How To Know What Body Shape Are You?

While aiming to lose weight, one should be mindful of the body type he/she possesses. Female bodies are often subject to scrutiny when it comes to their varying shapes. Apples, pears and chilies are three camps where female bodies naturally fall and can be furbished by choosing suitable workouts. However, weight loss for men should be in accordance to the shape of the body of each individual. It is important to first determine the male body shape and then adopt workouts that can help enhance the overall body frame.

The idea of categorizing human body into different chassis is not new. Around 380 BC, Plato first mentioned about differences in body frames in his famous Socratic dialogue The Republic. During the 19^th century, German philosopher and cultural critic, Friedrich Nietzsche brought variations of human frame into limelight.

The 20^th century saw philosophers and psychologists revolutionize the obsolete ideas about our bodies. It had become obvious that each human was different and showed unique features such as colour and body shapes. However, human body was broadly classified into three types. In 1940s American psychologist William Sheldon gave us the idea of ectomorphic, endomorphic, and mesomorphic body types.

However, last year a research carried out on more than 2000 male celebs and sports stars by health experts suggests that men in UK can be categorized into five distinctive shapes. Male body types fall into one of the following categories: the rectangle, the oval, the triangle, the rhomboid and the inverted triangle.

The Rectangle

The most common body type for men in UK, the rectangle boosts a flat torso with minimal or no change till the hips. The body appears to be straight and flat thus appearing like a rectangle. 42{317a7769e272dec17b69bda26c6a5a4c5e6799efcd8a85f72cb552b76862c2b9} men in UK have a rectangle body shape.

English actor Hugh Grant, Jim Carrey, David Beckham and Ashton Kutcher all have a rectangular body shape.

The Oval

The body type where fat is stored in the upper half is categorized as the oval. Nearly 26{317a7769e272dec17b69bda26c6a5a4c5e6799efcd8a85f72cb552b76862c2b9} of men in UK have this body shape. Usually men with an oval body shape have larger upper arms with a pouched belly and comparatively slimmer legs.

Boris Johnson, Elton John and James Cordon are pre-set into oval body types.

Photo: RDX Body Building Vests

The Triangle

When we talk about Sheldon’s ectomorphic body classification, we can actually relate it to the triangle. Also known as pear body shape in women, it is the third most common type of body shape in men in UK. 14{317a7769e272dec17b69bda26c6a5a4c5e6799efcd8a85f72cb552b76862c2b9} of UK male population is engineered into this shape with features such as narrow chest than waist and heavier legs than the torso.

American actor, comedian and musician Jack Black has a distinctive triangular body frame.

The Rhomboid

The second least common body shape in the UK is the rhomboid. Only 13{317a7769e272dec17b69bda26c6a5a4c5e6799efcd8a85f72cb552b76862c2b9} percent males fall into this category. This body shape differs from the rectangle as the shoulders are slightly heavier than the waist and ribs and tend to protrude out.

James Bond star Daniel Craig and David Gandy naturally fall into this category.

The Inverted Triangle

Although the most desirable shape, this is the rarest body type. Only 5{317a7769e272dec17b69bda26c6a5a4c5e6799efcd8a85f72cb552b76862c2b9} men are gifted with an inverted triangle frame. In this body type the shoulders have excess muscles which are noticeably receded into the stomach in manner that the upper body appears to be a perfect inverted triangle.

Usain Bolt, the famous Olympic sprinter boosts this body shape.