At the initial stage of bodybuilding, it is important to correctly determine your somatotype. The choice of a suitable training technique and nutrition will depend on these data.
We will tell you more about how to find out your body type.
Body Type
There are many classifications dedicated to the human physique and they are all similar. The difference lies only in their names.
The most popular in bodybuilding was the technique of William Sheldon.
According to Sheldon, there are three body types:
1. Ectomorph
A tall, thin person, with a thin skeleton and long limbs.
Ectomorphs are characterized by a minimum amount of body fat and poor muscle development. With great difficulty gaining weight, both muscle and fat.
2. Mesmorph
An athletic person. A naturally gifted bodybuilder, with a narrow waist and broad shoulders.
Medium height, with pronounced muscles and a small percentage of body fat.
3. Endomorph
Has a broad skeleton. The figure is characterized by rounded shapes, a wide waist, and a large amount of fat in the body. Gains weight easily.
Sheldon himself noted that there are very few people with a pronounced set of characteristics of only one body type.
In life, mixed types are more common, with a number of signs from each category. And a person is referred to a certain physique depending on the predominance of certain qualities.
Methods of determining your body type
Determining the body type, or rather, which one prevails, is a fairly simple task if you know the main characteristics of each of them.
There are many ways to determine body type. And everyone has both advantages and disadvantages.
All of the methods below have some inaccuracies. Therefore, to obtain a more accurate result, it is better to use 2-3 methods at once.
Final conclusions should be made on the basis of the information received.
Method 1: Height-Weight indicators
Pretty simple and convenient, but a very inaccurate method. Use tables with indicators of height and weight. According to the figures from the tables, they make an assumption about the body type.
The main drawback of such methods is that the ratio of muscle and fat body mass is not taken into account here.
Method 2: Visual assessment method
Probably the easiest way. Using a set of characteristics of each somatotype, the expert visually determines the body type.
In principle, any person who knows anatomy will determine the type of another person with a high degree of probability.
Doctors and trainers are well-versed in this method. These two categories of specialists are often faced with the need to determine the type of figure.
Method 3: Descriptive method
In fact, this is an analysis of the inclinations of the body. Another way that requires observation.
Let’s analyze how to determine the body type in women using the following example:
- Thin-boned, above average height, thin, with a narrow pelvis and small chest
- The percentage of body fat is low, despite a good appetite. There are no dietary restrictions (she eats anything), and has difficulty gaining weight
- Body weight remains stable over the years
With a high degree of certainty, it can be argued that this is representative of a pronounced ectomorphic body type.
Method 4: Use of tables and formulas
The most accurate group of methods for determining body type in both men and women is the use of special formulas.
Several indicators are taken into account here:
- height
- weight
- gender
- age
- the ratio of fat to muscle mass
- a number of anthropometric measurements, etc.
The body type index is calculated by a formula that includes all of the specified characteristics.
More used in medicine and scientific research. The complexity of the calculations makes it impossible to use this group of methods among ordinary visitors to gyms.
Method 5: Measurement of the girth of the wrist and ankle
You can determine the type of physique by the wrist or ankle. This is a compromise between the accuracy of science and the “popular” simplicity of measurements.
For example, here’s how to determine a man’s physique using a wrist measurement:
- if the wrist circumference is less than 17.5 cm – this is an ectomorphic physique
- up to 20 cm – mesomorphic
- over 20 cm – endomorphic
The difference between the circumference of the wrist and ankle is usually 5-6 cm. But there are deviations. If in a big way, then they say that the bottom is more “heavy”.
For example, with a wrist circumference of 17 cm – the upper body is ectomorphic. And the ankle is 24 cm, which is closer to the mesomorphic type. As a result, the body type is defined as an ectomorphic mesomorph.
How your body type influences your results in bodybuilding
As you can see, the physique is determined quite simply.
After you find out what type you belong to, do not rush to rejoice or be upset. In professional bodybuilding, all three types have become champions.
Each has advantages and disadvantages that you need to be able to work with:
1. Mesmorph
Of course, it’s good if you are the owner of a mesomorphic, that is, athletic build. These are born bodybuilders who easily and quickly gain muscle mass.
But it is worth relaxing in terms of nutrition, then an increase in fat mass is guaranteed. True, you can also get rid of it pretty quickly.
They have a wide variety of training programs. Basically, built on the classic principles of bodybuilding.
Another Achilles heel of mesomorphs is motivation (more precisely, its absence). All sports results are given to them easily, therefore, often due to weak dedication, training may not reveal its full potential.
2. Ectomorphs
They gain muscle mass with great difficulty, but they have a trump card in the form of being naturally shredded. Fast natural metabolism helps during the cutting period.
In ectomorphs, a set of muscle mass is based on the implementation of basic exercises and a super-calorie diet.
3. Endomorphs
Their figure is a mountain of muscle and fat. Gaining muscle mass is easy for them, but making being shredded a big problem.
That is why it is so important for them to control nutrition, as well as maintain a high daily activity. Through training as well.
Body type is not a sentence. Everyone has strengths and weaknesses that you need to learn how to work with. These are individual features that must be taken into account when building the training process. Then classes will bring maximum benefit and will please progress!