Body types in men: definition, names and characteristics with photos

Figure

The structure of the figure began to be given special importance back in ancient times, when the art of sculpture began to develop, and in architecture it became fashionable to decorate the facades of buildings with statues in the image of a person.

Since ancient times, men with a developed, beautiful body were perceived as warriors and protectors, which characterized their masculine strong qualities. Nowadays, a successful young man subconsciously presents himself with an ideal male figure. And men themselves strive to look sporty and courageous.

However, everyone has their own physiological characteristics. Just like hair color and eye color, every person has a certain body type. Having learned the type of structure of your own figure, you can determine effective methods for bringing it to perfection.

How to determine body type in men

There are two easiest ways to determine a male body type:

• Using a mirror (visual assessment, comparison)
• According to the Solovyov method (by wrist circumference)

How to determine a person's body type

Methods for assessing physique

1 way

Take off your clothes, stand in front of the mirror sideways, start looking at yourself, paying special attention to places with a high content of fat deposits, so if:

1. Large excess fat on the hips, abdomen, buttocks, then you can safely classify yourself as an endomorph.
2. A well-developed muscular system, with minimal fat deposits, a wide chest, shoulders and a narrow waist, then you are a pronounced mesomorph.
3. Your limbs are long and thin, your bones are fragile, your muscle groups are poorly developed, your chest and shoulders are narrow, then you are a typical ectomorph.

Determining your body type in the mirror

Method 2

The second method involves determining body type using Solovyov’s method:

Measure your wrist with a measuring tape at the thinnest point and compare the result with the table below.

Table - body types (men and women)

Men's body type

Both methods do not provide a 100% guarantee of correctly determining your body type; these are just recommendations that are worth paying attention to. Definitions of body type by wrist

Definitions of body type by wrist

There are many examples in history when a less gifted athlete was superior to another gifted by nature (genetics), due to his character and motivation.

Yes, you yourself, probably, if you are involved in a sports section, you have noticed how some guys find it much easier to perform many exercises, their musculoskeletal system develops faster, their strength indicators increase, but time passes, and those athletes who were at the top at the beginning, I begin to give way to other guys, less gifted, but more diligent, purposeful, motivated, it is these qualities that ultimately determine a true champion, distinguish the strong from the weak, and not temporary superiority in genetics, which may never be revealed due to simple laziness and lack of self-discipline.

Male body types

There are 3 main body types for men. Not many people know that some physiological factors depend on the structure of the figure. For example, health. You also need to understand that your body type does not depend on your body weight. Well-fed and thin people can have the same body type. So how to determine a man's physique?

1. Thin type (also defined as ectomorph). It has a slender build with elongated limbs. With this structure, one usually has tall or above average height, narrow shoulders and a narrow chest. In appearance, these are slender men who are not distinguished by particularly pronounced muscles, but at the same time they can easily achieve muscle definition. It is difficult for them to gain muscle mass, since they practically do not accumulate fat deposits.
2. Athletic body type (or mesomorph). This type of physique in men is the easiest to get into sports shape. After all, it is easier for a person to move along the sports path, because the body and organism quickly adapt to the load. Broad shoulders, developed muscles, a muscular torso, a strong body - this is what an athletic man looks like.
3. Endomorph. He is quite massive, prone to rapid weight gain, but with certain physical activities he easily transforms his figure into an athletic figure. In the absence of sports in the life of such a man, most likely he will gain weight. This type is considered the most conducive to gaining muscle mass. Strength sports are more suitable for him.

Instructions for the Calculator

Determine your body size using the body size calculator below. First, choose your gender. Then enter whichever is easier for you to measure: either your wrist size or your elbow width. Finally, enter your height in meters and click "Calculate".

We recommend reading: Arnold shoulder press with dumbbells while seated: detailed execution technique

To determine your wrist size, measure your wrist just below the carpal bone with a tape measure. Essentially, this is the narrowest part of the hand where you would normally wear your watch.

Measure your elbow width

To determine the width of your elbow, straighten your arm and extend it in front of you so that it is horizontal and parallel to the floor, palm facing up. Then bend your elbow so that your forearm is at a 90° angle to the ground. Place the index finger and thumb of your other hand on either side of your elbow joint. Maintaining the position of your fingers, use a ruler to measure the distance between them.

Determining your body type will help you set realistic weight loss goals (use an ideal weight calculator that takes your body size into account). We all have different body sizes, some have a small and light build, others have a heavier build. So, if you have a large frame size, then you don't have to think that your weight should be the same as someone with a smaller frame size.

This is a very rough method of determining size and body type and is mainly needed to:

• You realized that we are not all built the same, and we cannot all look the same (even if we try).
• Help you set more realistic goals.
• Pay less attention to measurements and focus on a healthy body composition.

As you can see, this calculator determines body size from only one dimension (upper body), it does not take the lower body into account. However, the upper and lower body measurements are not necessarily the same. A pear-shaped woman's upper body, for example, may have a small frame size (thin arms and wrists), while her lower body may have a large frame size (heavier ankles). Find out what women's body types are to better understand your body type and what might benefit you from working on.

Scoring systems like body mass index don't take into account your body size, which means they lack accuracy in determining whether you're actually within a healthy weight range. For example, mesomorphs tend to have a medium to large body type and also have a good amount of muscle mass. You cannot compare the weight of such people when they are in shape with the weight of an ectomorph, whose body is small and even at the best of times has little muscle mass.

Quickly determine your body type

With normal visual contact, we understand the basic external characteristics of a person and in everyday simple language we characterize body types as “thin, athletic or plump.” However, altered body weight can be a little confusing.

All 3 types of body types in men differ in some features that indicate the real type of body structure.

Ectomorphs have the thinnest wrists. Regardless of the weight gained, the wrists will remain thin (up to 17 cm), and they often look much younger than their real age.

Endomorphs, on the contrary, have wide wrists. Other distinguishing features include the roundness of the entire body and, as a rule, short stature.

With an athletic physique, a man has a rectangular body shape and a wide chest. They quickly build muscle mass and appear strong in appearance. Wrist circumference 18-20 cm.

In addition to one sure way to determine a man’s body type by looking at his wrists, there is another way - you can measure his ribs. To do this, a man needs to stand in front of a mirror and take a deep breath, his chest tenses at this moment. The lower pair of ribs forms an angle. By measuring it you can understand your body type. If it turns out to be less than 90 degrees, then, in fact, the man has a thin physique, that is, he is an ectomorph. If the angle exceeds 90 degrees, it means a mesomorph, and if the ribs meet at right angles, it means an endomorph.

You also need to understand that, in addition to “pure” types, there is also a mixed body type, which contains the characteristics of several at once.

Methods for determining physique

Men's body types are classified not only into 4 types. Mixed and intermediate options are also distinguished. It is very rare to find pure mesomorphs with ectomorphs and endomorphs. Often there are people who have characteristics of 2 body types at once.

To independently determine the structure of the body, it is recommended to remember a few rules:

• you will need to determine the length of the circumference of the wrist (preferably the working one);
• it is necessary to approximately estimate the width of the hips with shoulders and waist;
• you need to remember how quickly weight was gained and lost between the ages of 16 and 20;
• if the metabolism is well developed, there will be no excess fat, but if the metabolism is slow at a young age, the person will already have excess weight.

After receiving the indicators, it is permissible to classify your body structure into a certain group:

It is also possible to determine the structure of the body by the ribs; for this you will need to do the following:

1. You will need to stand in front of the mirror and inhale. The chest should be very tense at this time.
2. The last pair of ribs at the bottom should form an angle through which the body type can be revealed.
3. If the angle is less than 90 degrees, then it is a leptosomal type of body. If the angle is greater than 90 degrees, then it is an athletic body type. When the ribs close at right angles, the pyknic variety of the body is determined.

The physique of men is divided into several types, each of which has its own characteristics, structure, height and weight. Having determined your own body type, it is permissible to choose the right nutrition, as well as develop a training schedule that will allow you to maintain your body in excellent and toned condition.

How body type affects health

Health is one of the most important aspects in our life, and it is the type of physique that will tell you how to maintain a healthy mind in a healthy body.

How body types in men are related to health:

1. Physiological ailments of the thin type include stooping, contortion, nervous diseases, and a weak respiratory system. A particularly dangerous disease for them is cancer, which can develop due to nervousness. Such men are recommended to eat more greens, vegetables and fruits. Green tea and dried fruits are also very beneficial for them.
2. Men with a strong physique are characterized by predominantly good health. Although there are some weak areas of the body here, this is digestion. So even those with the most ideal figure are advised to follow a diet and monitor the healthfulness of the foods they eat. Over the years, cardiovascular complications can occur. With age, there is a sharp increase in body weight, which can lead to diabetes. If a man has an athletic build, he is highly discouraged from abusing fried and smoked foods, as well as eliminating spicy foods from his diet as much as possible; he should not overeat. Smoking is also extremely dangerous for them due to the physiological characteristics of the body.
3. For an endomorph, there is one main problem - excess weight. And other unfavorable influences may already arise from it. First of all, they need to monitor their blood sugar levels and pay attention to the cardiovascular system, since the body is predisposed to obesity. Such men are highly discouraged from smoking and drinking alcohol. You should give up fatty foods and replace them with vegetables, fish, and cereals. Low-calorie foods will significantly reduce the risk of serious diseases.

Triangle figure. Making a wardrobe

The characteristic features of this type of figure are broad shoulders and narrow hips; the triangle is inverted. In most cases, this category includes men of athletic build, tall and stately. Therefore, there are practically no special requirements for combining clothing styles, prints and shades. There are only general recommendations from stylists and image makers that will help you create a spectacular, complete image.

Tips from stylists for the triangle body type:

1. For an expressive shoulder line, it is best to choose clothes without horizontal lines and transverse prints. The ideal option is a calm monochromatic color scheme or an elegant thin vertical stripe - if we are talking about a business style. When choosing a set of clothes for a party, you can give preference to shirts and jumpers in bright colors, matching the color of your hair and eyes.
2. Minimalism in decor. Broad shoulders look impressive and courageous without additional accessories and stylistic assistants. Zippers, patch pockets, rivets, chevrons, appliques - in your case these are unnecessary.
3. Jackets without voluminous shoulder pads. Maintain natural proportions. Why highlight already manly shoulders? Coats, raincoats, jackets with a very voluminous shoulder area will look ridiculous.
4. Feel free to emphasize your waist and hips. Your figure allows you to include silhouette shirts and tight sweaters, jumpers, and polos in your wardrobe. Fitted jackets, raincoats and parkas with belts are options that will highlight the advantages of the triangle silhouette.
5. You can safely wear skinny jeans, slim pants and cropped boyfriends with a turn up. The main thing is to create a stylish duo with a top, and the image will be spectacular and relevant.

“Triangles” are not recommended:

• Top and bottom in a tapered silhouette. Even with the most ideal proportions, you should not tighten yourself from head to toe.
• Jackets, raincoats, coats with voluminous shoulder pads.
• Loose, baggy sweaters, especially if you have skinny legs.
• Shirts, jumpers, T-shirts, sweaters, stripes with horizontal stripes and cross print in the shoulder area.
• Top with an abundance of decorative elements: chains, scarves, pendants, badges, clothes with chevrons, overlays, appliqués.
• Jackets, raincoats and coats with wide triangular lapels.

How body type affects character

A person's physique can tell about his psychological characteristics. It is not without reason that stereotypes are spread in society that have a connection between a person’s appearance and his character traits, as in the case of the fact that overweight people are kind-hearted and cheerful.

Closedness and vulnerability are attributed to the asthenic structure of the figure, but this cannot be stated unequivocally. Many ectomorphs are distinguished by their aggressive nature, closed nature, but at the same time stamina and endurance. Most of these men are introverts, like to spend time alone, and are prone to introspection. Basically, they have a mathematical mindset, they like to reason and speak strictly to the point. In a noisy environment they get tired quickly, but they have high self-control.

Character traits of an average body type include emotionality, sociability, and determination. Such people are quite energetic and developed. Their faces are dominated by regular facial features, there are many attractive people among them, but their facial expressions are inactive. They do not express their emotions too clearly, although they are open people. They also tend to be hot-tempered and impulsive. Their mobility equally extends to both positive (run, jump, play) and negative (fight) manifestations.

Overweight men can indeed turn out to be cheerful, friendly people. Despite their appearance, they are quite energetic and emotional if they do not suffer from any illnesses. For the most part, they have an easy-going character, are joyful, positive people, ready to help or simply make the whole company laugh.

Ectomorph training and nutrition

When starting training, you just need to know your body type. The type of load, intensity, type of exercise, diet will depend on this.

Thin men find it difficult to gain muscle mass. They have a fast metabolism, which allows them to burn calories faster. Therefore, if you want to build mass, training should focus on large muscle groups. They also cannot do without sports supplements and a solid diet before bed. Vitamins and protein shakes will help.

Long-term training is not recommended. One workout should not last more than an hour to avoid overexertion. Exercises should be more aimed at strengthening ligaments and gradually move into power loads. Exhaustive workouts are extremely undesirable; they can be quite difficult, but short-lived.

The ideal training schedule would be 45 minutes of exercise 3 times a week. Basic exercises for this body type include the bench press, standing press, squats, and deadlifts.

In this case, you need to follow a certain diet. Eating should happen as often as possible; counting calories is not at all necessary. You should exclude sweets and eat more brown rice as a side dish.

Ectomorph

Ectomorphs experience the greatest difficulties in bodybuilding. The reasons are body characteristics and difficulties in gaining muscle mass. But there are also advantages. If you go long and hard towards your goal, then these are the body types of men that are most preferable. With proper training, the body gets a truly athletic and aesthetic appearance.

For example, Frank Zane, well known to the world, is a prominent representative of men with the most unattractive body structure. Initially, his height was almost 177 centimeters, and his body weight never exceeded 90 kilograms. Through active training, Zane managed to achieve phenomenal results. There is another example - Dexter Jackson, who, with a height of 170 cm, weighed 105 kilograms.

To achieve success in bodybuilding, ectomorphs must consider the following points:

1. The training program is compiled using a split system. The body is conventionally divided into two parts, after which work is carried out separately on each muscle group. For example, in one workout you can focus on the pectoral muscles and triceps, and in another on the back muscles and triceps. Alternatively, you can split your workouts into upper and lower body workouts. Particular attention should be paid to the base. At the same time, it is still worth providing one isolating exercise for each group. Training should take several approaches (usually 3-4) of 7-8 repetitions each. Be sure to take a short rest between each repetition (about a minute). The total training duration for men with this body type is about an hour. At the same time, we must not forget about the peculiarity of the ectomorph - the need for a longer recovery (1-2 days).
2. Nutrition. For such a physique, the best nutrition option is carbohydrate foods, which should be 50% or more. As for sweets (sweets, rolls, sweets and other “goodies”), it is better to reduce their consumption. The required amount of protein is 2-3 grams per kilo of weight. The best sources of protein products are lean fish, turkey, chicken and other types of meat. It is important to add dairy products and water (at least 2.5 liters) to your diet.
3. These body types need “external” help. So, it is advisable to supplement your diet with a multivitamin, gainer or protein shake. To improve metabolic processes, it is a good idea to take creatine. In the latter case, it is worth taking a full course of the supplement.

Mesomorph training and nutrition

For an athletic build, strength exercises, aerobic and aimed at working out the relief, are suitable. Regular training with maximum load but low repetitions is recommended. Strength exercises should be the most intense. The muscles of a mesomorph respond quickly to power loads and begin to grow from the first sessions, even for beginners.

With the help of cardio training you can easily get rid of excess fat. It is also important to pay attention to proper nutrition. This body type loses weight easily, but it is no less easy to gain it, so when eating it is better to count calories to maintain the ideal balance. By combining strength training and cardio, you can quickly achieve excellent results.

The optimal diet should consist of protein (chicken, turkey, dairy products, fish) and carbohydrates (buckwheat, rice, oatmeal, barley, potatoes, vegetables). You can eat nuts, avocados, fish oil, and egg yolks as a fat source. There are many choices in sports nutrition: creatine, protein, vitamin-mineral complexes, BCAAs.

Endomorph training and nutrition

The endomorph type has the largest amount of fat in the body. They gain weight very quickly, but their slow metabolism makes it impossible to quickly lose excess weight.

Training in a cyclic mode will be the most effective. First of all, when working with body contouring, you should rebuild the body to burn fat. Since under a thick layer of fat it will not be possible to observe the growth of muscle mass.

Running will not help you quickly lose weight. Training should include warm-up and strength training at least 3 times a week, and preferably 4. Swimming, walks in the fresh air in the morning and evening, cycling, and sports games will be useful.

Food should contain plenty of calcium, magnesium and amino acids. Carbohydrates should be no more than 100 grams per day. It is not recommended to eat an hour before training, as well as in the next hour after. You should limit yourself to fatty foods.

Why know your body type?

With a normal physique in men, when the body is not in the training stage and looks average, between thin and plump, it can be quite difficult to determine the type of structure of his figure.

However, this helps to determine health characteristics and susceptibility to diseases. This is very important when playing sports. The fitness instructor creating the training program must understand body types.

You also need to be aware of your body characteristics in order to choose the right weight loss diet.