Week 12 - Somatotyping, Growth & Maturation Flashcards
Define somatotyping
System of classifying body types in terms of 3 categories to represent 3 extremes.
What is somatotyping used for?
To appraise body shape
Describe physique NOT composition
To quantify the shape of the human body
What are the 3 somatotypes named after?
3 germ layers of embryonic development.
Endoderm (develops into digestive tract)
Mesoderm (becomes muscle, heart + bv)
Ectoderm (forms the skin + NS)
Dr. William Herbert Sheldon
American psychologist who pioneered the use of anthropometry in the development of categories.
Somatotype method development
Originally proposed as a genotypic morphology rating on a 7 point scale by Sheldon (1940).
- Drew from earlier work by Kretschmer (1921) who classified 3 ‘poles’ to represent extreme physique variation + Viola (1933) relating dimensions of thorax, trunk + limbs to a ‘normotype’.
Partly influenced by an alternative methodology from Parnell (1954), Heath + Carter (1967) introduced a 3 numerical rating somatotype. - Has become the most universally applied, involving a photoscopic + anthropometric method, later to be revised in 1990.
Heath-Carter method
Classic somatotyping:
3 components of same order:
- Endomorphy = Centered on abdomen + whole digestive system
- Mesomorphy = Focused on muscles + circulatory system.
- Ectomorphy = Related to brain + NS.
3 no. give the magnitude of each of the 3: (Endomorphy-Mesopmorphy-Ectomorphy) i.e 3-5-2
Heath-Carter method
no. to magnitudes
0.5-2.5 = low 3-5 = moderate 5.5-7 = high >7.5 = very high
What shape are endomorphs
Pear
Head of a endomorph
Rounded
Hips + shoulders of an endomorph
Wide
Front to back + side to side of an endomorph
Wider front to back than side to side
Fat location on endomorph
Lot of fat on upper arms + thighs
Arm + leg length for endomorph
Short
What shape are mesomorphs
Wedge shaped body
Head of mesomorphs
Cubical
Shoulders of mesomorphs
Wide + broad
Arms + legs of mesomorphs
Muscled
Hips of mesomorphs
Narrow
Front to back + side to side of mesomorphs
Narrow front to back rather than side to side
Fat on mesomorphs
Min. amount
Head of ectomorph
High forehead
Receding chin
Shoulder + hips of ectomorph
Narrow
Chest + abdomen of ectomorph
Narrow
Arms + legs of ectomorph
thin
Muscle + fat of. ectomorph
Little
Endomorphs + sports
What does their mass do?
⬇️ their ability to complete in sports w/ high levels of agility, speed + weight bearing aerobic activities.