Which body type am I? How to measure and what to focus on for a balanced figure

Our personal trainers are often asked: ‘Which body type am I?”. Unless you’re clearly an apple or a pear, figuring it out yourself can be confusing. Our body shape is predetermined by our genes and we’re likely to be predisposed to this shape for the rest of our lives: all the diets and exercise in the world can’t change it.

Yet for decades, media has pointed a demanding finger at us to shape up to the ‘norm’. From the 1950s hourglass to 21st-century ‘size zero’ trends, women all over the world have been made to feel inadequate unless they conform to the social norms of shape and appearance.

Forget what the fashion magazines say and concentrate on what looks and makes you feel good. Instead of grieving over what changes you’d like to see in your figure, put all of that energy into focusing on your good points. To gain some clarity, here’s how to measure your shape properly and what to focus on for a balanced figure. Be proud of who you are and what you are.

Which body type am I?

To accurately figure out your body shape, measure all round your bust, the smallest part of your waist and the largest part of your hip area. These calculations will help you figure out which areas you’d like to focus on in the gym and help guide you to clothing that’ll make you feel confident, emphasising your best features.

1.    Pears

A pear shape is one where the hips are larger than the bust size. You’ll probably tend to gain more weight in the lower body, with a defined waist and narrower shoulders. The best exercises for pear shapes are rows, deadlifts and lunges.

2. Hourglass

With an hourglass figure, your waist will be smaller while your bust and hips are more or less the same size. Flaunt those curves even more by toning up your midsection - planking is the perfect exercise for this body shape. Reverse flies and bent-over rows can also help bring more shape to your shoulders, making your back muscles stronger and improving posture.

3. Straight

Your hips and bust are pretty much same size, while your waist is the same or slightly smaller. To make the most of your gracious assets, perform deadlifts, step-ups and squats. These compound movements are brilliant to shape your glutes. Core work and yoga will also help tighten up your abs.

4. Apple

Your waist is larger than your hips and bust but your shoulders are narrower. You might also have a full bust and a flatter buttocks. To show-off your apple-shaped body, try high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and strengthen your core with planks and pilates.

5. Inverted triangle

Your bust is larger than your hips, with a narrower waist and slightly straight shoulders. Your body shape is often referred to as the ‘swimmer’s body’. Mix up your routine with light weights and high repetitions - squatting and deadlifts are equally effective to boost your muscle mass and tone up in the legs and glutes.