Women come in all different shapes and sizes, posing a dilemma for the apparel industry, whose products face fit problems with consumers. In a study published in 2005, textile researchers Karla Simmons at the University of Missouri and Cynthia L. Istook at North Carolina State University developed body type subgroups for the female population. Now you can learn what body shape you have and use the information not only to buy flattering clothes but also to develop an exercise plan and take better care of your overall health.
A Frame
Also known as the Triangle, Pear, Spoon or Christmas Tree, a woman's torso with an A Frame appears just as it sounds: shaped like the letter "A," with shoulders narrower than hips. If you are bottom heavy--your weight is mainly in the buttocks, low hips and thighs and youhave a small to medium bust--you have an A Frame. Bodybuilder Karen Sessions, writing for BodyBuilder.com, recommends lower-body cardio, such as walking, cycling or the elliptical machine to rid excess weight, and upper-body strength training.
Oval
If your top and bottom are narrow, and your weight clusters in rolls on your chest and belly, you have an Oval shape, also known as the Apple, Diamond or O Frame. Several human studies have found that Oval-shaped women have higher rates of postmenopausal breast cancer compared to A Frame women, regardless of body weight, Cornell University notes. Avoid the elliptical machine as it leans out the legs too much, and focus on the treadmill, the stepper and weight training on the legs.
V Frame
If the heaviest part of your body is the top and your shoulders are wider than your hips, you have a V Frame or Cone shape. You may gain weight in your upper body and stomach. Sessions recommends the stepper for cardio and quality thigh training for your resistance work.
H Frame
If you are equally broad on the top and hips, and thin at the waist, you have an H Frame, an X Frame or what used to be called an Hourglass figure. A woman with an 8 Frame has an appearance of being proportional in the hips with a defined waistline, Simmons and Istook note. All cardio exercises are appropriate, and "this is the ultimate body frame for bodybuilding," Sessions writes.
8 Frame
If you are equally broad on the top and hips, and thin at the waist, 10 or more inches smaller than the chest and hips, you have an 8 Frame, an X Frame or what used to be called an Hourglass figure. A woman with an 8 Frame has an appearance of being proportional in the hips with a defined waistline, note Simmons and Istook. All cardio exercises are appropriate, and "this is the ultimate body frame for bodybuilding," Sessions writes.
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