Somatotype and constitutional psychology
Body type means a somatic constitution types.
In a narrower sense, it means one of the three somatotypes according to the typology William Sheldon: ectomorph, mesomorph or endomorph. Sheldon postulated a division of the people according to the cotyledon tissues of the embryo; This cotyledon tissue deceptive in individual people in varying degrees in the body mass and thus determined the type. This idea is now refuted medically. The concept specifically appears almost exclusively in the gym to create a body type adapting exercise program. The terms and the more the theory behind from today's perspective more than questionable; scientifically relevant they are not.
In human biology, however, the body types are used to describe the individual morphological and anatomical structure of a human. The determination of the type is done by measuring the width of the large joints (eg knee) and establishment of a formula.
- 3.1 Ektomorph
- 3.2 mesomorph
- 3.3 Endomorph
Somatotype
Ektomorph
- Ektomorph - tendency to slenderness (also leptosome )
It is characterized by short upper body, long arms and legs, slender feet and hands, and low fat storage. Visible are a rather small chest and narrow shoulders, usually long, thin muscles. The hair is thin and not dense. Ectomorphic / leptosome people are usually hochwüchsig; but there is also the possibility of short stature in Ektomorphie.
Mesomorph
- Mesomorph - tendency to muscularity (also metromorph )
Visible are a powerful chest, firm and thick hair, body in a V- shape ( hourglass shape in women), thick skin, prominent cheekbones and massive lower jaw, long and broad face, fat deposits generally mostly on belly and hips, large hands and feet, long torso, strong muscles and great physical strength. The mesomorphism can be divided into athletic and normal shape.
Endomorph
- Endomorph - tendency to obesity ( also pyknomorph )
Visible are soft muscles, short arms and legs, round face, short neck, smooth and soft skin, wide hips, strong Fettaufspeicherung and many, but thin hair. On the philosopher G.W.F. Hegel going back this type of constitution in southern Germany is also known as the host beer physiognomy. Endomorphic people are often described as small and obese; but there are also tall-growing with endomorphem physique type.
Mixed type
Hardly anyone is a completely pure type, but most people have characteristics of all three types. A distinction is about eighty subgroups in the Sheldonschen typology. The Fettanspeicherung, the muscle and the skeleton are closely correlated. An endo - mesomorphic type would be a basically muscular athletic type who tends thereby to excessive fat deposition.
History
Similar to the psychiatrist Ernst Kretschmer Sheldon has seen relationships of body composition and other physical and mental characteristics. At Kretschmer's constitutional typology see constitutional type.
In contrast to this, however, Sheldon in 1940 examined the physical characteristics in a test series with 4,000 students, according to a method, which he called Somatotyping. The development of the physical constitution of the three germ layers is fed back, which can be the strong respectively.
The three germ layers are endomorph / mesomorph / ectomorph their own dimensions. The values of the physical characteristics is reproduced in each dimension on a scale of 1-7. In this case, a domination arises in any area, the sum of the three dimensions is usually between 9-12. A person with ectomorphic ( 2), mesomorph (6 ), endomorph ( 5) is therefore compatible with a 265 endo - mesomorphic type. Since not all values can be accepted at all scales equally, resulting in Sheldon 76 classes with three-digit codes.
A major criticism of the work Sheldon is mainly due to the method of division - at Sheldon is no measurement in the strict sense, but he brought primarily a standardized form of the photograph of the physique out which is then evaluated in a second step. This evaluation is inherently subjective and evaluates especially relative differences in the observed bodies. Sheldon himself suggested in 1969 an improved method before ( trunk index method), but could not solve the problem of subjectivity.
Added to this is that generally a genotypic predisposition of Somatotyps is assumed ( at Sheldon Morphogenotyp called ), the relation remains unclear to the phenotype. Sheldon himself is particularly interested in the relationship of body type to psychological characteristics and temperament of a person. This is no longer relevant for the application in today's sports medicine. Sheldon has also seen the morphological results closely related to the cotyledons of physical development. The endomorphic has a concentration on the digestive system, the mesomorphic to the musculoskeletal system, the ectomorphic on skin and nervous system.
The technique of Somatypologie was later adopted and refined by others. In the method of Parnell (1954, 1958 ) the categories F ( fat, fat ingredient, also endomorphists ), M ( muscularity, muscle constituents, even mesomorphy ) and L ( linearity, smoothness, also Ektomorphie ) can be determined by direct body measurements, including skinfold thickness measurements, bone widths and determination of body mass index ( BMI). Along with age- corrected scale while an image is obtained on the 7-point scale division of Sheldon'schen Somatypen that remains largely constant over time.
Today's most common form of Somatotypbestimmung goes back to Heart and Carter A Modified Method Somatype 1967, which also picks up in place at Parnell anthropometric proposals and concepts. In addition to standardized Somatotypphotographien for the determination of distribution coefficients go ten readings in the assessment include: Body height, body weight, skin thickness measurements at four points, two circumferential measurements of the extremities and two bone width regulations. By means of an elaborated form the blade it can easily be calculated one Somatotypkennziffer whose index values derived from mathematical formulas.
Application
The assessment by Body type is used in particular in sports medicine to create a customized training program.
Ektomorph
For a strong ectomorphic type, the focus is on the weight gain, possibly in the form of muscle mass. An ectomorph type initially has no strength and endurance for excessively long and heavy workouts, and he will find that muscle growth is slow.
As a training program much strength training should be scheduled, if possible with longer rest between workouts to allow your body to adapt to stress. Aerobic outdoor activities such as continuous running and swimming like ectomorphic types, but this can hinder muscle growth at too high a frequency or intensity.
In the diet program, it is important to pay attention to increased caloric intake and diet may be supplemented with weight gain and protein drinks.
Mesomorph
The significantly mesomorphic type easily and quickly develop muscle mass. Here, there is a tendency to strongly uneven development, to disproportionation. The focus must be on balance, to prevent deformities here.
The training program should include a variety of exercises and as varied as possible to the actual training focus. A mesomorphic type can long training sessions with short breaks well tolerated, but should pair the actual training with complementary ways.
In the diet program balanced diet is sufficient, perhaps with increased protein content.
Endomorph
The endomorphic type develops physically well and evenly, but also builds fat fast as ballast on. The focus here is on fat loss.
In the training program, aerobic exercise should be involved, ie cycling, running and other sports with a high calorie consumption. This training covered the endomorphic naturally the hardest. The training itself should be rather slow and extended as a particularly intense.
In the diet program diets are always popular, which should be as balanced as possible. Preferably no food combining, but a bit of everything, protein, fat / e, carbohydrates, possibly supplemented with vitamin and mineral supplements. This body type also speaks well on low-carb ( diet to less carbohydrates) to.