How to train your body type

There are three different body type categories: the endomorph, the mesomorph and the ectomorph. Your genetics, nutrition and fitness lifestyle play a large role in how you look, but without any doubt EVERYBODY can become fit. Let’s determine which body type you are…

ENDOMORPH TYPE

Ehe endomorph Person tends to put on weight and struggle to lose it. The build is wider than an ectomorph or mesomorph, with a thick ribcage, wide hips and shorter limbs. An endomorph person may have a significant amount of muscle mass but it is often hidden under the body fat. If you are an endomorph, you can definitely become very strong, only getting lean is going to take lots of hard work.

Fitness Goals

The endomorph should concentrate on working the large muscle groups like legs or the back. Moderate weights and 15 repetitions with only 30-60 seconds rest time between sets will lead to best results. Long cardio sessions of 50-60 minutes three times a week will melt that fat away and speed up metabolism.

Nutrition Advise

Endomorphs are usually carbohydrate and insulin sensitive. Therefore they should get most of their carbs in form of vegetables and smaller amounts of wholewheat grains like black rice or quinoa. Endomorph people should fill their plate with 30 percent carbs, 35 percent protein and 35 percent healthy fats.

MESOMORPH TYPE

I would consider myself a mesomorph type. We are the lucky ones who tend to have wide shoulders, narrow waists and relatively thin joints. In short: we have a natural tendency to be fit and muscular. My son Noah is definitely a mesomorph too. He is swimming four times a week and you should see how defined his chest and abs are! He is super lean and I reassure you that he eats dessert every day.

Fitness Goals

Mesomorphs are naturally strong because their muscles are thick and dense. Lifting moderate weights with 30-90 seconds rest in between sets five days a week is ideal to stimulate their muscle growth. Achieving a lean body requires consistent cardio sessions for the mesomorph. They can get optimal results with interval training 2-3 times a week. A sample interval training may look like this:

5-minute warm-up – moderate jog

8 intervals – 30-second sprints, followed by a two-minute recovery walk or slow jog

5-minute cool-down – walk and stretch

Nutrition Advise

Mesomorphs needs to eat slightly more calories than other body types due to their higher ratio of muscle mass. Since muscle mass burns more calories and needs maintenance, their diet should be rich in carbohydrate and protein. An ideal plate would be equally filled with one-third of protein, one-third vegetable and one-third whole grains and fats.

ECTOMORPH TYPE

If you know anyone who can eat anything including hamburgers, french fries and chocolate ice-cream without putting on weight, you can be sure that he is an ectomorph. They tend to be thin and have long limbs. It may be great not to gain weight, but it is also hard to put on muscle. Being an ectomorph doesn’t mean you’re doomed to be weak. But you should eat lots and train hard.

Fitness Goals

Ectomorphs need to lift heavy to get results. I suggest completing three to five sets of 8-12 repetitions for each muscle group. Because ectomorphs recover fast, they may consider training the full body when they hit the gym. Long cardio sessions are no good for ectomorphs who want to build up muscle. A 10 minutes run on the treadmill before training or 30 minutes of cardio three times a week will be enough to keep the heart healthy.

Nutrition Advise

Having a fast metabolism can be both a blessing and a curse. Ectomorphs are naturally lean but with age, their metabolisms slow down, primarily due to low muscle mass, which can result in an unhealthy body fat gain. Ectomorphs should eat every 2-4 hours. They should stock up on carbohydrates like oatmeal, brown rice, quinoa and sweet potatoes. Best fruit choices include bananas, mangoes, pineapple, avocado and peaches. Ectomorphs should have a snack one hour before and after their workout. Ideal before training is wholewheat bread with banana and peanut-butter. After sports a protein shake with a spoon of oats would be perfect.