The body comes in huge variety of different sizes, proportions, and body compositions. While size is about how much mass a person has, and body composition about what makes up that mass (fat, muscle, skeletal structure), body shape describes how muscle and fat is distributed and how the skeleton is moulded.
Definition
Your body shape is based upon the size of your physical features and the overall balance of your body. There are five body shapes:
- Ruler: Upper body, lower body, and waist are similar in size.
- Hourglass: Upper and lower body similar size, with significantly smaller waist.
- Pear: Upper body more slender than lower body.
- Apple: Upper and lower body similar size, with larger waist
- Inverted triangle: Lower body more slender than upper body.
While there is no universal definition for each body shape, in terms of concrete numbers/ vital statistics, understanding the overall balance of your body (top heavy, bottom heavy, or balanced) can help you determine which areas of your body you may want to target more with strength training.
For example, pear-shapes are bottom heavy, having a smaller upper body compared to their lower body. People with a pear shapes may want to focus more on their upper body with strength training for greater balance in strength and shape. Cone/ apple shapes are top heavy, having a bigger upper body compared to their lower body. Therefore apple shapes have slimmer legs and struggle with belly fat.
Don’t forget to read about your body type.
Ruler Body Shape (Rectangle/ Banana Shape)
- Shoulders, hips, waist almost same size.
- Very little indentation at waist.
- Tend to put on weight in stomach and bottom, while maintaining slender arms and legs.
- E.g. 34-30-35, 36-33-37, 40-36-42.
Hourglass Body Shape
- Well-proportioned upper and lower body.
- Shoulders and hips (almost) same size
- Dramatic indentation (> 6″ – some sources stipulate an indentation greater than 8″, other 9″ and some sources even 10″) at waistline.
- Tend to gain weight all over your body, especially hip and chest area.
- E.g. 32-26-33, 33-27-35, 36-30-38.
Pear Body Shape (Spoon Shape)
- Larger lower bodies and smaller upper bodies.
- Shoulders narrower than hips.
- Tend to gain weight below the waist.
- Small chests and flat stomachs, great abs.
- E.g. 32-28-39, 34-30-38, 36-30-44
Apple Body Shape
- Wider shoulders than hips.
- Bigger on the top half of their bodies than on the bottom half.
- Slim legs and hips.
- Larger bust and stomach.
- Tend to gain weight above the waist or bottom.
- E.g. 40-36-33, 36-32-30, 34-30-29
Hello!! Im kinda confused since I tried a bodyshape calculator and they put me under the rectangular body shape, although I saw the hourglass ratio here and I think that’s the one closer to mine. Im 39-26-34, is my body shape still rectangle or hourglass? Thank you so much!! <33
Hi im 38 28 38 what is my category im not sure I just lost weight. I was 42 36 42
Hello,
I’m 5’2 34-32-38 what’s my body shape? Also I’m trying to workout these days so according to my body shape i wanna do the work outs.
Petite Pear
Hi my measurements are bust 37 waist 28 and hip 41. What shape will I be. I am also 5’7 in height.
It’s pear for sure
Confused. I’m 37-32-37. What is this considered?
Hourglass for sure
Hi according to your measurements for an hourglass it says 33-27-35.. i am 35.5-27-35.5 according to a body shape calculator i am a rectangle.. please help i do not kmow am i an hourglass or rectangle.
hi karishma,
some body calculators show inaccuracy in measurements, and i personally think you are an hourglass because your hip and bust measurements are equal, with your waist being the smallest. Rectangle figures have an undefined waist. However hourglasses do.
I’m a 34,28,35 what body type do I have?
hour glass for the most part
Shoulders-15
Bust-35
Waist-30
Hips-37
May i know what kind of body shape do i have
My measurements are 38-27-38 , what shape would that be considered as
I’m 5’8″
Can I be considered as skinny or slim
You are Curvy and hour glass.
What is my body shape if my measurements are 38-28-36
Hi really want to know what body shape I am:
Shoulders:41
Bust:38
Waist:31
Hips:41
I feel like I am in between a pear and an hourglass. I don’t have the exact characteristics of both of the shapes. For example, I have really big thighs and I also have a stomach that sticks out a little bit and I have a medium to large butt. Just wondering if anyone can help me.
i think you are an hourglass because if you were a pear you would have small shoulders
My measurements are
38-31.5-41.5 and I’m considered a bottom hourglass. I’m also 5’2” so we’re right there on the line of hourglass and pear shaped but more so hourglass because of our waist to hip ratio.
bottom hourglass
I am 177 cm tall and 85-63-93 (in metric units), it’s about 33,4-25-36,6. I have almost no breasts and mostly store my weight on hips, but my shoulders are even broader than hips(beacause of bone). How do you classify me?
i dont know my body shape someone please tell me, im 35 , 27 and 39
You are pear shaped
Pears! Pears are awesummmmmm!
Even after reading this article I still don’t know which category I would be classified as :'(
Although I am slim, I’m not a rectangle shape because my shoulders are wider than my hips. However, I don’t gain weight above my waist. My bottom and thighs are larger than my arms and chest (which are really skinny and basically non-existent, respectively). The indent in my waist is defined but my proportions aren’t even! I am really confused as to which body type I would classify myself as!! Help! 🙁
My measurements are 35 28 38. Pls what shape im i? Im so confused
I think you are considered as an bottom hourglass
Can someone help me? I think I’m hourglass but the thing is my shoulders are too wide! These are my measurements in centimetres: bust 33, waist 26, hip 36. But my shoulders are 37.5. What would I be considered and thank you. If you need my height it’s 162 cm, and my frame is small according to my wrist size and height.
Your a total hourglass! My measurements are 39-30-41 and my shoulders are 40 so I think I’m an hourglass too, 5’9 in height, but you’re surely an hourglass.
Can someone help me? I think I’m hourglass but the thing is my shoulders are too wide! These are my measurements in centimetres: bust 33, waist 26, hip 36. But my shoulders are 37.5. What would I be considered and thank you.
hy
i’m suffered from so slim body .i.e 33,27,33 so what i should from looking perfect body. my community always comment on me. from slimness
I am 5’6” tall weight– 153.. my measurements are bust 34, waist 26.5 and hips 40.. what am I ?
Pear shaped
Hi please can you can you tell me what body type I am? My shoulders are approximately 37, bust 35, waist 29, hips 36 (I always seem to fall into lots of different categories which is quite confusing).
Thanks
hi 🙂
I’m 5’8”,my measuerments are 34-25-36 , i don’t know what am can you please tell me what i am 🙂
Thanks 🙂
My measurements are 38-35-39 , could u plse tell me what body shape I am . Thankyou
My measurements are 36-29-42. what shape am I?
I’ve been trying to figure out what my body shape is forever. I’m petite (5’1) and have a small frame and broad shoulders. My measurements are 34-26.5-36. I’ve gone to various websites, and have entered my measurements, but different websites have given me differing results. I’m quite small (110 lbs) so maybe toning up or gaining weight will better give me a visualization of what I am. I’d like to get up to 120.
I’ve been trying to figure out what my body shape is forever. I’m petite (5’1) and have a small frame and broad shoulders. My measurements are 34-26.5-36. I’ve gone to various websites, and have entered my measurements, but different websites have given me differing results. I’ve gotten the results of pear,hourglass, ruler, and apple because of my shoulders…weird.
So what’s the best kind of workout for an hourglass shaped ectomorph? Should I still follow the ectomorph workout? Because other than my hourglass shape, I completely fit the ectomorph description.
My measurements are 37-28-36, what body type do I have?
I’m a 34-26-35 what would that be considered?
You’d be considered an hourglass
hi there,
I’m 5’7”, my vital stats are 36-30-38. as per this article i’ve an hourglass figure. but still some ppl think i should loose weight. what do u guys think? i’m gonna apply for cabin crew in an airline , n my peers are saying that i dnt have a chance coz i’m fat. do u think its true? i would appreciate your comments..
Thanks…