How to determine who you are - endomorph, ectomorph or mesomorph? General characteristics of the main types of body constitution

Hello, hello, dear friends. I am with you again, and I would like to introduce you to the topic “Ectomorph, mesomorph, endomorph. How to determine." From the title of the topic it is already clear that you will hear about the characteristics of body types and learn how to determine which of them you belong to. But that's not all. Read on and you can learn a lot of interesting things. For example, how to eat with a particular body type. Let's get started.

In our society there are people who are sharply different from each other: athletic, thin and plump. And the point is not that one of them regularly visits the gym, and the other two do not pay attention to their health. No, it's all about genetics. It may even be that an overweight person spends a lot more time in the gym than someone with an athletic build.

Remember that funny excuse of some overweight people like “I have a big bone”? They are partly right, but it’s not a matter of bones, but a predisposition to gaining excess weight. Or more precisely, in the rate of metabolism - metabolism. It is because of this that there is a classification of body types. I will tell you more about each below.

Differences between somatotypes

To put it simply, body types are also called somatotypes. The classification described below was proposed by William Sheldon. I don’t know who this guy is, but if anyone is interested, you can easily find information about him.

Despite the fact that somatotypes differ from each other in many ways, each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages, which, if desired, can be “operated” - for example, disadvantages can be turned into advantages.

So, body types:

Ectomorph - tall, thin, with a small percentage of muscle and fat tissue, but great muscle detail. The bones are thin, but elongated, which is why the owner of this type has an impressive height. Fast metabolism, which does not allow the body to store subcutaneous fat. If you are an ectomorph, then here is for you.

Mesomorph (athletic)– of average height, has an optimal ratio of fat and muscle mass, average build (not thin, but not fat either). The bones are medium in size, which is why carriers of this type can be considered almost tall people. Average metabolism, allowing you to quickly gain and lose excess weight. The same principle applies to “dry” mass (muscle).

Endomorph – short (stocky), plump, with a large percentage of muscles, but also with an increased percentage of body fat. The bones are short, but compacted (thick), which indicates a powerful musculoskeletal system. Slow metabolism: gains weight quickly and loses it slowly. This quality has a positive effect on muscle tissue.

How to determine your somatotype?

There are many methods to do this. There are accurate ones, such as measuring individual parts of the body and their proportions, and there are not very accurate, but simple ones, such as a wrist test.

This test is as follows: wrap your thumb and middle finger around your wrist at the thinnest point (approximately under the protruding bone on the wrist, right on the bend). If both of your fingers lie on top of each other, then you are an endomorph; they just touch each other (or are a little short of reaching), you are a mesomorph; They miss each other very much (the distance is about 1 centimeter), you are an ectomorph.

This test cannot be considered a reference test, but rather an auxiliary one, because large-scale incidents occur due to the inaccuracy of this test or body imbalance. A person may think that he is an endomorph, although in fact he is a slightly plump mesomorph. The result is an incorrectly selected training program, wasted time, inappropriate nutrition and lifestyle.

It’s better to look at yourself in the mirror, comparing yourself with any of the characteristics. Choose the one that suits you and remember how quickly you tend to gain or lose weight.

Well, there are no problems with ectomorphs - they lose weight quickly and gain it slowly. Mesomorphs - gain quickly and lose quickly. Endomorphs gain weight quickly and lose weight slowly. So be guided by this, although it wouldn’t hurt to measure yourself.

Women and men of the same body type have almost no serious differences in this regard.

As a rule, there are very few pure body types. People with such phenomena are very rare. In most cases, people have a mixed type, and one of them predominates over the others.

For example, a good friend of mine is 65% mesomorph, 25% ectomorph, and 10% endomorph. These numbers indicate that man is not an ideal creature, and that everyone has their own imbalances. It would seem that where there should be a characteristic feature of a fat person, there is a feature of a thin person. Although in general the guy is an ectomorph. Something like that.

Nutrition

The information below is based on the fact that people with different body types want to achieve optimal physical shape and a beautiful body.

As for nutrition, ectomorphs need to eat a lot and everything: carbohydrates, fats and especially proteins, subject to regular training. “Excess weight” (fats and carbohydrates) allows them to be converted into energy, and proteins are used to build muscles.

Mesomorphs should consume enough carbohydrates to keep their body energized, but not overdo it. It is also characterized by a large amount of protein. It’s a little more difficult with fats – they need to be reduced. Not to remove it (it still won’t work), but to reduce it.

But endomorphs need to focus only on proteins and vitamins and minerals. You will have to cut down on carbohydrates and fats very much. This is due to the fact that under your skin in problem areas there is already plenty of food for the body. So force the body to take nutrients from there, without giving it carbohydrates and fats with food.

Based on everything described, you need to choose accordingly. For example, an endomorph should never take a gainer, even if it is high-protein. It still has a carbohydrate base.

So, I hope I clearly explained who an ectomorph, mesomorph, and endomorph are, how to determine belonging to one or another type, and also provided interesting information. If you liked it, then you can thank me by sharing this article with your friends on social networks. Write what your somatotype is, and also subscribe to blog updates. Bye.

Best regards, Vladimir Manerov

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Do you think why this information about body types is in the training section? It’s all very simple: before starting the training process, it is very important to decide what body type yours is, since literally everything depends on this: the frequency of approaches, the need and duration of rest, as well as diet.

The author of the classification of people depending on their body type is William Herbert Sheldon- American psychologist and, oddly enough, numismatist. And although the purpose of its creation was to develop a constitutional theory of temperament, athletes, and simply sports fans, from all over the world are happy to use it for their own purposes.

What body types do people have?

As it turned out, after conducting many complex studies, including photographic techniques and anthropometric measurements, all people according to somatotype they are divided into three main types:

• ectomorphic (according to another classification it can be classified as asthenic);
• mesomorphic (normosthenic);
• endomorphic (hypersthenic).

This classification by William Sheldon was not chosen by chance. The thing is that it is based on the theory of embryonic development, according to which the formation of the human body comes from three germ layers(ectoderm, mesoderm and endoderm).

Thus, nervous tissue and skin are formed from the ectoderm (outer germ layer). From the mesoderm (middle germ layer) - the muscular system. And from the endoderm (inner germ layer) - internal organs.

Thus, for ectomorphs characteristic:

• thin build,
• narrow shoulders,
• relatively short body
• chest is flat,
• thin wrists and feet,
• the body is small,
• thin muscles,
• muscle mass is gained very reluctantly,
• strength indicators are not high,
• metabolism is very fast.

Girls always envy such people because they can eat a lot without gaining weight at all. Although in this case, ectomorphs should be warned against premature confidence that this will always be the case. Around the age of 30, metabolism will begin to slow down and then everything that you could previously eat without harming your figure may begin to be deposited in the most unexpected places.

Distinctive features mesomophs are:

• developed muscular system,
• strong, long body,
• rectangular body shape,
• the chest is well developed,
• great physical strength,
• broad shoulders,
• metabolism is fast.

It is people with this body type who make excellent bodybuilders. It seems that nature itself created them precisely in order to give people the beauty and power of the human body. But it’s worth remembering that fat is just as easily gained by mesomorphs as muscle mass.

And finally endomorphs. Distinctive features of this body type are:

• short but massive arms and legs,
• large bone,
• wide hips and waist,
• tendency to excessive fat deposition,
• strength indicators are low,
• metabolism is slow,
• The face is round, the neck is short.

It is this type of figure that is more characteristic of Europeans. Of course, few people immediately associate such a description with those athletic guys who have a pumped up body, but with the right training and nutrition regimen they show good results. Take Jay Cutler for example.

To determine what type your somatotype belongs to, it is enough to measure the circumference of your wrist, since it is by the thickness of the bones that you can determine your body type, and the wrist remains unchanged even when muscle or fat mass changes.

Data on the ratio of wrist circumference and body type are presented in the table.

It should be especially noted that in their pure form, the above types of figures are extremely rare. In most cases there are mixed types: a combination of ectomorph and mesomorph or endomorph and mesomorph. By the way, the most striking and famous example of such a mixed body type is Arnold Schwarzenegger. Despite his ectomorphic stature, which is very tall for a bodybuilder, his ability to gain muscle mass and metabolism – all this allows him to be classified to a greater extent as a mesomorphic body type.

How to choose a training and nutrition regimen for people with different body types?

And now, we have decided on the type of constitution, it’s time to start training.

Ectomorphs

Since ectomorphs gain muscle mass with great difficulty, and the metabolism works at a breakneck speed, the muscles begin to experience glycogen deficiency, which negatively affects the quality of training with an extremely slow gain of muscle mass.

To make them more effective, no need to go to the gym too often. Breaks between workouts should be 2-3 days. To understand that you can start training, listen to the state of your muscles, since it is very important not to overtrain them and give the muscles enough rest to recover. But those rare workouts that you will do should be very intense, aimed at working large muscle groups, accompanied by a small number of repetitions for each exercise and long rests between them. The duration of training, including warm-up, should not exceed 60 minutes (that is, the main training should take no more than 45 minutes), and it is better to exclude cardio training altogether, so as not to waste precious calories.

Nutrition plays a special role in this process.
It should be intense, high-calorie. After finishing your workout, there must be a carbohydrate window. In addition, it is recommended to eat before bed, since the catabolic processes that occur in the body at night may not allow you to build muscle mass as quickly as you would like. It is best if it is a protein-rich food (low-fat cottage cheese) or a protein shake, drunk an hour and a half before bedtime. By the way, the share of proteins in daily calories should be 30%.

In terms of carbohydrate nutrition, preference should be given to slow carbohydrates: pasta made from whole wheat grains, cereals, fruits, herbs, vegetables, barley, cereals. But you should give up sweets and sugar. Carbohydrates should make up 50% of your daily calories.

Fats should provide 20% of the total caloric intake of the daily diet. Preference should be given to polyunsaturated fatty acids contained in fish and fish oil, olive and sunflower oil, nuts, and seeds.

Probably, it was for ectomorphs that special sports nutrition was invented. They are advised to use supplements containing omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins, as well as protein shakes and gainers. Frequency of use: 2 times a day. You can, for example, in the morning and before bed. Or instead of one of the five recommended meals, if there is no time for it. You need to drink at least 2 liters of water per day.

Mesomorphs

Those who are really lucky are the mesomorphs. Their tendency to engage in various sports is innate. And thanks to the presence of a good appetite against the background of a fast metabolism, they manage to gain muscle mass easily and quickly enough. But here it is important not to overdo it, since the fat layer grows as quickly as muscle mass.

An important point in training should be a combination of strength training and exercise aimed at improving muscle tone(it is worth including cardio training in the program), which will allow you to form harmonious body proportions. The frequency of training for mesomorphs should be 4-5 times a week, since the final result depends on their frequency and intensity.

In order to gain muscle mass, you need in nutrition adhere to the principle often, but little by little (you need to eat small portions every 2 hours), and observe optimal ratio consumption of fats (10-20%), proteins (20-30%) and carbohydrates (50-60%). Turkey meat, chicken breast, eggs, fish, milk and cottage cheese can be used as the main sources of protein. Carbohydrates should be slow, their main sources are buckwheat, rice, pasta, as well as fruits, which can be eaten in unlimited quantities.

It should be noted that variety in nutrition (and in training too) is the key to success. For mesomorphs, it is acceptable to use sports nutrition. The last meal should be 3 hours before bedtime. And don’t forget about water – clean, without gas and aromatic additives.

Endomorph

On the one hand, endomorphs have the hardest time creating the body of their dreams. But, on the other hand, their gain of muscle mass is no worse than that of mesomorphs. The main thing here is to reduce the volume of fat. To this end, it will be effective to carry out cardio or circuit training To .

Since the legs of endomorphs are naturally quite strong, it is lower body exercises are given to them with the greatest ease (deadlift, squat).

For endomorphs it is extremely important maintaining a proper, balanced diet. The consumption of all kinds of sandwiches, fatty dairy products, inferior sources of protein and alcohol is absolutely unacceptable.

It is especially important to monitor the glycemic index and avoid consuming carbohydrates in the evening and, especially, at night. Preference should be given to fibrous carbohydrates (fiber); it is better not to lean on starchy carbohydrates. But the presence of protein in the diet, on the contrary, is welcome. Sports nutritionist Laura Crivell identifies skinless chicken breast, egg whites and fish as the most suitable sources of protein.

Endomorphs can easily refuse sports supplements.

As mentioned earlier, all of these body types are extremely rare in their pure form. It also happens that a guy with a physique similar to an endomorph is built like an ectomorph, or, on the contrary, an ectomorph suffering from excess body weight. Therefore, when it comes to training, it is important to determine for yourself the most suitable, comfortable mode that will bring you true pleasure from both the process and the result.

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There is a concept of “human constitution”, which determines the physique. Often, women who dream of losing weight from 90 kg to 50 kg do not achieve their cherished goal even with regular training and exhausting diets. Everything is explained in her constitution - if a woman initially has a plump type, being too thin turns out to be impossible for her. Even if the goal is possibly achieved, maintaining the results will be problematic. Everything that happens is explained by the presence of such concepts as ectomorph, mesomorph, endomorph- these are the same types of human body constitution.

It is recommended to know your body type exactly so as not to provoke a deterioration in your health with useless diets and workouts. The type of constitution of the human body has a scientific name - somatotype, which is determined by the characteristics of the development of the human skeleton, its muscles and subcutaneous layer. The ratio is determined genetically, so in a family with overweight people, it is unlikely that a thin and slender child will be born. Losing weight in this case is possible, but a fast-moving person cannot achieve a model appearance.

If you achieve success, you can be upset by a disproportionate figure - the skeleton will acquire more structural outlines, which will cause damage to the appearance. The skin will cover the cheekbones, collarbones, and thigh bones, making an outwardly slender body look sickly.

In order not to provoke such troubles, it is recommended to study the possible types of constitution and determine yourself to a certain physique. Then the eternal problem of losing weight to perfection will disappear, since possible actions taken for this will only provoke the development of diseases.

There are several ways to determine your somatotype, the founder of which is W. Sheldon. In his determination of types, the scientist used anthropometric measurements and photographic techniques. The names given to the types were determined in accordance with embryology.

At the moment, the following body types can be distinguished:

• mesomorphic body type – here there is proportional development of the body and good physical fitness along with a psycho-emotional state;
• endomorphic body type - these are people who have an enlarged skeleton, excessive development of internal organs and a high risk of accumulation of fat cells;
• ectomorphic body type - the human body is elongated and poorly developed physically, the internal organs are also weak and require preventive actions.

Often a person is classified as a mixed body type, since a detailed examination reveals similar parameters.

Characteristics of types

You can often hear accusations towards a thin person in the form of “she has light bones, that’s her constitution.” This is partly correct, since people by their type are defined as ectomorph, mesomorph, endomorph. It’s easy to visually imagine the body of the declared categories using the photo below.

Each type has the following characteristics:

• Ectomorph– people are energetic, but not physically strong. They are distinguished by extreme thinness due to accelerated metabolism - they can keep themselves in shape without dieting and exercise, fat cells are not deposited under the skin. The limbs and necks are elongated and thin, the muscles are poorly developed, the bones are narrow, and the joints are small. Their problem is the inability to gain weight and build muscle.
• Mesomorph– slender body, medium-sized bone and joint apparatus, fat cells are evenly distributed throughout the body, so there is no feeling of fullness. People with such a body have an effective metabolism, which allows, with training, to build muscle and tighten the body.
• Endomorphs– have a predisposition to obesity, but at the same time they are distinguished by high endurance. A woman's body is more like a pear, and a man's is more like a square. Metabolism is not developed, so such people have to constantly monitor their diet. If you need to lose weight, your plan is difficult.

Please note: Determining your body type is quite simple - the “wrist index” test is used for this. To take the test, just measure the circumference of your wrist.

For men, the following characteristic applies: mesomorph, endomorph and ectomorph have a girth of 18-20 cm, more than 20 cm and less than 18 cm, respectively. For women, endomorph, mesomorph and ectomorph indicators are characterized in values ​​of more than 17 cm, from 15 to 17 cm, less than 15 cm.

Pros and cons of each type

To fully understand the presented body types, it is necessary to consider body flaws:

• Ectomorphs(they are also called dolichomorphs) are distinguished by a flat chest, which looks catastrophic in women - the body takes on a boyish figure, the breasts do not even reach size 2. It’s no less difficult for men - their body is too thin, which leads to the idea of ​​morbid thinness. It is difficult for them to build muscle mass, which is why they have to take various drugs and protein shakes. Over the years, ectomorphs experience a slowdown in metabolism, which can cause the body to take on a denser appearance due to weight gain. This is only possible if the diet is not followed and there is a serious malnutrition.
• Mesomorphs- This is an excellent alternative to complex body types. Such girls and boys can quickly lose weight and gain it as a result of daily consumption of unhealthy and fatty foods.
• Endomorphs– with such a body constitution, losing weight is problematic; here you will have to stick to a diet and regular exercise. Endomorphs themselves recognize their predisposition to weight gain by eating a small amount of junk food (it immediately leads to weight gain).

Ectomorphs, mesomorphs and endomorphs have different body structures, distinctive metabolisms and the ability to change their weight. You will have to come to terms with this fact and adhere to recommendations regarding physical activity and diet.

Mesomorph, ectomorph and endomorph, due to their peculiarities in structure and metabolism, risk triggering the development of various pathologies. Mesomorphs predominantly suffer from diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and low blood pressure. Endomorphs are susceptible to developing hypertension. And in most cases, ectomorphs are diagnosed with liver pathologies, the development of diabetes mellitus and atherosclerosis.

Practical advice: Due to this fact, it is necessary to study how you can maintain your health and reduce the risks of weight gain. To do this, you must follow certain recommendations on diet and exercise.

For ectomorphs

The dolichomorphic type is characterized by a fast metabolism, as a result of which it is problematic for them to gain weight. Any physical activity will lead to weight loss. If you want to gain weight, you should form a complex that will burn as few calories as possible. For ectomorphs, power loads become effective, where the weight, number of repetitions and approaches are regularly increased. As for nutrition, ectomorphs can afford high-calorie foods (not to be confused with fatty foods). Eating meals should be frequent, and more than half should be complex carbohydrates. The consumption of light carbohydrates is allowed, but with mandatory physical activity. You are allowed to drink no more than 1 liter of clean water per day.

For mesomorphs

Mesomorphs are a certain kind of generalists, since their metabolism contributes to both rapid weight loss and rapid weight gain due to non-compliance with daily caloric intake.

For mesomorphs, the following features can be distinguished in physical activity and dietary nutrition:

• to achieve a sculpted body, it is recommended to replace strength exercises with cardio training during training;
• During training, it is recommended to use a zigzag repetition pattern;
• the diet must be balanced - you need to calculate the optimal number of kilocalories that can be consumed per day;
• per day you are allowed to consume no more than 2 g of protein per kilogram of weight.

Please note: Mesomorphs should consult with a trainer to formulate the correct training program. The set of exercises will depend on the wishes of the novice athlete - the desire to build muscle mass and strengthen the muscles of the body or lose weight.

For endomorphs

Endomorphs quickly gain weight, so to improve their body they have to maintain a low daily caloric intake and regularly resort to training. The task of endomorphs is to perform exercises with a lighter load, but with a large number of repetitions and numerous approaches. The diet for endomorphs should be balanced - give more preference to protein foods, reducing the consumption of carbohydrates to 30% of the daily diet. At the same time, fats are also limited to 15% of the daily value.

How to determine your type

There are several ways to determine your type - endomorph, ectomorph or mesomorph.

• Skin folds - grasp the skin on different parts of the body and measure the length of the resulting fold with a caliper. If the width of the skin fold is up to 2 cm, then the person is an ectomorph, if from 2 to 5 cm - a mesomorph, and more than 5 cm in the fold indicates an endomorph.
• Measuring the weight of a body when immersed in water. The presented method is difficult to calculate independently - numerous formulas are involved. But at the same time, with the help of accurate calculations of the weight difference, it is possible to accurately determine the constitution - mesomorph, ectomorph or endomorph.
• Testing the body for electrical resistance - this method requires the use of special equipment. But everything can be solved easier if you use scales that allow you to measure the amount of fat in the human body. You can simplify your work by using special scales that immediately determine whether your body is mesomorph, ectomorph or endomorph.

The last method is not perfect, since it uses models of household scales. High-quality measurements are required to be carried out in medical centers where high-quality equipment for the appropriate purpose is used. Ectomorph, mesomorph and endomorph - can conditionally be called a thin, normal, overweight person. Improving your body is possible and recommended everywhere, regardless of body type and current weight indicators. It is only important to take into account the presented varieties of body constitution and not starve yourself to achieve impossible perfection.

If you want to build the figure of your dreams and in search of the truth go to forums dedicated to fitness and bodybuilding, you will immediately see typical posts and comments there. “I’m a pure ectomorph, tell me how to gain weight?”, “And I’m an endoectomorph with an endo bias, this course doesn’t suit me,” “You’re lucky, you’re an ectomesomorph in general!”

It is clear that we are talking about a certain typology related to the structure of the body. But where did it come from and what are the exact typing criteria? And what is the benefit of this, after all? Let's try to answer.

Dr. William Sheldon and somatotyping

Somatotyping, or the very division of people into ectomorphs, mesomorphs and endomorphs, was invented in the 1940s by the American doctor and psychologist William Sheldon. He noticed a certain connection between physique and personality traits and set out to “calculate” this connection scientifically.

Dr. Sheldon took up the matter thoroughly. First, he studied 4,000 standard nude photographs of college students from the front, side, and back. The doctor analyzed only the figures of men - morality and the public rebelled against the “scientific study of naked students.”

The tireless researcher carefully measured all possible parameters of the figures, looking for patterns. As a result, he identified 17 key anthropometric characteristics and, on their basis, derived the three most clearly manifested somatotypes.

Borrowing terms from embryology, W. Sheldon called them:

1. Ectomorph. The name is due to the fact that skin and nervous tissue develop from the ectoderm. The ectomorph's body is fragile and thin, the chest is flattened. The limbs are long, thin, with weak muscles. The nervous system is very sensitive.

2. Mesomorph. Representatives of this type have a well-developed muscular system, which is formed from the mesoderm. Slim strong body. The mesomorphic type has great mental stability and strength.

3. Endomorph. Mainly internal organs are formed from the endoderm, and in people of this type their excessive development is observed. The physique is relatively weak, with excess adipose tissue.

It is wrong to think that W. Sheldon divided all of humanity into three discrete types. He repeatedly emphasized that there can be an infinite number of body types, but it is always possible to calculate the preponderance of proportions, which does not change even with weight loss or weight gain.

After finding the somatotypes, Dr. Sheldon took up the “most interesting part,” i.e., searching for the connection between them and the psyche. As a result, he stated that three types of physique correspond to three types of temperament: viscerotonia, somatotonia and cerebrotonia. They differed in physical reactions, sociability, ability to self-control, etc.

There were a lot of plans. Based on somatotyping, Sheldon was ready to give advice on raising children, identify leaders, identify criminals - but something went wrong.

Defeat in psychology and resurrection in bodybuilding

After World War II, during which humanity was shaken by the brutal persecution of people based on their nationality, the idea of ​​dividing people by body type began to lose fans. Criticism came from all sides, but Dr. Sheldon was not willing to give up without a fight.

In 1954, he managed to release his famous atlas of somatotypes with numerous illustrations and practical explanations. The atlas was really good, and even some haters recognized its convenience and information content.

As luck would have it, the 1960s saw the rise of humanistic psychology. Viktor Frankl and Abraham Maslow inspired with stories about the priorities of higher values, self-actualization of the individual, creativity, freedom and the victory of the human spirit over circumstances. Sheldon's "body type theory" had to move and find a place in a lonely dusty corner. So she would have withered away, but this did not happen, thanks to the development of bodybuilding.

In the late 60s, Arnold Schwarzenegger became Mr. Universe and then Mr. Olympia 1970 and held this title for 6 years. Afterwards, he played leading roles in Hollywood blockbusters that became cult classics. His popularity has grown to fantastic proportions. The world went crazy for Arnie: men wanted a “figure like his,” and women wanted men like him.

People en masse wanted to achieve certain body proportions, and then Joe Weider, the “father” of the American bodybuilding empire, wasted no time in reworking the forgotten theory of somatotyping, which told literally everything about proportions, for these purposes. Over time, the words “ectomorph,” “mesomorph,” and “endomorph” became part of the generally accepted bodybuilding vocabulary. True, all that remains of Sheldon’s theory is a façade.

Modern “ectomorph”, “mesomorph” and “endomorph” are no longer the same as Sheldon’s, although the general meaning is quite preserved. They differ from each other in the relative width of the bones, the predominant type of muscle fibers and metabolic rate.

• Sheldon didn't pay much attention width of bones, but now this indicator is considered one of the basic ones. Based on bone measurements (elbow, wrist) and height, your body type will be calculated in any body type calculator. Here the terminology of M.V. Chernorutsky is often used to designate constitutional types. Asthenics are equated to ectomorphs, normosthenics to mesomorphs, and hypersthenics to endomorphs.
• One of the most important indicators in bodybuilding is ability to build muscle mass. It is believed that the ectomorph has a predominance of red (slow) fibers, so it is difficult for him to pump up, and he needs a special training system. Mesomorphs and endomorphs are luckier in this regard. To determine the predominant muscle type, there are several types of testing with lowering or increasing weights. The type of dominant fibers needs to be known so that during training they are the ones that are loaded and grow.
• It is also generally accepted that ectomorph, mesomorph and endomorph different types of metabolism(carbohydrate, mixed and protein). Therefore, an ectomorph, relatively speaking, “eats buns with jam every day” and is still thin, while an endomorph cannot afford an extra piece of cake on holidays. On the Internet you can find a couple of tests to determine your metabolic type. The nutritional strategy of different somatotypes should be different.

Today mixed types are also taken into account, those same ectomesomorphs, endoectomorphs, etc. Sometimes they are also divided into subtypes with separate recommendations for each. However, there are critics who still lack something in this typology. They often criticize without leaving the couch.

Most bodybuilders do not neglect advice on training and nutrition for different types of constitution. These recommendations have survived half a century of practical application, and are definitely worth discussing in more detail. We will certainly do this in the next article.

Irina Kaynova

Photo depositphotos.com

Content:

Somatotype, unlike physique, which constantly changes, is determined genetically and is a constant characteristic throughout a person’s life. A somatyping system that divides all people according to morphological characteristics into three main body types: ectomorph, mesomorph and endomorph, developed by Harvard University professor William Sheldon (1898-1977).

Most people do not belong to the extreme body types (endomorph, mesomorph, ectomorph), all of them are expressed to varying degrees in their physique three components. The differences between types should be taken into account when drawing up a training plan, choosing nutrition for losing weight or gaining muscle mass, and restoring strength. Girls should also familiarize themselves with the types of female figures.

Somatotype - body type - determined on the basis of anthropometric measurements (somatotyping), genotypically determined, constitutional type, characterized by the level and characteristics of metabolism (predominant development of muscle, fat or bone tissue), a tendency to certain diseases, as well as psychophysiological differences.

Determining your body type

By the wrist

To determine your type of build, it is necessary to measure the girth of the wrist, since it is by the thickness of the bones that one can determine the somatotype, and the wrist remains unchanged when muscle or fat mass changes.

Endomorph - full body type.

A person with round shapes, as far as possible, is a pure endomorph. Such an individual has a large belly, a round head, weak, flabby arms and legs, a large amount of fat in the shoulder and hip area, but thin wrists and ankles. Such a person with a large amount of subcutaneous fat could be called simply fat if all the profile dimensions of his body (including the chest and pelvis) did not prevail over the transverse ones. With prolonged fasting, as Sheldon puts it, he becomes simply a starved endomorph, but does not approach the scores of either an ectomorph or a mesomorph. This constitution is largely accompanied by excess fat deposition.

Endomorph - tendency to be overweight, short arms and legs, wide bones.

Typical traits of an Endomorph:

• wrist circumference more than 20 cm;
• wide waist, shoulders and hips (“stocky” body type);
• legs are usually shorter than the body;
• slow metabolism;
• You are often overweight, or gain it easily due to poor nutrition.

Pros. An endomorph has no problems gaining muscle mass.

Minuses. It's easy to gain weight, but difficult to lose excess fat. It is difficult to achieve relief; everything is hidden by the fat layer.

Mesomorph – normal body type.

A person with a predominance of bones and muscles is a pure mesomorph. He has a massive head (cubic), broad shoulders and chest, muscular arms and legs. The amount of subcutaneous fat is minimal, the profile dimensions are small.

Mesomorph - strong muscles, broad shoulders and chest.

Typical Mesomorph traits:

• wrist circumference 17.5-20 cm;
• waist, shoulders and hips of medium width (not too wide and not narrow);
• good metabolism;
• muscles respond well to training and grow willingly;
• There is fat, but not too much of it and with proper nutrition it is easy to get rid of it.

Pros and cons of this somatotype

Minuses. Due to the fact that results are achieved relatively quickly, athletes often relax and do not pay due attention to nutrition and training. Because of this attitude, their genetic potential remains unfulfilled.

Pros. With a competent training program and proper nutrition, athletes belonging to this type can reach the initial competitive level after 2-3 years of regular training - an ectomorph will need 2 times more effort and time for this.

Ectomorph - thin build.

A tall (lanky) person with a thin, elongated face, a set back chin, a high forehead, a narrow chest and stomach, thin and long legs and arms will be a pure ectomorph. The subcutaneous layer of fat is practically absent, the muscles are not developed. An obvious ectomorph is not at all threatened by obesity.

Ectomorph - thin-boned skeleton, long, thin limbs, not prone to obesity.

Typical traits of an Ectomorph:

• wrist circumference 15-17.5 cm;
• narrow waist, shoulders, hips;
• arms and legs are usually long;
• fast metabolism (when “the horse’s food is not good”, no matter how much a person eats, weight almost does not increase);
• low % body fat;
• little muscle.

Pros and cons of this somatotype

Minuses. Building muscle mass is very difficult and takes a long time.

Pros. With a certain persistence and desire to develop their body, this type has the best chance of becoming the owner of an aesthetic, athletic figure.

P.S. It should be noted that in addition to Sheldon's somatyping systems, there are several more systems for dividing according to body types.

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⚠ [All materials are for informational purposes only. ]