "upper" part of the torso and long limbs create the illusion of "legs from the ears." Weakly developed lipid tissue often affects the size of the bust, and sometimes causes its absence.
Narrow shoulders and chest, narrow feet and hands and a narrow waist! The Solovyov index, which helps to determine the type of figure by the wrist, is less than 15.
As for training, it is easier for such ladies, since they almost never have to deal with being overweight. An ectomorph woman can immediately start strength training in the form of a split, avoiding aerobic counterparts.
After achieving the desired results, you should definitely go through an unpleasant, but effective “drying” procedure.
With a possible weight loss, these young ladies first begin to "leave" the muscles, so calorie restriction will not help with body shaping. Panacea - a special diet and strength training.

Normosthenic body type - mesomorphs

No matter how changeable youth fashion dictates the demand for skinny young ladies, the figure of a mesomorph woman (normosthenic) is considered a classic ideal of beauty. They don't seem haggard or circus women. Their body is proportional, with well-developed muscle tissue and a minimum of body fat. Such girls are athletic and embossed by nature.
Mesomorph instantly, if desired, parted with fat reserves and instantly gains muscle mass. 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 is rapidly creeping up.

The part of the body above is slightly smaller than the one below, i.e. legs are not "from the ears", but not shorty either. At the same time, the average size of the chest, hands and feet.
Solovyov's index for wrist size is 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, figured ladies will have to sweat in the hall. Of the sports disciplines, it is worth paying attention to game types: basketball, volleyball, aerobics and tennis.

Hypersthenic constitution of the trunk - endomorphs

Endomorphs (people with a hypersthenic type) are precisely those persons whom sculptors and artists sang with love in their works. “Venus de Milo” by Botticelli, “Danae” by Titian, modern beauty icons Sophia Loren, Marilyn Monroe, Beyoncé and other ladies “in the body” are a vivid embodiment of this type of “body arrangement”. Lush ladies are famous for their femininity and sensuality.

Such girls justify their excess weight by heredity, by the fact that there should be many good people and by the fact that men do not throw bones, but there is a fundamental difference. From the birth of adipose tissue, endomorphs have more than muscle tissue, but this does not mean that such ladies are doomed to eternal fullness. Such a variation 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 resilient.
Transverse dimensions predominate over longitudinal ones (legs and arms are short). The chest is wide, the same waist, massive hips, large joints, feet and hands.
The Solovyov index is more than 17 positions.

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

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

Remember, no matter what type your silhouette is, only proper nutrition and increased physical activity will help maintain female attractiveness for a long time.

Video: Typology of the female physique

People with different body types will face different challenges while exercising, although they may have the same long-term goals.

People with different body types need to solve different problems

Body type is one of the variants of the norm of the human constitution. In this sense, the constitution (phenotypic) characterizes the human body through the structure and indicators of the muscle and bone tissue of a particular organism - a set of stable biological, design and functional features. These indicators are entirely due to hereditary predispositions (although it should be noted that a slight correction of body type at an early age is still possible)

Since the type of physique characterizes only one of the variants of the norm of the constitution, the number of body types depends on the method of determining the norm. Academician Petlenko V.P. defines five body types:

athletic;
graceful (graceful);
asthenic;
hypersthenic;
normosthenic.

Professor Chernorutsky V.M. identifies three main types of physique, in part coinciding with the classification of Academician V.P. Petlenko:

asthenic (or hyposthenic) - also includes the graceful body type according to Petlenko V.P.
normosthenic (including athletic type according to Petlenko V.P.)
hypersthenic

Brief description of the main body types:

Hyposthenic type of constitution(physique) is characterized by a relatively low position of the diaphragm, a chest extended from top to bottom (and a relatively reduced circumference), an elongated neck, narrow shoulders, long and thin limbs, usually well above average height. Muscle mass is underdeveloped. The amount of adipose tissue is usually below average - including in women. Features of the internal structure - due to the elongated chest - the heart is usually small, the shape of the heart is elongated, tear-shaped, the lungs are also elongated, the absorption capacity of the gastrointestinal tract is reduced.

Normosthenic body type characterized by good (significantly better than that of the hyposthenic body type) development of muscle mass, and as a result, a strong and developed bone skeleton. The amount of adipose tissue is approximately the average. Features of the internal structure - the chest is convex, the shoulders are wide, the length of the limbs is proportional. All characteristics correspond to the average.

Hypersthenic body type characterized by a high diaphragm, a relatively large heart, usually growth relative to weight below average, a rounded chest - flattened from top to bottom, usually a short neck. Features of the internal structure are due to the rounded chest. The amount of adipose tissue is usually above average. The blood is characterized by a high content of cholesterol. The absorption capacity of the gastrointestinal tract is high.

The dependence of weight loss on body type

The dependence of the propensity to accumulate adipose tissue on body type is most pronounced in hypersthenic type . A slight excess of calories from food (especially in the form of easily digestible carbohydrates) is enough for body weight to begin to increase - this type, like no other, needs not diets for weight loss (in the truest sense of the word), but nutrition systems (such as the Sybarite diet ).

Hyposthenic type physique is not predisposed to the accumulation of subcutaneous adipose tissue - and if obesity does occur, it is often due to extremely low physical activity (both professional and social). The use of diets (fast diets) will be effective.

Normosthenic type physique in terms of weight loss occupies an intermediate position - it is necessary to combine diets (or nutrition systems) and increase physical activity.

Specific diseases for different body types

Regarding the main types of physique, the dependence of characteristic diseases (including chronic ones) on the type of physique is of particular importance. Knowledge of these predispositions to diseases makes it possible, if not to completely prevent them, then at least to significantly reduce the threat of the disease by taking preventive measures (or to prevent the transition to the chronic phase).

Hyposthenic type physique has a predisposition to respiratory diseases, gastritis and stomach ulcers (duodenal ulcers) with low acidity. Increased risk of arterial hypotension. In people with this body type, vegetative-vascular dystonia is observed more often than others.

Normosthenic type physique has a predisposition to diseases such as rheumatism, gastritis and stomach ulcers (duodenal ulcers) with high acidity. More often than others, representatives of this body type are diagnosed with hypertension.

Hypersthenic type physique has a predisposition to diseases such as atherosclerosis, diabetes mellitus, liver disease, metabolic disorders (including obesity). The blood pressure is usually higher than normal. On the other hand, representatives of this type are much better at resisting colds and respiratory diseases.

You can determine your body type by measuring your wrist circumference. If, with a height of 160 to 175 cm, the wrist circumference is 16-18 cm, then the type is normal-boned, if less than 16 cm, then thin-boned, if more than 18.5 cm, then broad-boned.

How to determine what type your body is?

To determine your type means to do half the battle on the way to an exemplary figure. Think for yourself, how can different "types" train in the same way? Of course not! Why do thin people lean on aerobics? She will "dry" them even more! No, they need to build muscle! What about complete endomorphs? They even need to sleep in an embrace with an aerobics manual! Their main task is to lose excess fat. And the athletic type is generally something especially rare.

People with different body types respond differently to the same training system. What works for one may not work for another. In short, each type needs its own, purely individual program. Only she will give a quick and effective return.

If you take up training according to some kind of "folk" sports allowance, then you will have to perform at least 5-6 such physical exercises that you personally do not need. Of course, there will be nothing wrong with this - all exercises are useful in one way or another, but how much time will you lose before it dawns on you that you need your exercises! However, you can answer this question exactly: about a year and a half. In any case, this is how much bodybuilders usually spend on empty training according to general schemes, until they finally find in the sea of exercises, complexes and methods that suits their individual genetics.

By the way, the loss of time is not the worst thing. Worst of all, ineffective workouts destroy faith in sports, deprive them of enthusiasm.

There are three different body types, which are called somatotypes: ectomorphic, mesomorphic and endomorphic.

Ectomorph hasshort torso, long arms and legs, long and narrow feet and hands, and very little fat. It is narrow in the chest and shoulders, and its muscles are usually long and thin. The metabolism of ectomorphs is very fast, so there is usually no problem with body fat. However, it is more difficult for them to build muscle.

Mesomorph - broad chest, long torso, solid muscle structure and great strength. He is an athlete from birth.

Endomorph - soft muscles, round face, short neck, wide hips and a large supply of fat. A typical endomorph is a corpulent person who has a relatively high percentage of fat compared to muscle. Such people quickly and easily gain weight. As a rule, fat is deposited in their thighs and buttocks.

Of course, it is rare to find a person with a clearly defined model physique of any one type. Basically, people have a combination of signs of all three types. According to the existing classification, a total of eighty-eight subtypes are distinguished, which are formed as a result of the predominance of certain indicators of each main type. The degree of predominance is estimated in arbitrary units from 1 to 7. For example, if the characteristics of your physique are rated as ectomorphic, mesomorphic and endomorphic, then you are an endomesomorph, that is, you are basically an athletic type with well-developed muscles, but at the same time prone to excess body fat .

Body typology

When it comes to fine-tuning your physique through an exercise program, the three categories above fall short. I had to expand the classification to 6 types: A-shaped, H-shaped, I-shaped. O-shaped, T-shaped and X-shaped.

Your body type:

A-shaped

The shoulders are narrow, the pelvis is slightly wider; the impression of a "heavy" lower body - full legs and buttocks; a tendency to deposit fat below the waist (the upper body may even appear thin); low metabolic rate (if you do not specifically follow the diet, weight quickly arrives).

H-shaped

Wide or medium bone; small chest; full legs; visual impression of approximately the same width of the shoulders, waist and pelvis; tendency to form fatty deposits in the abdomen and thighs; moderate metabolic rate.

I-shaped

Thin skeleton; gauntness; weak muscles; almost no body fat; high metabolic rate (no matter how much you eat, you do not get fat).

0-shaped

Wide bones; wide pelvis and shoulders; full hips, chest, arms; a clear excess of body fat throughout the body; low metabolism (weight gain even if you eat relatively little).

T-shaped

The shoulders are broad, wider than the pelvis; fat is deposited mainly on the trunk (back, chest, sides); average metabolic rate (you only get fat if you start eating too much).

X-shaped

The bones are medium; the width of the shoulders is approximately equal to the width of the hips; slim waist; full chest; fat deposits are formed on the buttocks and thighs; average metabolic rate (you only get fat if you start eating too much).

Take a closer look in the mirror and then compare what you see with the descriptions above. Well, get on with your workouts.

How often should you look in the mirror? The first - before the start of the training and the second - after the completion of the training program. Why so few? Looking at yourself in the middle of a process is just as pointless as judging a sculpture that is only half done. The results of the training do not arrive at rocket speed, so if you start to meticulously look at yourself after a couple of classes, you risk getting upset: it will seem to you that nothing has happened to your figure.

But in fact, it is not. Changes are not visible to the eye, but they began - at the level of the body. The heart increased its efficiency, small capillaries in the muscles opened up, otherwise the stomach, kidneys, liver started to work ... Time will pass and the number of physiological changes will turn into the quality of your figure. The main thing is to have patience! If, on the contrary, you impatiently rush to the mirror after each workout, you will get nothing but irritation.
With the right training and nutrition, you can develop muscle in any body type, but people with different body types will have different tasks in the process of training, although their long-term goals may be the same.

Workout for ectomorphs

For the typical ectomorph, the main goal is to gain weight, preferably in the form of quality muscle mass. Even with the strength and stamina to run a marathon, the ectomorph finds that his musculature develops very slowly, and he often has to force himself to eat more than usual to ensure weight gain. Therefore, it is recommended for them:

1. Include lots of intense strength training in a program to maximize muscle building. Your program should be based primarily on heavy weights and low reps (6-8 reps after a good warm-up),

2. Learn to train hard so that every series counts. This way you can keep your workouts relatively short without sacrificing quality (14 to 16 sets per major body part instead of 16 to 20 sets). Rest well between sets and give your body enough time to recuperate between workouts.

3. Pay close attention to your diet. Consume more calories than you are used to; if necessary, drink protein shakes to replenish the body's energy resources.

4. Remember that you are trying to convert food energy into body mass. Therefore, do not burn a lot of energy by overindulging in activities such as aerobics, running, swimming, and other active sports. Cardiovascular training is desirable and necessary for health, but someone who spends several hours a day on aerobic exercise outside the gym will find it much more difficult to build muscle in training.

Training for mesomorphs

A mesomorph can build muscle with relative ease, but he definitely needs to put together a sufficiently varied exercise program so that his muscles develop proportionately and have a beautiful shape, and not just be dense and massive. Here is what is recommended for mesomorphs:

1. Focus on high-quality, detailed training with isolation of individual muscle groups along with basic exercises to increase mass and muscle strength. You easily increase the volume of muscles, so you can work on their shape and definition from the very beginning.

2. Mesomorphs gain weight so quickly that they don't have to worry about conserving energy or overtraining. A standard workout (16 to 20 sets per body part) is fine; you can adjust the rest periods between series as you wish.

3. A balanced diet with plenty of protein, allowing you to maintain a calorie level at which the maximum deviation of weight from the tournament form is no more than 10-15 pounds throughout the year. You should not gain 30-40 pounds, and then with great effort to get rid of this weight before the competition.

Training for endomorphs

Usually, it is not difficult for an endomorph to build muscle. First of all, he should focus on getting rid of body fat, and then follow a special diet. Therefore, I recommend the following to endomorphs:

1. Increased volume of high-speed training with more repetitions(at least 10-12 before MTBF), with very short rest periods to burn as much fat as possible. Whenever possible, perform a few additional series: this will help you lose weight even faster.

2. Additional aerobic exercise, for example, cycling, jogging, and other high-intensity activities. Working out in the gym also burns calories, but not as intensely as a daily cardiovascular workout for 35-40 minutes.

3. Low calorie diet with the right balance of nutrients. You don't have to cut anything, but keep your protein, carbs, and fats to a minimum. Vitamins and mineral supplements are needed to make up for possible deficiencies in important micronutrients.

Body composition testing

Although nature has given you a specific body type, by gaining muscle mass and shedding fat tissue, you are actually changing your body composition. It can often be difficult to keep track of this: workouts occur almost daily, so body composition can change markedly without your knowledge. It's always good to look at yourself in the mirror and use a measuring tape, but sometimes that's not enough.

In addition to simple testing methods, there are different types of body composition testing. Such testing gives you an idea of the percentage of muscle mass and body fat. It helps you keep track of your progress over time. The most common types of body composition testing are listed below:

Skin fold testing. Calipers are used to capture skin folds in various parts of the body and measure the thickness of the subcutaneous fat layer. In the future, this value is used in the calculation of body composition.
Testing by immersion in water. A person is weighed on a scale and in water, and then certain measurements are taken, such as calculating the residual capacity of the lungs. The numbers are substituted into the formula to determine the ratio between fat and lean body mass, which is made up of muscles, bones, and internal organs.
Electrical resistance test. A low voltage electrical current is passed through the body. Because fat, muscle, and water create different resistances, the result is used to calculate body composition.

However, although measuring body composition is useful for checking the results of a diet or changes in your body, you should know that the dynamics of changes from one test to the next is more important than the results of a single test. The fact is that all the obtained values are passed through formulas built on certain premises about the structure of the human body, which are not necessarily accurate when it comes to professional bodybuilders. Therefore, if after the first test you got a result of 12% body fat, and after two weeks 9%, then you can be quite sure that you are moving in the right direction. In this case, you need to make sure that the testing conditions in both cases were the same, so the result has a high degree of reliability.

You often hear ridiculous claims about body fat testing; for example, some athletes claim to have as little as 3% body fat. Any doctor will tell you that 3% is a level of body fat more like a corpse than a strong, healthy athlete. Tests that are carried out during MFB competitions using various methods convincingly show that the highest percentage of body fat is characteristic of participants with the most massive physique. Therefore, the most massive bodybuilder can have 12% body fat and be in excellent athletic shape, and a beginner with an ectomorphic body type can look decent at 7-9% body fat.

Why is this happening? Because fat in the traditional sense of the word is not the only adipose tissue that is present in our body. There are intermuscular fat layers; fat is also found in the muscles themselves. If a really massive bodybuilder diets for too long, then his muscles will shrink and lose weight rather than gain more relief. So while testing is very helpful, don't forget to use a mirror or photographs to keep track of your appearance. During the competition, the judges do not take into account the results of body fat tests. They only judge what they see, and you should follow suit.published

The human body has its own unique characteristics - weight, shape, proportions. It is customary to distinguish the main body types. Although each person has it at the genetic level, it can be corrected in childhood. The structure of the body and its features should be considered during the selection of diets and training.

Body types

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 one or another configuration are not always satisfied with their own figure. If desired and following 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 sooner you will be pleased with the results.

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;
above average growth.

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 vigor, lightness, grace. Women with such a figure are often in the center of attention of the opposite sex, because they look fragile and feminine. In addition, asthenics never suffer from overweight in their lives, because they are not inclined to be overweight. The metabolism of such people is very fast, which prevents the deposition of fatty tissues.

Normosthenic physique

Normostenics are characterized by:

proportional figure;
slender legs;
thin waist.

Often, the fair sex with this body constitution is of medium height. Such ladies have good coordination, are distinguished by speed and sharpness. Men with an athletic build have well-developed muscles, a strong and well-formed skeleton, a convex chest, and proportional legs. In sports, it is better for normosthenics to give preference to basketball, volleyball, tennis and water aerobics. Owners of this configuration enjoy the attention of representatives of the opposite sex.

Hypersthenic physique

Representatives of this constitution have:

wide heavy bones;
large shoulders;
wide chest;
slightly shortened limbs.

The growth of such people is below average. Nature endowed them with strength and endurance, but saved them from flexibility and grace. For this reason, the owners of such a figure should choose sports disciplines that will help them remove their shortcomings. Among such sports are yoga, martial arts, callanetics. People with a dense physique have a very slow metabolism, so they often have problems with. They can cope with their imperfections by opting for 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 hidden, and it is possible to reveal the relationship between the physical and mental 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;
mesomorphy;
ectomorphy.

mesomorph body type

The mesomorph is distinguished by the following characteristics:

natural muscles;
no fat;
massive body;
thick bones;
voluminous muscles.

Such people have the best chance of becoming successful in bodybuilding. A person with a normal physique has excellent potential for growth and gaining muscle strength. Representatives of this species are usually classified into ectomorphs and endomorphs. For this reason, not every one of them can build up equally sculpted beautiful muscles.

Endomorph body type

Endomorphs are distinguished from all others by:

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

People with a strong physique 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 hard on themselves. Among the owners of this constitution are many pop stars and actresses. However, even rounded shapes do not spoil them, but emphasize the merits of an attractive and extraordinary appearance. Physical activity and will help them become slimmer and more perfect.

Ectomorph body type

Ectomorphs have the following differences:

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

People with these body types are rarely seen in the gym, because 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 all are such people who have certain physical features that allow them to pump their body, making it stronger and more attractive.

How to determine body type

It is not so difficult to find out which of the above body types the body constitution belongs to. The definition of physique is calculated by 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 circumference of the wrist is proportional to the circumference 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. In this case, the wrist in girth 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, there is no need to be upset, because they still do not say 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 can change, no matter what level you have to start from.

In pursuit of a “glossy” appearance, an increasing number of people are striving to change something in themselves: lose weight, gain muscle mass, acquire more attractive body proportions, etc. At the same time, many do not realize that the features of the human constitution are genetically therefore, before correcting it, you need to know what human somatotypes are, and which one you belong to.

The choice of typology is a matter of taste

Every person's body is unique. However, there are many techniques that allow you to identify the main types of physiques, which are not only similar in appearance, but also react to various environmental factors with similar changes in the constitution.

The most well-known classifications include:

Typology according to body proportions

In accordance with it, all people can be divided into the following types.

Dolichomorphic, which includes people of high stature with long limbs, poorly developed muscles and a slight fat layer.
Brachymorphic, under the definition of which fall representatives of the stronger and weaker sex, whose longitudinal dimensions are inferior to the transverse ones. They are characterized by short stature and well-developed muscles. Even the internal organs of such a person can be wider than long.
Mesomorphic - type with the most "ideal" proportions, close to the average values.

This division is important not only from an aesthetic point of view. According to experts, the more there are deviations in the proportions of the body of men or women, the higher the likelihood of chromosomal disruptions and disruptions in the functioning of the endocrine system.

Sheldon classification

According to the methodology developed by Professor W. Sheldon, a person's somatotype is determined by a combination of assessments of individual components of his physique. Based on this, he identified three main constitutional types.

The mesomorph is distinguished by broad shoulders, a developed chest and strong muscles. The content of subcutaneous fat is small, the mass is dominated by muscles and bones.
Ectomorph characterizes tall thin people with a small percentage of adipose tissue and poorly developed muscles. They are distinguished by elongated parts of the body, which is especially evident in the structure of the limbs, chest and face. The likelihood of overweight in this type is minimal.
Endomorph can "boast" a heavy figure with a high content of subcutaneous fat, a significant part of which is concentrated in the shoulder girdle and the abdomen and pelvis. The limbs of such a person are weak, with flaccid muscles. Endomorphs are genetically prone to obesity, so they have the hardest time in the struggle for ideal forms.

Sheldon's technique has become widespread among people involved in sports. Based on the somatotype of a person, an individual set of trainings is selected for him in combination with a special diet.

Typology of E. Kretschmer

This German doctor in the course of his research revealed a clear influence of different body constitutions on the psychological characteristics of a person. Based on the systematization he proposed, the following body types are distinguished.

Asthenik is a thin person with elongated body proportions and taller than average. His face is usually elongated and his bones are thin. He, as a rule, is constantly immersed in thought processes and is distinguished by a rich imagination and excellent self-organization. Representatives of this type tend to choose creative professions.
Athletics are people with narrow hips, broad shoulders, well-developed muscles and average height. They are characterized by a love of order, a penchant for self-discipline and good organizational skills.
Picnics are a category of people who are usually overweight. Common features include short stature, a figure with a "blurred" contour, a thick neck and a broad face. But on the other hand, for the most part, they are good-natured and merry fellows who love communication.

Classification according to Chernorutsky

This is the most common division of constitutional types, which modern medicine often focuses on.

Asthenics. Representatives of this physique are distinguished by thin bones, high growth and long limbs. They have a narrow chest, the dimensions of which clearly predominate over the volume of the abdomen. Such people are characterized by an insufficient content of subcutaneous fat in combination with poorly developed muscles. It is quite difficult to increase it due to the accelerated metabolism. But thanks to this, the deposition of excess fat is also unlikely.
Normostenik is a person with good body proportions, a strong skeleton, broad shoulders and well-developed muscles. The ratio of muscle and adipose tissue is within the average norms. If desired, such people can quickly and effectively change their weight and build muscle.
Hypersthenic - characterized by a "dense" physique, short stature, an oval chest and a short neck. They are characterized by a high percentage of subcutaneous fat and high blood cholesterol. Representatives of this type are prone to rapid and uncontrolled weight gain, which is difficult to correct.

How to find out your type of constitution

Before you start taking measures to change your body, you need to find out which somatotype you belong to. So how do you determine your body type? To do this, there are several simple methods.

Pillier index

In this case, it is necessary to subtract the sum of the chest circumference and body weight from the height and evaluate the result. If it is more than 25, feel free to classify yourself as an asthenic type. An indicator of less than 10 indicates a hypersthenic physique. Well, if the value is in the range of 10-25, then the person is normosthenic.

"Female" way

This method is suitable mainly for girls and is based on an assessment of the height and length of the legs of the fair sex.

Women with a height of 168 to 173 cm and above are asthenics. But for normosthenics and hypersthenics, growth does not exceed 165-170 cm.

Additionally, it is recommended to measure the length of the legs from the protrusion of the femur to the heel and compare it with a value equal to half the height. If the leg length is more than 6 cm more than this indicator, you belong to the asthenic type. When it is exceeded by 4-6 cm - to normosthenic, up to 4 cm - to hypersthenic.

Wrist measurement

Perhaps the easiest way to determine your type of constitution is by the wrist, the circumference of which must be measured on the working hand. The result will tell you what physique is typical for you:

for hypersthenics or endomorphs, the obtained value is more than 17 cm in the weaker sex and 20 cm in the strong half;
in asthenics (ectomorphs), the indicator should not exceed 15 and 18 cm for women and men, respectively;
normosthenic or mesomorph has intermediate results of wrist circumference.

When determining your somatotype, it should be remembered that pronounced representatives of a particular constitution are quite rare. As a rule, most people have mixed body types with a predominance of one.

Why does a woman need to know her body type? What does it affect? It turns out almost everything. The physique is genetically determined and cannot be changed through exercise or diet. It is he who "tells" our body how to work: in which places to accumulate fat, how to quickly gain weight and lose it. It is the features of our constitution that influence the choice of style and styles of clothing, and even leave an imprint on the character and perception of ourselves and the world around us! Accurate determination of the type and characteristics of the physique helps nutritionists to create effective diets, fitness trainers - individual training programs, and doctors - the right treatment regimen.

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