Understanding Your Body Type And How To Train And Eat For Results!, By: Dave DePew

A quick look around will tell you that we are all “packaged” differently. Everyone has a natural body type or shape.  In this article, we will examine the three basic body types and how your body type can affect your fitness results.  The assumption is that when you have a better understanding as to your individual body type, you will then be able to train and eat in such a way as to achieve optimal results.

Most of us can identify with the desire to achieve a specific “look”.  In your quest to achieve that look, you may even follow the same diet and exercise program as that particular individual.  In fact, you followed it to the letter but did not achieve the same results.  Why?   The simple reality is that the training and nutrition plan that is ideal for one person and body type may have the complete opposite reaction in another. Understanding our individual blue print is not as simple as picking out our body type based on whether we resemble a pear or an apple.  There are numerous methods for determining body type classification.  

Many body type classifications today are based largely upon geographical, social, and psychological differences.  For the purposes of this article, we will confine our discussion to body types based on physiological differences.  Classification using physiological differences has been used as a reference in textbooks and scientific studies for nearly a half century and is well-documented.

Ectomorph
The first body type is the “hard gainer” or Ectomorph. The Ectomorph body type is typically characterized as:  having a thin build, with tall, narrow shoulders, and small ribs.  Women are typically flat chested, often fragile looking, delicate, and youthful in appearance.

Total body weight is low.  With both the body fat composition and lean mass being relatively low, this earns an Ectomorph a very low BMI score.  However while the lean mass is low, typically the skeletal muscle density is high. The combination of all these factors is an active person with an elongated muscular appearance.   Most Ectomorph body types have a great deal of difficulty gaining weight.  On the flip side, they also loose weight very quickly and easily.

Ectomorphs:  Eating and Training

Do Ectomorphs need to eat more calories?
Yes. Ectomorphs generally have a very high metabolism and fast gastric mobility/motility. The Ectomorph Diet should be very high in calories.  Ectomorphs wishing to gain weight will need to eat almost to the point of discomfort.

Should Ectomorphs gain some fat to gain lean muscle or just concentrate on gaining weight in the form of lean muscle tissue?
While not always the case, it has become the historically accepted approach for Ectomorphs to gain some fat to gain lean muscle. Most Ectomorphs claim to experience better gains in strength and recovery as a result of holding a slightly higher amount of body fat. Some do better with the bulking approach. Others feel they lose hard earned muscle when attempting to lose body fat.  Regardless of which approach is taken, the foods eaten should be of good quality.  Obviously limit junk food for health reasons, but eat more food, more often.

Do female Ectomorphs need to gain more body fat to look more feminine?
This is personal preference, but it has been my experience that most women like their appearance more with a little bit of healthy fat on their body. It also helps to provide several other health benefits.

Should the weight training sessions be more or less frequent?
Less frequent. Ectomorphs generally recover very fast and feel as if they should be doing more to get better results, but the opposite is true. Ectomorphs respond better to high intensity low volume training.

Should the training sessions be brief?
Yes. The Ectomorph needs less frequent, high intensity activity with plenty of rest to create the right environment for muscle growth.  Whenever possible, the Ectomorph should look to escalate the training density with in each exercise with more load and time under peak muscle contraction.

Heavy weight training or lighter with higher reps?
Training should be progressively heavy, but on short periodic cycles with three and four weeks being the ceiling.  Tendons and ligaments will usually not respond as well to the gains in strength for most Ectomorphs.  It is actually during most of the lower intensity weeks following a high intensity week that Ectomorph makes their best gains.

What type of training cadence is ideal?
Two seconds for each contraction for gains in muscle hypertrophy.

What type of rest between sets?
Ectomorphs must take longer rest periods than other body types. Three or more minutes are best.

How much cardio should an Ectomorph do?
Aerobic and other activities (walking, biking, swimming, sports, dancing, etc.) should be kept to a minimum, or until you are happy with your weight and physical appearance.  Ectomorphs should focus on slowing their metabolism.

Mesomorph 

The second body type is the more “athletic” or Mesomorph. The Mesomorph body type is typically characterized as a:
hard athletic muscular build, with wide shoulders, and a small waist or V-shaped look for men.  Mesomorph women usually have an hour glass shape.  Women look very feminine and the men look very masculine.  Both sexes appear mature for their age at an early age.

The total body weight is average, but certainly muscular. Body fat composition varies, but this body type can gain and lose both fat and muscle very easily. A majority of the world class athletes have Mesomorph shapes.   On average, Mesomorph body types have a lifetime of athletic experience resulting from being singled out early on in their lives as potential athletes.

This body type will respond very quickly to a variety of training styles and can perform well even under the worst of diets.

Mesomorphs:  Eating and Training

How should a Mesomorph eat?
The Mesomorph’s body appears strong and healthy with very little effort needed.  However, they should still maintain constant exercise and proper nutritional intake.  Eating correctly for this body type involves focusing on a surplus of calories. Their metabolism is generally high, but the gastric mobility/motility is not as fast as the Ectomorph. Mesomorphs have more of an opportunity to absorb greater amounts of nutrients.

Do Mesomorphs need to bulk up to gain muscle?

No, not if they are a true Mesomorph. The ability to gain lean muscle is easier for the Mesomorphs, and in addition the Mesomorphs also can achieve a lean appearance with little compromise to lean muscle gains while the Ectomorph has a much higher degree of difficulty holding on to lean muscle.

Should the weight training sessions be more or less frequent?
Training sessions can be done more often and for longer periods of time. The recovery for most Mesomorphs is greater and many continue to make gains in muscle on very low calories.

How long should the training sessions be?
Mesomorphs should still try to wrap up their weight training sessions in an hour or less.

Heavy weight training or lighter with higher reps?
Mesomorphs respond best to a variety of training styles and adapt very easily to everything. Change is good for the Mesomorph. 

What type of training cadence is ideal?
It should vary weekly.

What type of rest between sets?
Two to three minutes is all that is usually needed for strength sessions. Mesomorphs are very quick to recover from a variety of training styles.

How much cardio should a Mesomorph do? Cardio doesn’t typically effect the development of muscle mass for most Mesomorphs as long as there are enough calories to offset activity.

Endomorph 

The third body type is the “largest” of the three types and makes up the majority of our overweight population.   The Endomorph body type is typically characterized as being: soft and flabby, and having a large trunk and thighs.  In general, Endomorphs have a “big boned” or “stocky” frame with a naturally high degree of body fat.

The primary goal of any Endomorph should be the control of body fat through an active and healthy lifestyle. Most Endomorphs have been considered overweight their whole life and have a great deal of difficulty losing weight. They are generally very strong, but do not possess a great deal of speed.  Total body weight is on the high end of the BMI and muscle mass is high.  Body fat composition can very easily reach unhealthy levels.  Endomorphs can easily lose body weight, but it is typically in the form of water weight.  Unfortunately, it always comes back.  Endomorphs can gain muscle very easily. This body type will respond very well to high volumes of training under a very detailed diet.

Most Endomorph body types have dieted to extremes their whole life and have gained and lost thousands of pounds by the time they reach mid-life. A combination of poor dietary habits and a sedentary lifestyle put the Endomorph at the greatest health risk of all body types.

Endomorphs:  Eating and Training

How should an Endomorph eat?
The Endomorph needs to develop a higher degree of motivation to produce the drive required to lose weight continuously. The Endomorph’s metabolism is generally low. They have a very slow and largely overdeveloped digestive system that allows for great amounts of caloric nutrient absorption.  

Meal frequency is very important. Endomorphs should eat a bulk of foods that provide very little “caloric” nutrient value or provide a high “thermic effect”. Sugars, sweets, alcohol and junk food should be completely eliminated from a diet in the beginning. Later, natural sugars can be brought back into the diet after they have maintained exercise consistency for three weeks or more.

Do Endomorphs need to bulk up to gain muscle?
No, never! In fact most Endomorphs will gain muscle at a huge caloric deficit when performing progressive strength training. The strength training element of their program is done for the purpose of stimulating muscle metabolic activity to improve metabolism. Endomorphs will be slow to lose external or adipose fat due to a tendency toward large amounts of internal fat deposits or visceral fat surrounding the organs.  This makes fat loss even more difficult.

Should the Endomorphs train with weights more or less frequently?
The training sessions should be frequent. In many cases, Endomorphs should exercise twice a day for best results. Endomorph body types have the best over all recovery and don’t experience as much muscle soreness as they become more fit.  

How long should the training sessions be?
Endomorphs need more over all frequency of physical activity, and benefit greatly from high duration low intensity training.  Endomorphs should get as much exercise as possible, but should still limit a single exercise session to no more then ninety minutes. Endomorphs will find it difficult to over train if they are able to progress slowly.

Should an Endomorph train with heavy weights or lighter weights with high reps? What cadence is ideal?

Endomorphs can train well with a variety of exercise styles, but should favor exercise programs that maintain deep breathing and provide little rest. Overall, the use of heavy to moderate weight loads at a fast training pace is ideal. Movements should be very controlled, but definitely not slow.  In Endomorphs, slow movements equal gains in hypertrophy. The gains in hypertrophy can be psychologically damaging for those monitoring their progress with only the assistance of a scale. 

What type of rest is needed between sets?
As little as possible. As soon as breathing in under control, it’s time to start working!

How much cardio should an Endomorph do?
Endomorph should engage in daily aerobic activity at varying intensity. Activities like walking, biking, and even swimming, provide great aerobic demands. Start slowly and increase time and intensity each week. Ideally an Endomorph should do as much as 300 to 360 minutes of cardio a week to see consistent results. Breaking the cardio sessions into smaller, more frequent, intense sessions is very beneficial. Endomorphs should work on increasing their metabolism rate.

The Solution

Regardless if you wish to gain muscle or lose fat, you most certainly want to train and eat in a way that provides you the results achieved by a Mesomorph.

Can we develop a way of eating and training that will positively affect all body types?I believe that everyone has the potential to develop a great shape regardless of their natural physical body type or shape.

Part of creating the right body is understanding that there are common attributes and very distinct differences in the rules that apply to each body type. Creating a plan to help your body train more like a Mesomorph, or if you are a Mesomorph, simply getting the most out of your body, is what transformation specialists do every day.

Regardless if you are an Endomorph body type who has lived life in a constant struggle with your weight, or an extreme Ectomorph who feels that a good gust of wind could blow you away, there are ways to train and eat to get the results you want.

Just about any training program along with most diets will provide some initial benefit.  However, it is only when you know which body type you are, and can eat and train for that body type, that you will make better progress and achieve results.

Our goal should be to match the results of a Mesomorph. With an individualized approach and hard work, we can attain that which comes easy to most Mesomorphs.  The Ectomorph and Endomorph may need to work harder to look like the Mesomorph, but looking good and being fit is ultimately the reward that is worth the sacrifice.  Working with a transformation specialist will help you to identify your body type and a smart plan for reaching your goals.