Train right for your body type

Back in the 1940s a man called William Sheldon devoted his life to observing the variety of human bodies. He proposed that there are, fundamentally, three main different body types: Ectomorph, Mesomorph and Endomorph. This idea was not new, the philosopher Plato mentions it as far back as 380bc. We don’t all necessarily fall neatly into one body type. You may be a mixture of an ectomorph and mesomorph or a mesomorph and an endomorph. You will not find a mix of the ectomorph and endomorph as they are at the opposite ends of the scale.

Do you know your body type? Co-founder of Your Body Programme, Luisa Valenti explains the importance of understanding your body type and how this will largely determine the best way to eat and exercise to achieve your own personal goals.

Appearance

Ectomorphs tend to be slim in appearance, often described as long and lean, wiry or willowy. Female ectomorphs can lack feminine curves, often flat chested with a straighter physique. Classic ectomorphs tend to have long limbs, narrow waist, small joints and a light bone structure.

Mesomorphs tend to be naturally athletic in appearance without even training. They can be described as naturally lean, muscular and sporty, with broad shoulders and narrow waists. They have a medium-sized bone structure with large muscles and are generally in proportion.

Endomorphs can be described as heavy set and muscular, although not well defined in an untrained person. They are strong yet gain fat easily. Female endomorphs are full figured, curvaceous and sometimes pear shaped with wider hips than shoulders. Endomorphs have medium to large bone structures with thick joints and their limbs can often appear short. 

The differences

As well as being different in appearance, the body types are different in ability. Ectomorphs find it hard to build muscle yet they can easily lose fat as they have the fastest metabolism. They are carbohydrate tolerant and should eat more meals per day than other body types. Endomorphs are the other extreme. Their ability to build muscle is exceptional, yet they gain fat easily due to a sluggish metabolism. They are less carbohydrate tolerant than the other body types and should eat fewer meals per day. Mesomorphs are in the middle with the ability to both gain muscle and lose fat relatively easily. They have a medium metabolic rate and can tolerate carbohydrate, but not as well as the ectomorphs.

A principle difference between the three body types is the ratios of muscle fibre. There are three types of muscle fibre (Type 2A fast twitch, type 2B fast twitch and type 1 slow twitch). Ectomorphs have predominantly type 1 slow twitch muscle fibre and therefore excel at endurance sports. At the other end of the scale, endomorphs have predominantly type 2B fast twitch muscle fibre. This makes them perfect candidates for powerful explosive sports, such as the 100metre sprint, javelin and shot put. Mesomorph have predominantly type 2A fast twitch muscle fibre, which enables them to produce fast powerful movements but not to the same degree as the endomorph. A perfect sport for a mesomorph would be middle distance running.

How to train for your body type

A training programme will vary dramatically depending on your goal, but below are some general pointers for each body type.

Training for an ectomorph is about creating as much muscle as possible regardless of the goal. The programme should consist of a higher ratio of resistance training to cardio. The rep-range should be lower than other body types, meaning they are lifting relatively heavier weights. Keeping the programme less aerobic will avoid depleting glycogen stores and breaking down muscle.

For endomorphs the focus is not building muscle as this comes easily to them. Keeping the fat percentage down is more important. Their programme will be the most aerobic of all the body types with the highest ratio of cardio to resistance work plus a high rep-range. Mesomorphs are in the middle and will have a good balance of cardio and resistance work with a medium rep-range.

How to figure out your body type

Building muscle – choose the option which best describes your ability to build muscle. 

1. Hard
2. Average 
3. Easy

Fat gain - do you gain weight (fat) easily

1. No I struggle to gain weight
2. I gain and lose weight 
3. Yes I gain weight easily 

Joint size – what size are your joints? 

1. Small 
2. Medium 
3. Large 

Wrist size - place your thumb and middle finger around your wrist and select the relevant option. 

1. Middle finger and thumb overlap 
2. Middle finger and thumb touch 
3. Middle finger and thumb do not touch 

Frame size - choose the option which best describes your frame. 

1. Slight 
2. Average 
3. Large

Metabolism – which option best describes your metabolism

1. Fast 
2. Average 
3. Slow 

Appearance – from the descriptions above select the body type you look most like.

1. Ectomorph
2. Mesomorph
3. Endomorph

RESULTS:

1= Ectomorph 

1-2 = Ecto-mesophorph 

2 = Mesomorph 

2-3 = Meso-endomorph 

3 = Endomorph 

Going through life in a fitter, healthier body will enhance all aspects of your existence. By proud of your body type!

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