Are you trying to get fit but not seeing the desired results? You might be following the wrong workout regime for your specific body type. Here is a brief guide to understanding the 3 body types, identify which one you are and learn what workout/diet regimes you should follow.
ECTOMORPH
This body type also commonly known as the “Hard Gainer” is naturally a slim build with a small frame and lean muscle mass. Other common noticeable features that an ectomorph has are flat chests, small shoulders & a narrow w
aist line. Fast metabolism is another key factor of an ectomorph, burning calories at a much faster rate than other body types so it makes it hard for people with this body type to gain weight & mass.
If these descriptions apply to your body type then you may be an Ectomorph.
Ectomorph’s main advantage is fast metabolism meaning they won’t gain fat easily and have a high endurance due to having low body fat. Ectomorphs have a disadvantage as they have naturally thin weak bodies that make it difficult to gain the desired size & mass. The kind of workouts you should focus on is mostly short & intense which can be done with Strength Training using free weights. You can also do some Calisthenics workouts such as pull-ups & push-ups which is another great way to build your strength using your own body weight. Workouts shouldn’t last longer 60mins a day.
If you’re looking to maintain strong cardiovascular fitness, you can get most cardio training from weight lifting but if you want to do solely cardio days try to keep cardio workouts to a minimum of 30mins 2 times a week.
Diet for ectomorphs should be a balanced diet focusing on mostly clean protein, carbohydrates & fats intakes, although ectomorphs can take advantage of their fast metabolism by eating “junk” food as they won’t gain body fat as easily when adding muscle mass but it is recommended to stay on clean diet just don’t feel to guilty eating an burger on occasions. Make sure to eat before bed to prevent muscle breakdown.
MESOMORPH
This body type is commonly known to have the best of both worlds being naturally athletic, rectangular shape with a solid body & defined muscles with low body fat. They’re also known to have broad shoulders and be naturally strong, gaining muscle much easier than ectomorphs and also able to lose weight easily.
If these descriptions apply to your body type then you may be a Mesomorph.
Mesomorphs have great advantages over the other body types such as being naturally ready built for weight lifting, can deal with high intensity, high frequency workouts and can cope with the extreme stress training can bring making injuries less likely to occur. You can do a vast variety of workouts in cardio & weight training if you have this body type but remember to keep the workouts at a high intensity so that you’ve completely worked your muscles after each session.
Considering mesomorphs metabolism is in between the 3 body types they have little trouble losing or gaining weight. Clean protein is a must along with fruits & veg’s, carbohydrates can be included in the diet as a long as they’re managed correctly, carbs should be consumed when they are needed at breakfast, before and after workouts.
ENDOMORPH
This body type is commonly known as “Short & Stocky” being naturally a soft and round build with large shoulders. They’re known to be naturally strong and very suited to weight training making it very easy for them to gain muscle mass but also easy for them to gain fat which causes endomorphs to have low endurance due to the extra weight of fat.
Endomorphs have a great advantage of having good muscle mass which is deceiving as it’s covered by fat. This allows them to start weight lifting at higher intensities as their bodies are strong & resistant enough to handle the stress like Mesomorphs. The disadvantage an ectomorph has is the easy fat gain so to drop this fat a lot of cardio is a must 15-30mins of cardio 3-4 times a week along with weight training and Calisthenics workouts will help you build the desired muscle mass & lose the fat.
Mesomorph’s have a slow metabolism so calories need to be controlled carefully. Similar to mesomorph’s diet, carbohydrates should be consumed only when needed such as breakfast and pre/post workouts. Make sure you eat your fruits & veg’s particular green vegetables to maintain a clean low carb diet eat less on days you don’t work out isolating your carb intake to breakfast only.
Images from
www.getthefacts.health.wa.gov.au
