Updated: October 11, 2019

Different Body Shapes Performance Varies in Sports

Understanding different body shapes is important when it comes to selecting the vast types of physical activity available. Each body type has different characteristics that enable them to excel or struggle with certain sports. These are general guidelines which do not necessarily apply to every case, but will give you a good idea as to which category you could identify with the most.

In general, bodies are classified into four types: bananas, yams, pears, and apples.

Analyzing the Different Body Shapes

Banana Body Types

These people are generally slim and burn fat easily, which means they naturally carry less fat. Bananas are genetically lean and they don’t tend to be as muscular as the other body types. Bananas tend to be good with endurance sports like running, swimming and soccer. Taller people may do well at basketball and more petite people may do well with gymnastics.

Apple Body Types

These body types are round in the middle and tend to carry more muscle than bananas or pears. Since they are more muscular, apples generally excel in strength-related activities like wrestling, football, rock climbing or gymnastics.

Pear Body Types

These body types are thicker below the waist because they store fat in the lower half of their bodies. They tend to have a higher fat-to-muscle ratio than both apples or bananas. Activities that pears may excel in are martial arts and short-distance endurance sports like baseball, volleyball or track and field.

Yam Body Types

These body types are big all over and tend to be very strong. These kinda of bodies often excel at power sports like football, basketball, rugby, swimming, or track and field.

No matter what your body type, the important thing is to pick an activity or a sport that you enjoy! Also see Tips for Making Exercise Fun.