Good for you! I possess almost all of those qualities (except being artistic), but I'm not thin!
Edit: What I meant to say is, I wish I were thin.
What definition of thin are you using?
You look pretty thin in that pic?
Body Morphology & Somatotypes
- Thread starter Gryffindorian
- Start date
What definition of thin are you using?
You look pretty thin in that pic?
Actually looking at the information on Sheldon's Somatypes...I call BS on quite a bit of it. Including his descriptions of the body types.
I'm not big or muscular either. I'm using the somatotypes as models, but I don't think I'm an ectomorph by definition. I'm not lanky at all. I have no trouble putting some weight on, but not muscle mass. Most skinny guys tend to be lean and athletic. I'm not. My arms are underdeveloped and my metabolism is average at best. Which is why I believe i'm a combination of ecto-endo. Having said that i'm not skinny (enough) in the sense of the word.
In fact, in my teens and early 20s, I was quite a heavy set guy.
In fact, in my teens and early 20s, I was quite a heavy set guy.
Good for you! I possess almost all of those qualities (except being artistic), but I'm not thin!
Edit: What I meant to say is, I wish I were thin.
What definition of thin are you using?
You look pretty thin in that pic?
I have to agree. If you're not thin, then I'm obese.
Several years ago, I used to belong to a gym, and went two or three times a week. Despite that, I never saw any increase in my muscle mass. I've always had fairly strong legs - I do a lot of walking, as a non-driver - but nothing ever happened with my arms or chest, that I could see, and despite doing a couple of hundred crunches in each workout, I never developed so much as a single ab.
Even as a kid, when I was going to karate classes twice a week, I was always on the heavyset side. I don't think I was unusually heavy per se, but I guess you would say my body is fairly thick in the way the weight is distributed.
That being said, despite all the walking I do, it's always been felt like a struggle to keep my weight under some semblance of control. I weighed myself last weekend, and the scale read 192 pounds (about 87 kilos). Though a friend who also weighed herself on the same scale agrees with me - that scale is a liar. But I've always had a slow metabolism, which probably doesn't help. And I do feel like I've gained a little weight - two years ago or so, when I went for a checkup, I think my weight was about 175 or so.
Seriously...if he's not thin then the rest of us are in REAL trouble!
Because human beings are more comfortable with dumping all of humanity into 3 neat categories rather than the unclassifiable, nearly infinite, analog spectrum of humanity. That spectrum isn't really even a spectrum, but the sum total of millions of independent variables stored in one's DNA as well as their life experiences. That's nebulous, technical, and all together something that doesn't sit comfortably with a lot of people. Therefore, you're one of three kinds of people and you always get the genes for your hair from your mom's side.
For what it's worth, your ability to grow muscle and have a more defined physique has a lot more to do with your diet than it does your exercise routine. You can lift weights all you want, but if your diet isn't great and you're not consuming enough protein, you probably won't see much of a change.
Gotham and Toronto, I don't think of myself as thin in the sense of being skinny or ectomorphic. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'm average. About 10 - 12 years ago, I was a lot more svelte.
I can, however, sort of relate to your experience, Toronto, having had a gym membership for a number of years before I decided to cancel it. I have since been using a home fitness machine. Granted, I didn't have a personal trainer back then and didn't really know the essentials of weightlifting, but that's not to say I didn't try any weights. I did 70% cardio and 30% resistance training. Working out at the gym wasn't exactly, well, working out for me in the long term. I hated it when other members monopolized the weight equipment. So if I was going to do mostly cardio exercise, why bother to go to the gym? I bought my own machine; now I don't miss the uber-crowded fitness club and dirty-ass locker room and showers.
I can, however, sort of relate to your experience, Toronto, having had a gym membership for a number of years before I decided to cancel it. I have since been using a home fitness machine. Granted, I didn't have a personal trainer back then and didn't really know the essentials of weightlifting, but that's not to say I didn't try any weights. I did 70% cardio and 30% resistance training. Working out at the gym wasn't exactly, well, working out for me in the long term. I hated it when other members monopolized the weight equipment. So if I was going to do mostly cardio exercise, why bother to go to the gym? I bought my own machine; now I don't miss the uber-crowded fitness club and dirty-ass locker room and showers.
I'd like to add genetics to that. If there are in fact three body somatotypes, I think heredity, if anything else, plays the most significant part (which I'm basing on observation and experience). As I said, certain people are predisposed to being thin, heavyset, or muscular.
I always crack up when I see these silly weight-loss infomercials showing the before-and-after photos of people who have supposedly used their products. The "before" photo typically shows an average-size woman or a slender guy who, all of a sudden, transforms into a super-ripped model.
I mean, they were already skinny or average to begin with, so how difficult could it be for them to shed off the few pounds they had?! Hilarious. Not. 
Gotham and Toronto, I don't think of myself as thin in the sense of being skinny or ectomorphic. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'm average. About 10 - 12 years ago, I was a lot more svelte.
I can, however, sort of relate to your experience, Toronto, having had a gym membership for a number of years before I decided to cancel it. I have since been using a home fitness machine. Granted, I didn't have a personal trainer back then and didn't really know the essentials of weightlifting, but that's not to say I didn't try any weights. I did 70% cardio and 30% resistance training. Working out at the gym wasn't exactly, well, working out for me in the long term. I hated it when other members monopolized the weight equipment. So if I was going to do mostly cardio exercise, why bother to go to the gym? I bought my own machine; now I don't miss the uber-crowded fitness club and dirty-ass locker room and showers.
I hear ya about the gym. I'm there all the time and STILL not a fan. But I get up at the crack of dawn to do weights so waiting is not a huge problem
That said, the most amount of waiting that I ever had to do was for the cardio equipment. I remember trying to check my resentment at the fact that these incredibly skinny men and women would monopolize the cardio machines while us fat guys were forced to stand around and wait. I ended up taking a perverse pleasure in ignoring the time limit for the cardio machines even when I saw the skinny folks waiting to use it....my rationale being...I need this WAY more than you do
I'd like to add genetics to that. If there are in fact three body somatotypes, I think heredity, if anything else, plays the most significant part (which I'm basing on observation and experience). As I said, certain people are predisposed to being thin, heavyset, or muscular.
I always crack up when I see these silly weight-loss infomercials showing the before-and-after photos of people who have supposedly used their products. The "before" photo typically shows an average-size woman or a slender guy who, all of a sudden, transforms into a super-ripped model.
On the weekends my gym will have the TVs (which are pre set) on channels that are showing commercials for P90X and Insanity. I'll be on the cardio machines facing them for like 40 mins and I try to avoid looking at them because they piss me off. The before pics in most of those are of men and women that were already in decent shape...they just were able to get six packs. (I've heard that in some cases they had them in the before pics but there are ways to cover them up). So yeah it drives me crazy that I'll be in the gym for like 4 hours a day and will NEVER look like those people and get tired of the not so subtle suggestion/lie that it is possible to look like those people. Anyone with any real knowledge of fitness will tell you that because of genetics, not everyone can have a visible six pack.
What's even funnier is that most of the people in those commercials are mesomorphs. They are statistically the smallest part of the population, but they dominate modeling and fitness commercials because they have the "ideal" body type.
^ Exactly. Late at night when there's nothing good on TV, I keep seeing the P90X and Insanity workout commercials. I remember a long time ago, there was quite an abundance of "ab machine" products on TV that had many people believing in spot reduction. Total b.s. A person would have better luck losing belly fat by doing cardio exercises (walking, jogging, etc.) than by using an Ab Roller.
Good for you! I possess almost all of those qualities (except being artistic), but I'm not thin!
Edit: What I meant to say is, I wish I were thin.
I find this thread pretty interesting. I am most definitely an ectomorph. I exercise regularly and eat a healthy diet and can't gain an ounce.
I also embody all of those traits except for artistic. Unless you consider drafting engineering plans to be art.
Gryff - love the sideburns. I hate shaving, but also don't want a beard, so I got a similar ear length set I've had since I was about 18, other than when my barber (nice guy in his 80s) chops 'em too short.
P90X works only in so far as it will get you in shape (it is an exercize video series after all). But what it probably will not do is give you the six packs that EVERYONE in their videos have unless you meet the following conditions
1) Were not that heavy to begin with and thus do not have a thick layer of skin/fat over the midsection
2) Are genetically predisposed to have said six pack.
Go back to the start of this thread and then look at the body types of the people in those commercials. You will NEVER see an endomorph represented.
I have no problems with programs that can help you get in shape. I do have problems that are trying to sell an increasingly desperate population on the idea that you too can look like the supermodels in these videos.
As someone who has lost more than 150lbs and is now in decent shape, I am sensistive to the notion of selling fantasies that most of us could never possibily achieve. Selling unattainable fantasies can discourage people from ever starting the process or worse, give up mid stream once the reality sets in. I personally struggle with that all the time.
the trick is to set realistic goals and divide one huge goal up into a lot of small ones. Not "I'll lose 200 lbs and get totally thin" but "this month I'll lose 1 lbs. Maybe 2".
These small goals are easier to achieve and you have a feeling of success which will help you take the next step.
And in case you don't lose any weight you can always be glad if you didn't gain much either (lost pounds have a tendency to return home and bring friends...
)
I'm a bit sceptical about physical cathegories having been set up by a psychologist (no offense to psychologists, but you better leave physical matters to physical specialists. After all, you don't see your dentist to get new glasses either)
These three cathegories seem rather like seeing the world only in black and white when there are so many shades of grey and other colours. Besides, body types change with age and circumstances. I used to be extremely thin as a teenager and am rather on the round side now in my late 40s. But I have a lot of muscles, too. I guess I'm a class of my own
Also, as far as I can tell (admittedly being somewhat biased), my weight didn't have any influence on my psyche. Age did, though.
These small goals are easier to achieve and you have a feeling of success which will help you take the next step.
And in case you don't lose any weight you can always be glad if you didn't gain much either (lost pounds have a tendency to return home and bring friends...
)I'm a bit sceptical about physical cathegories having been set up by a psychologist (no offense to psychologists, but you better leave physical matters to physical specialists. After all, you don't see your dentist to get new glasses either)
These three cathegories seem rather like seeing the world only in black and white when there are so many shades of grey and other colours. Besides, body types change with age and circumstances. I used to be extremely thin as a teenager and am rather on the round side now in my late 40s. But I have a lot of muscles, too. I guess I'm a class of my own
Also, as far as I can tell (admittedly being somewhat biased), my weight didn't have any influence on my psyche. Age did, though.
SmoothieX, thanks for mentioning it, but I don't even think about my sideburns very much until they get to a certain length. At one point, I used to not trim them until it was time for my haircut. But I've gotten at least partly more diligent about doing it in the past year.
But I've gotten at least partly more diligent about doing it in the past year.
Well, legitimate psychologists agree that these somatotypes are nonsense...no one's taken it seriously for half a century.I'm a bit sceptical about physical cathegories having been set up by a psychologist (no offense to psychologists, but you better leave physical matters to physical specialists. After all, you don't see your dentist to get new glasses either)
These three cathegories seem rather like seeing the world only in black and white when there are so many shades of grey and other colours. Besides, body types change with age and circumstances. I used to be extremely thin as a teenager and am rather on the round side now in my late 40s. But I have a lot of muscles, too. I guess I'm a class of my own
Also, as far as I can tell (admittedly being somewhat biased), my weight didn't have any influence on my psyche. Age did, though.
As one should propably do with a lot of other theories as well 
Just think of that nonsense about spinach and iron where generations upon generations of totally innocent children were tortured with a green mud that looked like it was pre-chewed, only because nobody cared to check the original (flawed) calculations!
Just think of that nonsense about spinach and iron where generations upon generations of totally innocent children were tortured with a green mud that looked like it was pre-chewed, only because nobody cared to check the original (flawed) calculations!
What you got against spinach? Huh?! That's my favorite vegetable you're talking about, biotch!
