Understanding your body type will help so much if you are wanting to heal your body. WHY? Because now you know what you can and can’t do. You will understand that everyone is different and that their body’s can withstand different pressures and stress. You will understand your body limits and work in harmony with your body instead of against your body. There are four basic body types. Of these, only two body types are often be seen in clinic. The four body types are 1) Basic yang body type 2) Super yang body type 3) Basic yin body type and 4) Super yin body type. Let’s analyze these body types and help you understand which category you fall in.
Basic yang body types have a good sound physical structure. They generally tend to be men although women can have this body type as well. They have good, strong bones and good muscle tissue. These people don’t have much health problems generally. They tend to be pragmatic. They often can be in sales or something that involves money and money management. Because of their sound physical structure, they can also be involved in physical work like carpentry, mechanics, plumbing etc. Most basic yang body types wont even read this as they are generally healthy.
Super yang body types have an even stronger physical structure than the basic yang body type. They can often have very thick bones and strong muscle tissue. Men almost totally dominate this category. They can be tall or shorter and more stocky. They can have a redder complexion and rough skin. These men dominate the military and sports. They can also be CEO’s of companies. They can be very driven and ambitious. These guys hardly ever get sick and they can push their body’s to limits that most of us couldn’t even imagine. They were just born with strong body’s. However, because they don’t get sick, they don’t really know there limits and can push themselves too much. When they finally realize that they’ve pushed themselves way too far, it can sometimes be too late. These guys are the one’s that one day had a heart attack out of the blue although warning signs had been there for some time. These people can be easy to anger and sometimes not sensitive to others feelings. They can be aggressive and confident. Most super yang types wont read this because they are generally healthy majority of their life.
Basic yin body types are seen quite often in the clinic. They tend to be women although men can fall into this category. These people are often times more academically inclined. They have leaner body’s and thinner bones. They can be frail,pale and weak. They can have softer skin as well. They usually are involved in some type of development/consultant work. These people are usually more sensitive and can have chronic illness. If they push themselves too much (ie. overwork/stress), they can easily exhaust themselves or feel pain. They usually like routine and need to eat well, sleep well and have a good exercise regimen. Because their body’s are more sensitive, they should choose exercises that are more rejuvenating like Yoga, Tai Chi or Qi Gong. Too much aerobics or weight lifting could make their symptoms worse. They do need to build mass and muscle, but it should be done very gradually. These people can also be anxious, nervous or stressed out easily. It can also be difficult for them to say no to others and set boundaries. These people can be quite perceptive and intuitive. They don’t usually like physical work and can be lazy.
The last body type I’m going to speak upon is the super yin body type. This body type is almost exclusively women. This body type is more round. They tend to have slow metabolism and excess weight. They tend to get cold easily as well. These people are soft and more flabby. These people tend to be insecure. They should watch their diet and exercise regularly. Because of their lack of yang qi, it can be easy for them to get stuck in a job or relationship. It can also be difficult for them to set boundaries with others. Saying no can be an issue for them as well.
You may find that you fit one of these categories or that you are kind of a mix of two of these body types. Furthermore, body types can change as we get older. Diet, stress and exercise can have a strong impact on our body type. Now that you have an idea about what kind of body type you may have, you can see that we are all created different. Play with the cards that your dealt. I know many of my basic yin body type patients that want to do as much as a super yang body type, but they can’t! And it’s OK. You can build your physical strength gradually now that you understand this and still live a healthy life.