Body Type
Figure 1 - 9 Types of body build or physique. Examples of extreme somatotypes. Note the smooth, soft contours of the endomorphs; the defined muscularity of the mesomorph; and the dominance of height over fat or muscle in the ectomorph.
TYPE OF BODY
Somatotype is a term used to define a specific type of body shape or physique. Despite the fact that the human body comes in a variety of sizes and forms, each person may be categorised into one of three fundamental body types, or somatotypes. Endomorph, mesomorph, and ectomorph are the terms used to characterise these body forms. Figure 1-9 depicts extreme instances of the three somatotypes. Scientists discovered that the essential components that form the distinct categories of physique occur in variable degrees in every person—both men and women—by carefully analysing the body build of several individuals. Only very seldom does a single somatotype component exert near-total dominance over an individual.
Endomorphy
Endomorphic people are prone to being overweight. They usually have a large torso, a projecting belly, and a smaller chest. Muscle definition is almost completely lost due to the smoothness of outlines induced by fat accumulation beneath the skin. The neck is short in the extreme endomorph, and the head is nearly invariably big and spherical. The limbs of most endomorphs are short, with the thighs and upper arms tapering and rounding.
Mesomorphy
Mesomorphs have big, prominent bones and are highly muscled. The distal portions of the arms and legs are large and enormous in most people with this body type. A mesomorphic person's shoulders are generally strongly defined and protrude outward from the torso. Furthermore, the trunk's chest portion dominates the abdominal segment, and the waist is narrow.
Ectomorphs
In ectomorphs there is a relative predominance of height over fat or muscle. These persons tend to be tall and thin. Typically, they have a relatively short trunk, long limbs, and poorly developed musculature. A shoulder drop is common in ectomorphs. The distal segments of the arms and legs tend to be relatively long and thin. In addition, the neck tends to be long and slender, and the face is small, with sharp, fragile features.
QUICK INSPECTION
1. Identify the three fundamental body types or physiques.
2. Write out five features that each fundamental somatotype has.
3. Choose the somatotype that best describes the majority of Olympic gymnasts, swimmers, and wrestlers!
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