Body Types: 6 secrets to understanding your body type

Have you ever wondered what body type you belong to? Whether it’s to highlight your figure with a good choice of clothing, or to know its particularities, it is important to know it. It will allow you to learn how to show off, but also not make mistakes in your choice of bodybuilding program.

All body types do not have the same needs, both in terms of food and sports. But how do you go about determining which morphology you belong to? We give you all the tips here.

Recognize the different types of morphology and silhouette

The term morphology is often used to talk about the silhouette and is often linked to the world of women’s fashion. But men are also concerned by the development of their morphological assets.

There are several classifications, but there are generally six types of morphology in women and four in men. To know which one you belong to, observe yourself in the mirror. How wide are your shoulders, hips, waist, or buttocks? Be as objective as possible. It is not a question of judging, but only of observing and noting.

Morphology in X or in hourglass

As the name suggests, the hourglass body shape is widely recognizable. Your waist is slim, your shoulders and hips are wider and aligned with each other. There is a good chance that you belong to the category of so-called X morphologies. On the clothing side, this morphology allows you almost all the choices, except for clothes that mark the hips .

This morphology is not really found in men. Having a slim waist and marked hips is rather typically feminine.

H or rectangle morphology

Just like for the previous one, the rectangular morphology has the merit of being quite clear in its terminology. It is also called H-morphology . Again, the shoulders and hips are aligned, but this time the size is not marked. The whole gives a rather thin and slender body. We will see it in detail later, but here we are faced with an ectomorphic morphotype .

This type of morphology is commonly found in men, who are said to have a square bust. This morphology can be transformed into a V with bodybuilding work concentrated on the shoulders in order to give a slightly more marked contrast effect in relation to the waist.

Figure 8: Morphology

The morphology of 8 is quite close to that of X, or hourglass. The two can quickly become confused. The difference is mainly in the shapes. Women with a figure 8 morphology often have very feminine shapes with a fairly developed chest and marked hips. Conversely, women with rather small breasts and little marked buttocks will be of the X morphology type.

Just like that in X, this morphology is not very present in men, because here again, the waist is thin and the hips are marked.

A-shaped or pyramid morphology

The morphology of A is rarer in men. It is distinguished by shoulders that are narrower than the hips. The size is fine, even if it’s not very present. It is sometimes referred to as a triangle or pyramid body shape.

This morphology is very common among women and often corresponds to the morphology of women of Latin origin. Jennifer Lopez is a perfect example.

V-shaped or inverted pyramid morphology

The V morphology is certainly the one that men seek to achieve as a priority. Moreover, it is quite common among men. It’s kind of the holy grail of the bodybuilding world because it makes you look naturally athletic.

Also called an inverted pyramid body shape , it is distinguished by broad, square shoulders that contrast with a slim waist. Targeted strength training can help accentuate this inverted pyramid impression. This morphology is the one that comes closest to the mesomorphic morphotype, naturally muscular.

O morphology

The O, or round morphology, indicates round shoulders and wide hips in the same alignment. The size is not a little bit marked. In men, size is often synonymous with being overweight.

The characteristics of the O morphology are similar to those of the H, but with curves. The one in H concerns the fine silhouettes. This morphology is closest to the endomorph morphotype.

Types of morphologies and morphotypes

In the world of bodybuilding, you’ll hear less about body types and more about body types, even though the terms are frequently used interchangeably. This is a classification made by psychologist William Sheldon to describe types of physique determined by genetics .

Unlike morphology, this classification does not take into account the hip/shoulder ratio. The morphotypes are 3 in number and each have their own characteristics, even if we find similarities with the silhouettes seen above.

The ectomorph morphology

What is an ectomorph morphology?

The ectomorphic morphology defines a rather fine, slender and slender figure. We find here the characteristics of the H silhouette, because the shoulders, the chest, the hips are of the same width.

Ectomorphs have very fast metabolisms that allow them to burn fat even at rest. This is an undeniable advantage in periods of cutting, but it is more complicated if you want to gain muscle mass. On the other hand, this morphology has the advantage of quickly marking the musculature.

On a more psychological level, the ectomorphic person is often nervous, fast, and even anxious.

The ectomorph’s food and sports program

Because of its tendency to burn fat quickly, the ectomorph must avoid endurance sports which risk considerably reducing its mass gain. Its main purpose is to develop muscle capacity. If you are concerned, organize a sports program that allows you rest time between sessions. Work on 3 sessions of isolation exercises per week to increase your ability to gain mass.

In the kitchen, the challenge will be to keep the weight you are trying to gain , which is not always easy for the ectomorphic morphotype. Bet on the lipids that you will find in oily fish, almonds, avocados. Do not cook by bathing your food in oil, however!

Do not force too much on the fibers, which may speed up your metabolism. On the other hand, opt for complex carbohydrates and slow sugars that you can find in certain cereals.

Endomorph morphology

The endomorph morphotype: explanations

If you are part of the O or 8, or even A, morphologies, you can consider that you are rather from the family of endomorphs.

Unlike the ectomorph seen above, people with the endomorph morphotype have marked forms, even a tendency to be overweight for men and are quite calm by nature. Your face is round and your limbs rather short.

Your slow metabolism prevents you from eliminating fat quickly.

Diet and sports program of the endomorph

Your main goal will be to replace fat mass with muscle mass. To achieve this, you have to force your body to tap into its reserves. You can safely go for endurance sports sessions, such as running, walking, swimming, or HIIT, for more intensity.

Your challenge will be to burn more calories than you consume, which means that you will have to drastically reduce fat in favor of protein. Bet on the fibers present in fresh fruits and vegetables, because they speed up your metabolism.

Mesomorphic morphology

What is the mesomorph morphotype?

Among the different types of morphology that exist, those that are closest to the mesomorphic morphotype are the V-shaped or even the X-shaped.

These are naturally athletic and muscular, which is ideal for bodybuilding enthusiasts. The square face, the broad shoulders, and the solid framework are as many strong points for the catch of muscles. If you recognize yourself in this description, know that you are one of the “easy gainers.”

Diet and sport of mesomorphs

The key word for mesomorphs will be “moderation”. Your ability to lose weight or gain weight will not require you to force endurance exercises to tap into your reserves. Similarly, there is no interest for you to only work in isolation, because you gain mass easily. To put it simply: do everything in reasonable quantities.

The only downside for you will be the food. Indeed, your metabolism allows you to assimilate everything. That’s fine, but tricky, because your entire diet hinges on a delicate balance. Balance all your contributions well, both in carbohydrates and in lipids or proteins.

In summary, the types of morphologies

All body types have their own strengths and weaknesses. It is interesting to know where to position yourself to get to know yourself and to highlight yourself, but nothing is frozen in time, because your body evolves. The main thing is to adapt your life to the needs of your body.

Remember that you can belong to several morphologies and morphotypes and that no one corresponds 100% to a single type, but just to strong tendencies. Put yourself in front of a mirror and have fun recognizing your body type .