Body Types

There are three types of people you may normally see in real life or on the gym floor e.g. thin/skinny, well-built/macho guys or fat/rounded people. These body types are called Somatotypes. People are born with an inherited body type based on skeletal frame and body composition. Most people are unique combinations of the three body types: Ectomorph, Mesomorph, and Endomorph.

Ectomorph: They are long (sometimes short too) and lean, with little body fat, and little muscle. They have a hard time gaining weight. While most of us love to hate these genetically-blessed individuals, some male ectomorphs may not be thrilled with their narrow-chested frames, and some female ectomorphs long for more womanly curves.

• Narrow shoulders and hips
• A narrow chest and abdomen
• Thin arms and legs
• Little muscle and fat
• They have a high BMR generally.

Mesomorph: They are athletic, solid, and strong. They’re neither overweight nor underweight, and they can eat what they want without worrying too much about it. They can gain and lose weight without too much effort (for me they are the ones blessed with good genetics and BMR).

• Wide broad shoulders
• Muscled arms and legs
• Narrow hips
• Narrow from front to back rather than side to side.
• A minimum amount of fat

Endomorph: These individuals have lots of body fat, lots of muscle, and gain weight easily. They’re heavier and rounder individuals and they don’t have to necessarily be overweight.

• A pear-shaped body
• Wide hips and shoulders
• Wider front to back rather than side to side.
• A lot of fat on the body, upper arms, and thighs
• They have a low BMR generally.

Classic combination somatotypes include pear-shaped Ecto-endomorphs with thin, delicate upper bodies and high-fat storage in the hips and thighs, and apple-shaped endo-ectomorphs, with high-fat storage in the mid-section and thin lower bodies (these are medically and aesthetically the most unfortunate but can be corrected with effort and dedication).