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Somatotype or Body Type

People come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. Body type or physique can greatly

affect performance in different activities. Body type is also known as somatotype.

A performers somatotype can be measured against the three extreme

somatotypes:

Extreme endomorphs have the following characteristics:

A lot of body fat

A lot of fat on the upper arms and thighsWide hips and narrow shoulders

Fairly slim wrists and ankles

Extreme mesomorphs have the following characteristics:

Very little body fat

A muscular body

Broad shoulders and narrow hips

A large head

Strong forearms and thighs

The mesomorphic shape is the most common body shape among elite performers.Most sports favour the strong, muscular limbs and low body fat of the mesomorphic

shape.

Extreme ectomorphs have the following characteristics

Very little muscle or body fat

Narrow hips and shoulders

Thin legs and arms

A narrow chest and abdomen

Thin face and high forehead

All performers are made up of elements of these three extreme somatotypes.

Most people have a mixture of mesomorphic, endomorphic and ectomorphiccharacteristics. A persons somatotype can be graded using a scoring system. They

are given 3 scores between 1 and 7, according to how well they conform to each of

the extreme somatotypes. 1 is a low score, 7 is a high score.

Certain somatotypes tend to be found in certain sports. T

ideal somatotype for a performer will depend on their

sport or event. In some cases, the position that they play

a particular sport might

also be important- Consider, for example, the various body s

and shapes in a rugby team. Body type is largely determinby the genes you inherit from your parents. However, you

can alter your somatotype by training, or by changing y

diet.

Eating more and/or exercising less will increase your body

fat, making you more endomorphic.

Weight training will increase muscle size, making you mo

mesomorphic.

Eating less and/or exercising more will decrease your bod

fat, making you more ectomorphic

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Questions- please write on paper- complete for homework.

1. Explain the term Somatotype.

2. Describe the 3 somatotypes using key characteristic words and give a classic

example from Sport.3. What would an average be? Explain why you think this.

4. What determines your somatotype? Give an example .

5. Different people will have different body types depending, in part, on their lifestyle

choices. The participants in Figure 4 all have appropriate body types for the physical

activity they participate in.

6.

Complete the table below.

(a) Name the body type of each participant shown in Figure 4. (3)

(b) State one reason why this body type is an advantage to the participant shown in

Figure 4 in their physical activity. (3)