By being honest with yourself and understanding your body type, you are able to manage your expectations.
Fitness expert Dorian Cabral, explains that at birth we were immobile and this was our most vulnerable stage. “We then achieve milestones such as rolling over, sitting, crawling, standing, walking, and then running. Slowly, but surely, we become stronger and less vulnerable.”
He adds that it is important to understand that if we do not continue to do what we were designed to do, our bodies will seize up. “Steady and consistent exercise will help us to build our bodies up to what they were designed to be, while keeping in mind that we are all different and therefore have to be careful not to push ourselves too hard, too quickly.”
Cabral adds that knowing what your body can do starts by understanding the different body types.
Body Types for Fitness
Body Type 1: The Ectomorph
- Has a small, delicate frame and bone structure
- Is naturally thin
- Has a fast metabolism
- Finds it hard to gain weight
- Has relatively small shoulders
Your Challenges
If you have a straight “up-and-down” physique, you’re naturally weaker than others, and you’ll have to work hard to gain muscle. While you are able to eat what you want, remember to keep a balanced eating plan, as your body still needs plenty of nutrients.
What Works For You
Focusing on being in the hypertrophy range by following a 3-4 day split and grouping the six muscle groups into a group of two per day will promote muscle gain. Heavier weights with a repetition range between eight and 12 reps of 3-4 sets per group is ideal.
Insulin is the most anabolic hormone in the body, so complex carbohydrates would be recommended for those wishing to increase muscle fibre expansion. Cardiovascular training is recommended at 65% of the target heart rate z one or at level 5 or 6 on the table of RPE (rating of perceived exertion) and for no longer than 30 minutes per day.
Body Type 2: The Endomorph
This body type is curvy and has underdeveloped muscles. However:
- Can build muscles quickly
- Is generally shorter and stockier
- Has a slow metabolism
- Tends to gain weight easier than most
Your Challenges
If you’re an endomorph, your body can build muscle fairly easily, but it also tends to hold on to fat, resulting in difficulty getting lean and toned. The endomorphs look great when their bodies are in shape, but tend to gain weight on their stomach and thighs when they fall out of their exercise and eating plan.
What works for you
Your focus should be on getting the most out of your workout – aiming at strength endurance workouts, working heavyweights, and getting out 12-15 reps per working set of anything between 8 and 16 working sets per muscle group on a 2-3 day split.
Cardio workouts should be based at 65% or level 5/6 of RPE z one up to 60 minutes alternating with boost workouts at 85% of max heart rate or between 9 and 10 on the RPE scale, comprised of 20 minutes of high-intensity interval or cardiovascular work.
Body Type 3: The Mesomorph
This body type is naturally athletic. Here’s what you can look out for:
- Has a hard, muscular frame
- Has good posture
- Women have an hour-glass figure
- Men have a more square shape
Your Challenges
If you’re a mesomorph, you’re probably compact and naturally lean with little effort, so consider yourself lucky. You respond well to exercise, but you are more than likely to lose and gain weight fairly easily. Your challenge is to approach your workout with moderation and be careful not to keep pushing your body too hard when at the top of your game, as this can result in injury and overtraining. A moderate eating plan and consistency with your activity
What Works For You
Women will see great results by practicing a combination of cardio and resistance training, keeping to heavyweights and repetitions, between 15 and 20 per set. Men will need to train according to their goals as heavyweights, with a rep range between 8-12, will help to build muscle.
Men and women who have sufficient amounts of muscle for their frames and want to develop strength should use very heavyweights, with a rep range of between 1 and 5 recommended. Explosive training or plyometrics can be incorporated into the workout of a mesomorph.
Don’t go to the gym to lose weight; instead, go there with the goal in mind of becoming more healthy and enjoying the perks of having fun and transforming.