Choosing the Right Workout for Your Body Type

There are three fundamental body types—namely, ectomorph, mesomorph, and endomorph. People with an ectomorph are lean with a thin, delicate build and do not gain weight easily. People with a mesomorph body are muscular and boast a hard, rectangular build. They can easily gain or lose weight. And the third type, people with an endomorph body type, are fleshy with a supple, round appearance and might have trouble shedding weight. However, many people do not fit perfectly into any one type, and they may be a combination of all three body types.

As everybody is unique, no particular workout can cater to the needs and requirements of all body types. However, being aware of your principal body type can help you develop the right workout for your body type.

Endomorphs

Unluckily, endomorphs may go through a hard time in the pursuit of losing fat. Endos normally carry extra fat near the lower abdomen, hips and thighs. Strength training can add stress to their joints and bones, so they should start with a program that burns calories instead of a workout that involves a lot of strength training.

The extra weight they carry can cause increased pressure on joints and bones in a high-impact exercise like tennis or jumping rope, or anything that involves strong and repetitive movements. For this reason, they should first go for low-impact cardio exercises like walking or biking. If you are an endomorph, weight lifting can also be the right workout for your body type to solidify your mid- and upper-back strength.

Ectomorphs

The objective for this skinny body type is to tone or increase muscle mass. The same cardio exercises that function well for their pear-shaped friends can simply worsen the beanpole look for ectos. Although their long arms and legs are compatible with long-distance running, women in this category who want to work on toning their muscles are advised to reduce the cardio and add more resistance training.

For ectos seeking curves, swimming is the right workout for your body type as the water acts as resistance. Moreover, the body will frequently offer extra fat insulation for skinny bodies working out in pools. Resistance training proves to be helpful in building both muscle tone and bone density for ecto women, who usually have small, delicate bones and are likely to suffer from osteoporosis.

Mesomorphs

People with a mesomorph body type are hereditarily privileged when it comes to developing lean muscle mass. If you are a mesomorph, almost any exercise can be the right workout for your body type. A mesomorph can appear to be an athlete even when not working out. People who have this body type can benefit from almost any training protocol. On the other hand, to achieve maximum potential, the mesomorphs must build on their genetically gifted body structure since they can thrive when challenged and respond well to an alternating exercise program. They should switch between different types of workouts for building muscles.

In case you need to decide which body type you fit into, you can take important measurements, such as body mass index, resting metabolic rate, and body fat percentage.