Balance and

Proportion

Body Type• a scientific classification of your

overall body shape, and it is determined by a combination of certain physical characteristics.

• Your genes determine your body type, and thus body types can never be changed, even through training.

The 3 basic body types for females and males are :

1. Endomorph2. Ectomorph3. Mesomorph

1. Endomorph

• with big bones, round face, large trunk and thighs, as well as a naturally high degree of body fat, especially around the midsection.

• struggle to control their weight due to a slower metabolic rate

2. Mesomorph• characterised with broad

shoulders, narrow waist, naturally large muscles and fast metabolism due to the amount of lean muscle.

• For men a mesomorph looks like a natural muscle man with a heavy, hard and athletic physique.

3. Ectomorph• characterised with a thin, linear

appearance. • They often possess narrow waist, hips and

shoulders. • The ectomorph also has a low body fat

percentage• considered lucky to some people because

their linear appearance and ultra fast metabolism enables the ectomorph to stay slim even if they eat well, however the downfall is ectomorphs lack shape due to their low muscle weight

• Mesomorphs tend to be the best body types for controlling weight, they have a natural, lean shapely figure with a fast metabolism.

• Its possible to train any body type to mimic the effects of the mesomorph.

Successfully achieving this would mean:

• Less exercise needed to control weight• Fast metabolism would enable you to

enjoy favourite foods• Less strict on dieting• Easier to maintain correct weight• Less chance of weight regain• See "washboard" abdominal muscles

more clearly• Lower fat percentage

Body Shape• a complex phenomenon with

sophisticated detail and function. • The general shape or figure of a person

is defined mainly by the moulding of skeletal structures, as well as the distribution of muscles and fat.

• Skeletal structure grows and changes only up to the point at which a human reaches adulthood and remains essentially the same for the rest of his or her life

Classification of Body Sizes

1. V shape: Males tend to have

proportionally smaller buttocks, bigger chests and wider shoulders, which makes for a V-shape of the torso.

V-shaped, or mesomorphic, males are considered attractive

V-Shaped Body

2. Hourglass shape• the female body is significantly

narrower in the waist both in front view and profile view.

• The waist is narrower than the chest region due to the breasts, and narrower than the hip region due to the width of the buttocks, which results in an hourglass shape

3. Apple

• The stomach region is wider than the hip section, mainly in males.

• This is also referred to as endomorphic

4. Pear or spoon or bell

• The hip section is wider than the upper body, mainly in females.

5. Rectangle or straight or banana

• The hip, waist, and shoulder sections are relatively similar.

• This is also referred to as ectomorphic