Proportions of the human body

The first to notice the proportions of the human body were the ancient Hindus and Egyptians. It was they who began their active study, and as a basic unit of length, a hand was used . Later, Greek and Italian artists tried to find out how the proportions of a woman's body, men and children of different ages differ.

Their observations and calculations were substantially replenished at the end of the twentieth century, thanks to the measurements made on the most typical representatives. Such studies have helped to derive general laws of proportionality of the body and its changes related to age, size of growth, or some kind of activity.

To date, special importance has been gained by those observations and measurements that are aimed at the derivation of the average figures (norms) necessary for constructing diagrams of the shape and magnitude of individual deviations. In addition to this, at the present time, data are actively collected about which indicators the proportions of the body of representatives of non-European races differ from the proportions of the European, white race. A specific scheme for measuring both the whole body and individual limbs, face and head was developed for this purpose. To obtain anthropometric indicators, as a rule, a ruler with divisions or a double meter is used.

With these tools, you can easily measure the size of the growth, as well as the height of the chin, shoulder and other parts. In order to determine the proportions of the human body as accurately as possible, especially with regard to the length of the limbs, the width of the pelvis and shoulders, a special compass - Topinara - is necessarily used. The circumference of the head and chest is measured using a conventional metric tape, and the dimensions of individual parts of the face are measured with a thick-legged and sliding circus.

As for what are the ideal proportions of the body, here the experts are unanimous in their opinion - the most important proportions of a person should be in harmony with his growth, constitution and age.

You can calculate your own parameters in several common ways. First, using a formula based on the addition of the circumference of the shoulder, the circumference of the shin and neck, and the subsequent division of the result to the hip circumference. The figure between 0.50% and 0.65% is considered an indicator of ideal proportions of the body. Secondly, one can use Brock's widely known formula: "100 centimeter growth" (if growth is up to 165 centimeters) and "growth in centimeters is 105" (if the growth is more than 165 centimeters). However, in this case it is very important to take into account the types of body proportions that can be thin-skinned, normative and broad-bone. The parameters of the person should correspond to the first type, with a wrist less than 16 centimeters (with girth), the second type - from 16 to 20 centimeters, and the third - more than 20 centimeters.

Especially it should be emphasized that such calculations are usually not aimed at determining whether a person needs to lose weight, his body is beautifully arranged or not. It is important to understand that the proportions are laid genetically, the size of certain limbs, the shape of the head, the width of the face and much more - all these are signs that are determined by heredity. Trying to radically change them is not necessary, you can only slightly adjust.