Simple Wrist Test Shows Whether Your Body Type Is That of a Model, Athlete, or Sumo Wrestler

Grab your wrist and find out what kind of body frame you have. Some people can stuff themselves full of snacks without any repercussions, while others seem to gain weight without so much as batting an eyelid, making achieving that vaunted “Cinderella weight” a distant dream.

Perhaps it has something to do with our body types, as some tend to remain skinny while others possess extra fat by default. What kind of body you have is as simple as wrapping fingers around your wrist.

“Grip your opposite wrist using the thumb and middle finger. If you’re right-handed, use your right hand to grab your left wrist.

Ectomorph — Thumb and middle finger overlapping with ease. (Difficulty in gaining body fat and muscle)

Mesomorph — Thumb and middle finger touching each other. (Loses body fat easily and gains muscle quickly)

Endomorph — Thumb and middle finger doesn’t come into contact. (Gains both body fat and muscle easily)

This is just an impression, but ectomorphs have the bodies of full marathon runners or models, mesomorphs gymnasts or athletes, and endomorphs professional wrestlers or sumo wrestlers.”

While the names may sound like aliens out of a sci-fi horror movie, it turns out the method does have a scientific basis. The concept of such body types — known as somatotypes — was first introduced in the 1940s by Dr. William H. Sheldon, whose assistant went on to develop a more robust system that’s still used to evaluate athletes today.

The theory is that calculating the wrist’s circumference in relation to height determines what kind of body frame one has. But since most people have a combination of the three body types, wrist measurements provide a rough estimate at best. Still, it’s a quick way to find out why some people have trouble shaving their weight.

“If only I knew about the wrist test earlier. At least it’s never too late to become a sumo wrestler!”

Japanese netizens were eager to share their findings, though some remain skeptical:

“I see. So that’s why I can never seem to gain weight even after eating so much.”
“This is great! Except… only my arm is like a model’s and nothing else!”
“So this is based on the length of our fingers?”
“Mine overlaps easily, but I’m so fat.”
“Nice! Mine’s like an athlete!”

So which body type are you? Let me know in the comments