Body Type Quiz

Your genetics play a large role in shaping your body. And knowing your body type helps you optimize your diet and workouts to transform your body.

That’s why I created this simple body type quiz. So you can learn how to burn fat and build lean muscle with personalized guidance.

Choose Your Gender To Start The Body Type Quiz

Before you take the quiz, I strongly recommend reading the article below! It only takes a few minutes, and you’ll gain valuable insights into what body types are and how they affect your diet and exercise strategy.

Of course, you don’t have to read it word for word. Feel free to skim the headings or jump to a section from the table of contents.

The Science of Body Types

The idea of human body types dates back at least 3,000 years to the advent of Ayurvedic medicine in India. In this ancient practice, there were three distinct body types called Vata, Pitta, and Kapha.

Each body type is associated with specific physical and emotional characteristics. And the main principle is that knowing your body type can help you optimize your health and lifestyle.

Fast forward to 1940, and an American doctor brought the concept of somatotypes (body types) into modern science1. Dr. W.H. Sheldon studied how anthropomorphic features affected people’s physical and psychological states.

male female body type calculator

While the role of body types in psychology is controversial, there is no arguing that genetic variation plays a large role in the way people look and respond to physical exercise.

Picture the athletes at a track and field meet. Everyone is relatively fit. Yet, there are distinctions in body shape and composition between the major events.

For example, distance runners tend to be skinny and lean. Sprinters are generally lean and muscular. While throwers are muscular and bulky2.

Some of this variation is due to differences in training and diet. But much of it is predetermined by genetics and body type.

The 3 Major Body Types

Dr. Sheldon’s methods of somatotyping categorized human bodies based on shape and composition. In other words, how naturally lean, fat, and/or muscular an individual is.

In his work, Sheldon coined the terms ectomorph, mesomorph, and endomorph to describe the three major body types.

male female body type calculator

Ectomorph

An ectomorph body type is naturally lean with a more delicate build. And the overall body shape of an ectomorph is quite linear with few curves.

In practical terms, an ectomorph has the body type of a typical long-distance runner—smaller, lighter bones with less muscle mass and body fat.

But what causes ectomorphs to be naturally skinny when most people struggle to lose weight? The main factor is metabolic rate.

Ectomorphs are more likely to have a fast metabolism. In other words, they burn more calories even when just sitting around the house. And that means they don’t gain weight easily3.

While that may sound like a blessing, a super-fast metabolism makes it difficult to gain muscle. So ectomorphs don’t respond as well to resistance training and need to eat more calories and carbs than the average person.

Body Type Quiz Ectomorph

Endomorph

By contrast, an endomorph body type is naturally fat or overweight. And their overall body shape is softer and rounder.

In the track and field analogy, an endomorph has the body type of a shot-putter—bigger, denser bones with more body fat and a fair amount of muscle mass.

As with ectomorphs, metabolism is the main factor that shapes the endomorph’s features. However, this body type has a slower metabolism that burns fewer calories.

Therefore, endomorphs tend to gain weight easier even if they eat fewer calories. And naturally, some of this weight gets stored as body fat.

But endomorphs are not destined to be fat. On the contrary, they are fast responders to resistance training and can burn off body fat with proper attention to calorie and carb intake.

Body Type Quiz Endomorph

Mesomorph

Lastly is the mesomorph body type. These are individuals who tend to be naturally muscular with more angular features.

Think of the classic sprinter’s physique. It combines minimal body fat with a powerfully muscular build and medium bone structure.

Mesomorphs have a metabolism somewhere between an ectomorph and endomorph. Being in that middle ground enables them to gain muscle and lose fat with relative ease.

However, being a mesomorph isn’t a free ticket to a Greek god body. Good genetics are only part of the equation. In addition, mesomorphs must eat and train right to achieve their full potential.

Body Type Quiz Mesomorph

Mixed Body Types

Of course, it’s reasonable to point out that you can’t force every person on the planet into just three buckets. So at this point, it’s vital to explain the concept of mixed body types.

You see, body types are a spectrum, not explicit categories. And every person has features of all three body types, with one or two that are dominant.

That means we all have a little ecto, endo, and meso in us. But these mixed body types are usually expressed as ecto-meso or endo-meso.

Body Type Quiz Mixed Body Types

Ecto-Meso

An ecto-meso body type is a mix of ectomorph and mesomorph. Therefore, they tend to be naturally lean but can also gain a respectable amount of muscle.

The long and high jumpers at a track meet are typically ecto-mesos. And they respond well to anaerobic (lifting) and aerobic (cardio) exercise4.

Often it can be hard to tell an ecto-meso from a true mesomorph because they overlap in body shape and composition. However, an ecto-meso has a faster metabolism and a more challenging time gaining weight than a mesomorph.

In addition, they are more likely to have the smaller bone structure and narrow rib cage of an ectomorph.

Endo-Meso

By contrast, an endo-meso is a mix of endomorph and mesomorph. So they tend to be naturally muscular and gain body fat quite quickly.

Endo-mesos would gravitate towards power-centric sports like rugby or powerlifting. And the biggest professional bodybuilders and strongmen have this body type.

Again there is an overlap between this body type and a mesomorph. But an endo-meso has a slightly slower metabolism than a mesomorph, making it a little easier to gain weight and muscle.

Also, this body type tends to share the dense bone structure and thick wrists of the endomorph.

Body Type Quiz Chart 1

Traditional Body Type Determination

At this point, you probably have a general idea of which body types are most dominant for you. But how do you find your body type based on quantifiable numbers?

The traditional method of determining body type involves many time-consuming measurements and complicated formulas referred to as the Heath-Carter method. Those numbers are then plotted on a chart showing you where you fall within the body type framework.

While accurate, this method is not practical for the vast majority of people who don’t have access to special equipment or the training to take the necessary measurements.

For this reason, I created a super simple body type quiz that only takes a few minutes. And the results are similar to what you’d get using the academic method.

Body Type Quiz Chart

How Does the Body Type Quiz Work?

My body type quiz works by asking you straightforward questions that require no measuring. Instead, each answer counts as a certain number of points, and those points are tallied to find your body type or mix of body types.

Body Type Quiz Questions

Of course, men and women have different builds, so the questions vary slightly depending on your gender. But here is a general idea of the topics involved.

Overall Body Shape

The first question in the quiz asks you if your general body shape is round, square, or triangular. While nobody has these exact geometric shapes, it does help hone in on your body type.

Body Type Quiz Body Shapes

Wrist Size

Next up is your relative wrist size. The easiest way to assess this is by wrapping your middle finger and thumb around your wrist.

Then look at where your digits come together to see if they touch or overlap.

Lower Body Shape

The third question asks about your lower body in practical terms based on how your pants fit. This answer helps define your waist and leg proportions.

Upper Body Shape

For the fourth question, the phrasing is different for males and females. But the idea is to define your waist, arm, and shoulder proportions.

For men, you choose the best description for how your shirts fit. While women describe how toned their arms are.

Natural Weight

Finally, is a general description of your natural body weight, whether you tend to stay thin or carry extra fat.

metabolic confusion meal plan

Body Type Specific Meal Plan

Knowing what to eat to get in shape can be very confusing. But I can make it easy for you with a personalized plan built for your body type, activity level, and goals! Including a daily meal planner with 50+ recipes for just $13.99 per month!

Body Type Quiz Score

Each question contributes a certain number of points to your overall score. But don’t worry, you don’t have to keep track or do any math. The quiz automatically adds up your score in the background.

All you have to do is answer the questions as honestly as possible and your true body type will be revealed. While the questions are simple, the results are surprisingly accurate.

Find Your Body Type

Body Type Quiz Results

As soon as you submit your answers, you’re immediately shown your body type results. And unlike other quizzes, you are not required to enter your email address or personal information. You get your results with no strings attached.

On your results page, you’ll see the pros and cons of your body type. And you’ll get free tips on how to eat for your specific body type.

If the free advice sounds accurate, you do have the option to sign up for a personalized meal plan. But there is absolutely no pressure!

Take The Body Type Quiz

Now that you know how it works click here to take the body type quiz. You should be able to answer the five questions in just a few minutes. Then you’ll see your results and your personalized recommendations.

Metabolic Age Quiz

Your body type significantly influences your metabolic rate and your results from diet and exercise. But age and body composition also affect your metabolic rate.

As you get older, your metabolism naturally slows down. However, the more muscle you have, the faster your metabolism gets.

Therefore, it’s possible to have a metabolism faster or slower than other people your age. This is called your metabolic age, and it’s an indicator of a healthy lifestyle.

Click here to try my free metabolic age calculator to check if you have a healthy body composition and see if your metabolism is faster or slower than average.

Related Calculators & Quizzes

If you enjoy these quizzes and calculators, I have several more that you may find interesting. Click the links below to learn more and try them out!

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If none of those calculators spark your interest, I have plenty more informative content for you. Check out these other great articles and tools that will help you reach your fitness goals faster!

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