Slender physique in men. Body types and their brief description

There are three body types or somatotypes that affect our appearance. Read more about why some of us tend to gain fat while others tend to be thin in the article.

There is no denying the fact 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 inherent in us hereditarily 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 small problem. But such people cannot gain weight even at the cost of huge efforts. There is another class of people who, even eating moderately, always remain quite full and have excess weight, which is difficult for them to get rid of.

There is also a third group, the rarest, - these are those who always look quite athletic and fit. Even brief moderate physical exercise very quickly affect their appearance. They quickly develop muscle definition and it seems that they are not at all prone to weight gain.

The reason for all of the above is such a thing 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 of physique, you need to introduce one more concept - somatotype. The somatotype is rather a characteristic of the physique, which determines the genetic features of the development of muscle, bone and adipose tissue. It also determines the features of metabolism. Those. somatotype is constitutional type 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 the proportions of the body, size, amount of fat and muscle tissue, but you cannot change the somatotype. If you are genetically prone to more set 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 as synonyms, 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 U.I. Sheldon. In accordance with it, allocate

Three body types

Ectomorph

The ectomorph is fairly easy to recognize. These people are very thin, they have long thin limbs, narrow shoulders and a flat head. rib cage. Such people are very resilient. Ectomorph little subcutaneous fat, and at the same time, little muscle mass. Having a very fast metabolism, they not only do not gain fat, which is undoubtedly a plus, but they also face great difficulties in gaining muscle mass. They can eat a lot and still not gain weight at all.

Mesomorph

Mesomorphs are the luckiest. By nature, they have the makings of an athletic physique and have good endurance and high strength performance. The mesomorph has enough broad shoulders and chest. They have bright pronounced muscles with a low amount of subcutaneous fat. Thanks to a moderate, average metabolic rate, such people can gain lean muscle mass with relative ease and quickly get rid of fat. Unfortunately, this type is the least common.

Endomorph

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

It should be noted that somatotypes in a "pure" form are very rare. As a rule, a person simultaneously possesses the properties of several of them. Also, do 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 achievable. But, nevertheless, genetically, your body is still more prone to accumulating fat than gaining muscle mass.

The body of each person has its own, unique, characteristics - this is weight, and shape, and size, and the amount of muscle mass, as well as proportions. But among all the diversity in science, it is customary to single out some basic body types.

To begin with, it is worth noting that the human physique is a manifestation of genetic material. Some scientists also believe that body types may determine some general properties organism, a tendency to any diseases, and even character traits and temperament. In addition, the structural features of the body are taken into account when choosing a system of physical training or creating proper diet. But there are several classification systems.

Human body types according to E. Kretschmer

A well-known German doctor believed that a person's physique can determine certain general psychological characteristics, evaluate the individual's reaction to the influence of the external and internal environment. Body types in this system were as follows:

• Astenik. People of this type had a high growth and fragile physique. The asthenic man has narrow shoulders, thin arms, and an elongated face. Women, on the other hand, could be short, but fragility and thinness remained unchanged.
• Picnic. This form is characterized by small growth and a blurred figure, which was explained by the presence of rich fat deposits. It is these people who are most often prone to overweight problems.
• Athletic. This includes people of high or medium stature with sports figure, strong muscles, wide shoulder girdle.
• Dysplastic type. To this group, Kretschmer attributed individuals with a shapeless body structure or the presence of any deformations.

system of professor V.M. Chernorutsky

This classification is not so different from the previous one, but is considered more accurate and modern. The professor identified three main types of structure human body.

• Hyposthenic type - characterized by high growth, a small amount and poorly developed muscles. The shoulders are narrow, the chest is elongated.
• Normosthenic type - this group includes people with normal, average indicators. Such a person has a well-formed skeleton, as well as well-developed muscles. If we talk about the amount of subcutaneous fat, then it corresponds to the average. The limbs are proportional, the shoulders are wide and the chest is convex.
• Hypersthenic type - a person is characterized short stature and excess adipose tissue. That is why such people are more prone to obesity. It is believed that this group includes patients with increased level cholesterol in the blood.

Body types of men

This classification system was created by William Sheldon, Professor By the way, and to this day it is very popular among bodybuilders. It is customary to distinguish three main types of male physique:

• Endomorph- a person with rounded, sometimes vague body shapes. Such a man is characterized by a short neck, big breasts, large spherical belly, soft muscles, thin wrists. As a rule, such representatives of the stronger sex are more prone to obesity.
• Ectomorph- This is a typical lanky man. Such people have high growth combined with disproportionate sizes of arms and legs, a long chest and practically total absence subcutaneous fat deposits.
• Mesofmorph- this includes people with a normal physique. They have developed muscular system, but there is also a sufficient amount of subcutaneous adipose tissue. These are men with dense,

Of course, it is very rare to find a person who would be a pure sample of some type of physique. More often two or even three forms are combined in people.

Men seeking to lose weight, build muscle and achieve athletic relief sometimes face a number of specific difficulties. And the thing is that the complex of training and diet should be selected taking into account the characteristics of the physique of a particular person. Remember, knowing what type you belong to, you will be able to optimize the load and the speed of obtaining a positive result.

Why do you need to know the individual body type?

Knowledge is also useful for those guys who decide to go in for sports. After all, people with different structure figures do not fit the same training programs. That is why the personal trainer of a newly-minted athlete should also be aware of the appearance of a man’s figure in order to competently develop a program of effective physical exercise training.

Understanding the features of your own figure is also necessary in order to know how to eat right and lose weight, or gain weight. Indeed, today there are a huge number of diets based on the structural features of the body. As a result, you will understand why different athletes gain weight in different ways, and each lose weight in his own mode.

The main variants of the body structure in guys

Each person is unique by nature. Any person from birth has one version of the body structure, as dominant. For the availability of study, all types of male physique, as well as, are divided into the following three types according to the circumference of the wrist working hand:

• ectomorphic (asthenic) - less than 18 cm;
• mesomorphic (normosthenic) - 18-20 cm;
• endomorphic (hypersthenic) - over 20 cm.

To figure out which option to attribute ourselves to, let's look at the main features of each type.

Asthenic version of the male body

Ectomorph - usually skinny guy. Guys of this type have narrow wrists and ankles, a minimum of muscle tissue and practically no fat. The main problem of these guys is a set of large muscle mass. In the body of an ectomorph, the calories eaten burn out instantly due to the accelerated metabolism, and the absorption of proteins is very slow. In order to get even a little better, such athletes have to eat hard, sometimes in excessive amounts.

Exactly at this case It will not be superfluous to use sports supplements: omega 3,6,9 acids, protein shakes. Be sure to eat at night to avoid muscle destruction. It is better to set the training time for yourself within an hour (including a warm-up). Eliminate cardio so as not to waste precious calories that will be required to restore the body after training for mass.

Basic moments:

• There are no problems with being overweight.
• The girth of the wrists in this type of people is 15-17.5 cm.
• Long arms and legs, sometimes it looks like lanky.
• In body low interest fat and little muscle.
• Drying muscles is much easier.
• The whole figure has narrow zones: hips, shoulders and waist.
• Food is not for the future (no matter how much the asthenic eats, the mass does not grow anyway).
• Due to the elongated chest, the heart and lungs are also elongated.

Brown or white rice can be a favorite side dish. No need to abuse sweets. Protein is recommended per day (2-3 grams per 1 kilogram of weight).

Examples of ectomorphs among bodybuilding stars: Dexter Jackson, Frank Zane, etc.

Normosthenic variant of the structure

The mesomorph has a rather large skeleton and a natural athletic build. It is the normosthenic body type that is most suitable for bodybuilding - it is much easier for guys to gain muscle mass than for ectomorphs, and fat burning is many times faster than for large endomorphs.

Muscles in this type of guys immediately respond to physical activity. accelerated growth especially for beginners. As soon as such a man gives up and stops monitoring his diet, his fat begins to grow everywhere. It will be easy to get rid of it only by using cardio training and organizing correct mode nutrition.

Mesomorph features:

• Approximate wrist circumference 17.5-20 cm.
• Proportionality of body parts and convex chest.
• Waist, hips and shoulders of medium width (not very wide, but not narrow).
• Great metabolism.

In nutrition, this group of men is easier than everyone else, since initially normal build no special diet is required, it is only necessary to consume healthy, natural food.

A huge number of bodybuilders are precisely mesomorphs: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Ronnie Coleman,.

Hypersthenic version of the male figure

Endomorph is a crumb, its body is wide, round and soft. The hypersthenic body type provides for small stature and short, thick legs and arms. Main Feature this group of representatives of the stronger sex are enough strong legs. That is why stocky athletes achieve good results in training mainly in the lower body (deadlift, squats with a barbell, etc.). Due to the fact that the metabolism is weak, weight can very easily increase, but they go away. overweight reluctantly. The main advantage of this type is an easy set of muscle mass, but fat also comes with it if weight gain is due to malnutrition. Distinctive features endomorphs:

• The circumference of the wrist is more than 20 cm.
• stocky figure: wide hips, shoulders, waist, short legs.
• short neck, body fat between the shoulder blades, on the stomach.
• A variety of sports supplements are optional, only the amount of protein in the diet should be sufficient.
• When training, do not forget about cardio training (or circuit training for fat burning) and watch what you eat.

Particular attention should be paid to nutrition. Many athletes make the mistake of completely giving up food and resorting to "hungry" debilitating diets. Fasting can "eat" both fat and muscle mass, and the lost weight soon returns, bringing with it more and more layers of fat.

An example of endomorphs among bodybuilding stars has become.

Principles for determining the structure of the body

It is not correct to assume that male body types are limited to only three types. There are also intermediate, mixed options. IN pure form endomorphs, ectomorphs and mesomorphs are extremely rare, more often you can meet people with characteristic features two groups. In order to understand how to determine the type of physique, you need to know a few rules.

• Measure the circumference of the wrist of the working hand.
• Estimate the approximate width of the waist, shoulders and hips.
• Recall how quickly you gained and lost weight in young age 16-20 years old. With a good metabolism, no matter how much you eat, there is practically no excess fat, and with a slow one, already in such young age there is excess weight.

According to the obtained indicators, determine belonging to the group according to the structural features of the body.

Undoubtedly, from a genetic point of view, ideal option For strength training is the normosthenic variant. But for other men, this is not a sentence, and you should not give up. The asthenic body type requires enhanced nutrition and strength training to gain the most attractive figure, and robust endomorphs need to monitor nutrition and increase emphasis on fat-burning exercises. 3 types of body structure - the initial base for further work on yourself.

Video: Analysis of the types of male physique

The genes laid down in a person from birth determine not only his personal traits, but also the shape, proportions of the physique. The structure of the body can change over time under the influence of nutrition, lifestyle, physical training. The relationship between body features and body reactions, metabolic processes, temperament characteristics suggests that the somatotype underlies the assessment and prognosis physical development a person, his ability to maintain his existence in changing conditions of life and environment.

Basic classifications of body types

Various scientists have tried to classify body types based on certain systems:

At the German doctor Kretschmer somatotype traits are associated with psychological characteristics individual.

• Astenik has narrow shoulders long legs, by nature stubborn and ambitious.
• Picnic- a blurry figure with fatty deposits, but a sociable character, a kind heart.
• Athletics have a strong build, broad shoulders, strong muscles. They strive to be the first in everything, monitor their appearance.
• Dysplastic group- the body is deformed, and the character is secretive, distrustful.

Academician Petlenko identified five types:

• normosthenic;
• asthenic;
• hypersthenic;
• graceful;
• athletic.

Their description is similar to the German Kretschner system.

At Chernorutsky the general features of somatotypes are similar to the previous ones, but he identified 3 body types:

• hypersthenic,
• normosthenic
• hyposthenic.

Professor classification Sheldon adopted by doctors and psychologists. His body types have a different name - endomorphic, mesomorphic, ectomorphic. This system is most popular among men involved in physical training.

Muscular body type is future program the physical development of a person, which will change the size, shape of the body, but the somatotype will not change - it is genetically incorporated.

Endomorphic body type, its features.

Overweight man with a high percentage of body fat with short neck, wide hips- a true endomorph. The muscles of such people are often poorly developed, but the fat folds serve as a decoration for the figure, especially in the lower abdomen, on the buttocks, thighs, and sides. And this is an unpleasant result for a sweet lover who has metabolic processes pass very slowly in the body. Extra pounds very quickly settle on the figure of an endomorph, but their rate of muscle building is also accelerated, despite low level energy.

In terms of physical parameters, in people of this type, the circumference of the wrist of the working hand is twenty centimeters for men, and seventeen for women. Also, according to the Pilier index, subtracting body weight and chest circumference from growth data, endomorphs get less than ten.

But it is possible to make your figure ideal for such a somatotype:

• Limiting the intake of fast carbohydrates by replacing them with easily digestible proteins is a difficult task, but achievable. Pasta, cereals from oatmeal, semolina, pearl barley should be excluded from the diet, replaced with vegetables, whole grains, unprocessed foods.
• Regular body workouts will burn fats hidden in the body.
• Important for the breakdown of fats is the intake of endomorph minerals and vitamins into the body.
• Morning workouts will strengthen muscle tissue. To create muscle relief, this somatotype needs to lose weight by reducing the thickness of the subcutaneous fat.
• The task of evening training is to increase physical strength slow muscle fibers.
• Helps the endomorph stay in perfect shape jogging, cycling.

Mesomorphic body type, characteristics, development forecast

The body type is considered to be the mesomorphic type, in which you can easily lose and gain body weight. The main features of the type include the following characteristics:

• Broad shoulders and chest are combined with slim waist And narrow hips. For some, the width of the shoulders and hips may be the same.
• The absence of fat deposits allows you to observe the naturalness, smoothness of the lines of the figure. If there are extra pounds, then they are evenly distributed throughout the body.
• The metabolism of the mesomorph occurs at a rapid pace. It is not difficult for him to build muscle mass, combining action with rapid fat loss. But the high density of muscle tissue does not allow you to get a thin relief of the figure.

The diet of this somatotype should be no more than forty-five percent of carbohydrates, thirty-five percent of proteins, and twenty percent of fats. If the mesomorph needs to lose weight, then he will eat seafood containing useful omega-3 fatty acids. It is useful to use dishes with turkey, chicken, lean beef in the menu. Plain yogurts, natural smoothies, unsweetened fruits are ideal for shaping a beautiful figure.

Strength training two to three times a week will keep your body and muscles toned. The harmony and grace of the mesomorph figure will be achieved through aerobics: jumping rope, hula hoop, exercises in the water, power yoga.

It is a varied exercise program that will allow representatives of the somatotype to develop muscles proportionally, without making them massive and dense.

Ectomorphic body type, developmental features

The appearance of ectomorphs is recognizable:

• Narrow shoulders match the same hips.
• The development of the bone skeleton is not enough, this is noticeable along the circumference of the forearm - up to 175 millimeters.
• The circumference of the wrist of the working hand for women is not more than fifteen centimeters, for men - seventeen. And the Pillier index is for ectomorphs - above twenty-five.
• The limbs are characterized by thinness and the presence of narrow, long muscular bellies.
• The somatotype is characterized by a high rate of reactions, the predominance of fast muscles.
• It is difficult for representatives of the type to gain mass, because they have a high concentration thyroid-stimulating hormone affecting the rate of nutrient breakdown.

The main goal for this type is weight gain, and this is where carbohydrates come in handy. What is harmful for others, good for an ectomorph - pasta, potatoes, butter bakery products, oatmeal, semolina. Necessary Growth muscles will provide proteins, but for their splitting, you will have to additionally take pancreatic enzymes.

This type is not recommended to burn a lot of energy, so they do not need to get involved in aerobics, swimming, running. Long workouts with regular study of each muscle group will help shift the biological balance of the body towards the mesomorphic type.

Important to remember!

It is possible to correct the negative aspects of your appearance if you understand what type of physique you belong to. Many people have a combination of an ectomorph or an endomorph with a mesomorph. It is impossible to change the bone structure of the body, but through hard work it is possible to turn from a thin or chubby person into an ideal one with normally developed muscles. It is important to reach heights in sports, medicine, psychology, not only having a stock of knowledge, but also calculating your capabilities, starting from the characteristics of your body type.

Useful video about three body types

In contact with

The determination of the type of physique should be taken with special responsibility, since the training methodology, the way of nutrition and much more depend on it. Each person has an individual setting. But for ease of study, scientists group all types of body constitution into the following types:

• mesomorphic or normosthenic;
• endomorphic or hypersthenic;
• ectomorphic or asthenic.

Asthenic type

Men with an asthenic body type are distinguished by thin limbs, a long and narrow chest, they have fragile and light bones, thin and long muscles, narrow shoulders, and a layer of fat cover is rather poor.

For men of this type of physique, physical training rarely gives fast and at the same time positive result. As a rule, this is a long and hard work.

It is recommended to start building your own asthenic body with the help of stretching exercises aimed at strengthening the ligaments, gradually moving on to loads that increase muscle mass. Strength training and proper nutrition help to achieve success.

You will have to forget about long and exhausting workouts: they should be as hard as possible, but short so that the calories needed to build muscle are not burned in vain (in thin men they are very difficult to accumulate, but they are easily consumed). The estimated frequency of classes, even strength training, is no more than 45 minutes 2-3 times every week.

Most of your workouts should be compound exercises, which include the bench press, squat, deadlift, and standing press. It is they who are able to involve the main types of muscles in the work, to contribute to the production of testosterone.

While feeding a man asthenic type It is not necessary to count calories, but it is recommended to eat as much as possible.

Brown rice is a favorite side dish. Do not abuse sweets. It is recommended to take about 2-3 grams of protein per 1 kilogram of body weight per day.

Endomorphic type

Endomorphic type male body, he is stocky, has a powerful and relatively heavy skeletal system, wide and short chest, soft muscular system, thick and short neck, decent fat reserves. These people often tend to become obese.

The goal of exercise for a man with an endomorphic physique is to combat fullness. It is necessary to build muscle mass, which is often deeply hidden under a thick layer of fat.

The most effective workouts are cyclic, aimed at restructuring the body in the direction of building muscle mass and burning fat. Over time, the body will become more embossed.

One of the common mistakes endomorphic men make is the belief that burning fat should be sustained and frequent running. For an endomorphic physique, this approach is not entirely effective, since only internal fat will be burned. Workouts should include regular warm-ups, running, and strength training in the gym.

The frequency of classes is 3-4 times a week. The schedule is recommended to include classes and walks on fresh air(morning or evening jogging, cycling, sport games, swimming, etc.).

Particular attention should be paid to nutrition. Many are mistaken when they completely refuse food and resort to "hungry" diets. Fasting can eat both fat and muscle, and the weight lost is then quickly regained, bringing with it new layers of fat.

You need to monitor the consumption of carbohydrates: no more than 100 grams per day. They are recommended to be consumed 40-45 minutes before an intense workout and after it ends 30-40 minutes later. More need to eat food containing calcium, magnesium, amino acids (BCAA). It is also important not to consume excessive amounts of fat.

mesomorphic type

The mesomorphic body type of a man is perhaps the most desirable. This is an athletic type, which is characterized by broad shoulders and chest, proportional legs and torso, strong muscle structure, heavy skeleton, lack of excess fat. Such a body is ideal for bodybuilding, if it is not spoiled by improper training and nutrition.

No need to overdo it exercise, but you should not neglect them either, since the lack of proper loads can cause excess weight and loss perfect shape given by nature.

Exercises in the gym should be carried out with maximum weight, but with a small number of repetitions (from 4 to 6).

For a man with a mesomorphic physique, any training will do if they are regular. Gym it is recommended to visit 2-3 times every week, while spending up to 50-60 minutes there. Strength exercises should be the most frequent.

However, the training program should be as diverse as possible and include:

• strength exercises;
• aerobic activities;
• a set of exercises aimed at working out the relief.

Particular attention must be paid to nutrition - if it is wrong, then soon, as mentioned earlier, a person with such a physique will quickly begin to gain weight. Its advantage is that close attention diet is not required - you just need to eat only wholesome and natural food.

A man of the mesomorphic type is a kind of marathon runner who needs short, but at the same time the most loaded and effective workouts.

Sports supplements will come to the rescue, which will allow not only to keep muscle mass, but also help to quickly increase it. Eating a combination of calcium and omega-3 fatty acids with food will be beneficial.

How to determine?

We suggest you take a test that will determine your body type:

Examples of training programs

Here is an example of basic training programs for different types physique, designed for approximately 1 hour of classes. The interval between approaches can be different, the main thing is not to let the muscles cool down: