The mathematics of beauty: 12 formulas for the ideal female figure

Is it possible to check harmony with algebra? The ideal proportions of the female body are of concern to both the fair sex and people of both sexes working in the fitness industry, the world of fashion, art and dance. Scientists are researching this issue, and girls do their best to live up to the ideal. What are they, the proportions that attract the eye? There were times in human history when large bellies and small breasts were considered ideal. And the era of “heroin chic”, when a thin boyish figure was in trend. Then came the fashion for fitness and muscular bodies. At all times, an X-shaped figure with a thin waist has been considered attractive, but one must understand that beauty is not only in proportions. It is subjective, often elusive, and it is impossible to break it down into parameters. So proportions are important, but they are not what make women beautiful and attractive.

Visual parameters of a beautiful female figure

Do you like the figure of the Venus de Milo sculpture? If the Greek gods sculptured in marble could still conquer the beach bodybuilding scene today with only a slight increase in shoulder width, then Venus would have little chance in modern times. A rather full belly, relatively small breasts, narrow and sloping shoulders, and in general, with such excess weight - only an accountant in the next department, and not a beauty. You need to understand that “dried” female figures became a trend only in the 20th century, and came to us from the catwalks. In Antiquity, proportions and, so to speak, general appearance were assessed.

According to the architects, the figure of the sculpture obeys the so-called golden ratio, an irrational number that determines the ratio of waist to hips. It allows you to figure out the proportions. Plastic surgeons use this number of 1.618... to determine the ratio of "new shapes" to the waist.

Ancient Greek sculptors believed that the parameters of the waist, shoulder girdle, and hips should be correlated according to the golden ratio. This is exactly what is embodied in the sculpture of Venus. Therefore, if you ask honest people, not fashion critics, and not fitness experts who have long deformed their consciousness to please the industry, Venus will be very good.

It is believed that the human eye tracks the line of the shoulders, hips, waist, and the curve that connects them. Therefore, when working on the outlines, they try to actively concentrate on the transitions and smoothness of the lines.

It is generally accepted that there are only five types of female figures:

• The hourglass is a “classic” with a narrow waist, wide shoulders and hips. The ratio of such a figure is close to the golden ratio by nature, and even if its owner gains a little weight, she remains attractive. It is the hourglass shape that people gravitate towards in fitness bikinis, and even ordinary gym goers want such a figure. Unfortunately, a narrow waist remains only a dream for many, but you can visually rearrange your body shape by adding volume in the shoulders, buttocks and hips;
• A pear-shaped figure is the ideal of the Renaissance, and the healthiest physique according to a number of doctors. Fat is deposited in the lower half of the body, the shoulders are significantly inferior to the hips in volume, the waist remains narrow, but the shoulder girdle is almost not developed. In terms of fitness, such ladies are a little less fortunate, since they have to do several cycles of gaining and drying in order to balance the top and bottom; usually, when trying to lose weight, the thighs still remain full, but the “top” dries out very significantly;
• The triangle is an athletic figure with wide shoulders and narrow hips. With such a physique it is much easier to succeed in sports such as the bench press, weightlifting, and gymnastics, but for a long time such a figure was considered unattractive. A “free bonus” from nature is that against the background of the shoulders, any waist looks narrow, and the owners of such a figure are usually not prone to fat deposits;
• A rectangle is a figure that resembles an apple, but is more athletic. Usually such women have naturally large breasts, long legs, but almost no waist. Fat is deposited according to the male type, in the abdominal area. Moreover, it evenly covers both the abdominal wall and internal organs. Doctors believe that this type of obesity is more dangerous to life and health, so women of this type need to monitor their weight. “Rectangles” gravitate towards a mesomorphic physique and usually progress well in strength sports.
• Apple - a rather slender physique, narrow shoulders and hips, but at the same time, a larger belly distinguishes representatives of this figure type. “Apples” find it difficult to lose weight, since even significant efforts do not give that very harmonious shape that everyone strives for, and girls quickly lose motivation.

Types of female figures - this is an approximate list. In reality, they can vary significantly; what a girl looks like depends greatly on her height, percentage of body fat, length of legs, arms, shoulder width, and how she dresses and presents herself. In modern fashion, there is a whole direction dedicated to selecting a wardrobe based on your body type. And in fitness there are tools that allow you to correct any figure. Therefore, there is no need to be upset about natural data.

According to scientists, this girl has the most ideal body! And that's why…

Kretschmer's typology of human physique

The specificity of metabolic processes and endocrine reactions is the essence of the constitution of the body. The unequal susceptibility of people of different constitutional types to external and internal factors has been scientifically proven. It is believed that even a person’s temperament can depend on their physique. In real time, there are more than 100 classifications of the human constitution, based on various body features. There are classifications that are based on morphological, physical, embryological, histological, neuropsychic and other aspects. Of particular interest is the typology of the human body put forward by psychopathologist E. Kretschmer (1888-1964), who was confident that the psychological characteristics of a person depend on the constitution of the body. Typology of body types according to E. Kretschmer:

• Asthenic - poorly developed “in thickness” and relatively strongly “in length”; he is thin, thin-boned, with transparent white skin, narrow shoulders, a long and flat chest. Fragile, tall. Visually it seems higher than it actually is. Has a thin wrist, thin arms, elongated lower limbs, an elongated face, and a long nose. In brightly embodied asthenics, there is a discrepancy between the elongated nose and the lower jaw due to its underdevelopment. Asthenic women resemble asthenic men, but they have every chance of being not only thin, but also of short stature. Vividly embodied asthenics are prone to premature aging;
• Picnic is of medium or short height, with a lot of fat, a bloated, dough-like body, a round head and short neck, with a small, wide face. This type of person is often addicted to food and prone to obesity;
• Athletic - has well-developed musculature, a strong, broad-boned build, and is of high or medium height. An athletic man's shoulders are wide and his hips are narrow. The skull bones are clearly visible on the face.

In addition to the melon types, Kretschmer also identified a dysplastic type, characterized by an incomprehensible structure and destructive disorders.

Ideal figures for women according to men

They say that men's perception of a woman's figure is very different from women's. And we are certainly far from the ideals promoted by modern gloss, the fitness industry and other sources, which tell us that without shelf-shaped buttocks, broad athletic shoulders, and also breasts of at least size 4, we are not beautiful.

All sources unanimously claim that the male eye evaluates the ratio of waist and hips, or more precisely, the absence of fat folds at this very waist. That is, if the smoothness of the lines and the difference between the narrowest and widest parts of the body are present, the girl is ideal. In practice, there are a variety of options. Some people find the “dry”, almost stage form attractive. Some people like more luscious figures, while others even like soft women with a small tummy.

Scientists never tire of repeating that sexual attractiveness is associated with health. That is, the ideal girl should not have a high percentage of fat, a huge belly, and too full hips, all of which are associated with ill health. The condition of the skin, hair, and nails plays a similarly important role. That is why it is believed that self-care and fitness are important components of the image of a successful and attractive woman.

And other sources claim that sexual attractiveness has nothing to do with body parameters, and can be assessed at the level of... smells. Everyone has their own attractive aroma, or the smell of their own pheromones, and men literally “love with their nose.” Be that as it may, the absence of unhealthy fat deposits prolongs life and makes it better, so it's not just about sexual attractiveness.

What is BMI

Body mass index helps determine your tendency to be overweight. The indicator does not reflect how fat is distributed in the body or its amount, since the calculation does not take into account overall body composition.

A sick person may have a normal BMI, while a healthy person may have an elevated one, which is why he falls into the “obese” category. This often happens with athletes.

The BMI formula is more suitable for average height (men - 168-188 cm, women 154-174 cm). Shorter people, to get their weight, must subtract 10%, tall ones - add the same amount. In addition, this formula can “lie” when measuring athletes.

However, BMI is a relatively accurate measure of how obese or underweight you are. The calculation formula is simple:

BMI = weight (kg) / height (m2)

The interpretation is:

Formulas for ideal female body proportions

Man is designed in such a way that he tries to calculate everything inexplicable. Scientists never tire of coming up with formulas, criteria, and some parameters to describe beauty. And poets and artists simply admire ideal female bodies at all times. In fact, any science gives in to practice here, because the parameters for assessing the beauty of the body. Some girl’s legs with the same parameter in centimeters will look longer due to the fact that the waist is located higher. Some are slimmer due to the smoothed hip line. And for some, nature has given them chic posture, rounded shoulders and a straight spine.

Formulas for ideal proportions should be taken as advisory information that can be taken into account, but you should not get hung up on it. A figure can be beautiful if the percentage of fat is adequate, the muscles are developed and the girl takes care of herself.

In fitness, we proceed not only from the aesthetic body types that were discussed above, but also from the so-called physiological ones. They characterize how a woman looks depending on her metabolic rate, body fat percentage, and rate of muscle growth.

There are three types of female body types:

Mesomorph

These are natural athletes. If such a girl does not exercise, but simply adheres to the rules of a minimal healthy diet, she looks like a regular at a sports club. She will naturally have defined abs, slender legs, good posture and a defined waist. It may be difficult for her to achieve the elegance of model forms, but the trend for them is fading, and no one is particularly worried about this. These girls can prepare for a fitness bikini in six months, and it is they who are most often thought to be using illegal drugs. But in reality, they can simply exercise regularly and follow an athlete's diet. If a mesomorph gets better, something really serious has happened, like a long period of inactivity due to a career change, or pregnancy and childbirth. Mesomorphs lose weight quickly, especially if they engage in physical activity. Those who do not train are advised to start as soon as possible. The main bonus of a mesomorph is his muscles;

Ectomorph

These are delicate, naturally thin girls. In the past, such people had no problems at all, because the fashion was for an extremely thin, model-like female figure. Such girls “look like a million” even now, but their existence is slightly overshadowed by the fact that it is extremely difficult for them to pump up their buttocks, which have recently become a trend. Training an ectomorph involves heavy weights, good technique, which is extremely difficult to achieve with long limbs, and a constant high-calorie diet. Oddly enough, such girls are afraid to gain weight and lose their natural beauty. That is why they most often do not gain anything in the gym - poor nutrition affects athletic performance. But ectomorphs are good at cyclic sports and gymnastics. They also almost never gain weight if they abuse food, and are quite active by nature. Therefore, in ordinary life, those who are far from fitness consider them to be “witches”. An ectomorph can “kill” his metabolism in only one way - using drugs and alcohol, plus lack of sleep. This is precisely what caused the collapse of the great models of the past, and this is why it is better for an ectomorph to lead a healthy lifestyle,

Endomorph

The main sufferers of the modern world. This is a girl who by nature has a large frame, good ability to build muscle, but also an impressive layer of fat. As soon as modern culture does not mock such girls. However, the endomorphic type is not an obstacle to athleticism. For example, you can look at a photo of Brittany Diamond online - a girl who does extreme strength training, is quite large by nature and weighs more than 80 kg, but at the same time she is fit, has a beautifully developed shoulder girdle, a defined waist and sculpted buttocks. So it’s clearly not worth justifying yourself with a slow metabolism and the fact that fat sticks faster than muscles. The main task of an endomorph is to establish a regular training regimen and nutrition.

IDEALS OF FEMALE FIGURES IN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES OF THE WORLD

How to calculate your body type?

In order to best determine your body type, it is necessary to recall in your memory the body features that were clearly expressed in adolescence. Remember what the body looked like before it was influenced by environmental factors and lifestyle. As a rule, identifying your body type is not difficult.

The following method of calculating body type is also common: you need to clasp the wrist of your left hand with the thumb and index finger of your right hand:

• If your fingers overlap, you are asthenic;
• If your fingers touch, you are a normosthenic;
• If your fingers do not touch, you are a hypersthenic.

Additionally, various websites offer online calculators and tables for calculating body type measurements. You can use them to confirm the signs described above.

Knowing the weak points of your physique, you can later adjust your diet and workouts to achieve better results.

The ratio of height and leg length

This parameter is well known to the modeling business; there are even entire tables for determining beauty depending on the length of the legs. It is generally believed that a beautiful girl should have long legs and a narrow waist.

The table shows the relationship between height and leg length.

Egorov-Levitsky table

This method is very easy to use! You don’t need to calculate anything, just step on the scales and then compare the result with the data in the table.

Maximum permissible body weight

It is worth noting that here we are talking about the maximum allowable weight for each age.