Fitness is a major part of life, but it can be hard to figure out what workout routine suits your body type. That’s because there are five different types of bodies: ectomorph, mesomorph, endomorph, and the less-talked-about ecto-endomorph and meso-endomorph body types. In order to create an effective workout plan for your needs as well as have the best chance at success with fitness goals, you must know which type of body you have so that you can match your workouts to those needs.
Create a Home Gym Routine
A great way to stay on track with your fitness goals is to set up a routine. It can be difficult to find the motivation to hit the gym every day. However, if you create a routine and follow it, your chances of success greatly increase. The folks at myfitnesssystem.com noted that it is important that you “build a fitness system that suits your lifestyle”. Having a routine to follow will help you commit to your new healthy lifestyle. Many people who want to begin a workout routine don’t have the budget for a gym membership, which is okay, as there are plenty of exercise options that can be done at home. Fitness doesn’t need to be expensive, and it is important to build a plan regardless of your budget. Everyone can start a workout plan and accomplish their fitness goals. But in order to achieve success, you need to know what sort of equipment you need to focus on. This is why it is so important to know your body type and the type of exercises you need to be focusing on.
Ectomorphs
Ectomorphs are naturally thin and lean. They have small shoulders, narrow hips, low body fat, and fine bone structure. Because of the way their body is built, they struggle with weight gain, but also can be prone to injuries because their ligaments aren’t very strong, which causes them to be fragile in some cases. The best exercises for an ectomorph are ones that build lean muscle mass like running, biking, and hiking. Weightlifting is also good, however, the weight must be light in order to not strain their ligaments. They can also try cross-training with activities like yoga, pilates, or high-intensity interval training (HIIT). Ectomorphs should eat smaller portions more often in order to maintain their weight.
Mesomorphs
Mesomorphs are the most common type of body. They have athletic builds with broad shoulders, narrow waists, low body fat levels, and strong bone structure. They typically gain muscle mass very easily, which is great for gaining strength quickly. However, they also can lose weight pretty easily too if their activity level decreases. In terms of exercise, the mesomorphic body type should just maintain a good balance between cardio and weight lifting. They shouldn’t lift too heavy because it could result in injury, but they also shouldn’t overload on cardio to avoid losing muscle mass. Both types of ectomorphs and endomorphs can benefit from trying a mesomorph workout plan.
Endomorphs
Endomorphs are people who inherit the naturally big-boned mesomorphic body type, but also gain weight in their stomach, chest, and hips more easily than any other body type. They usually carry extra fat to store energy in case they ever need it in emergency situations like famine or dehydration. If an endomorph loses weight, they are prone to losing it in their arms and legs first rather than in their stomach. The best way for an endomorph to lose weight is through high-intensity interval training, resistance training, focusing on burning more calories than you consume, and eating small portions of food every few hours so that the energy isn’t stored as body fat. Cardio should be done at a lower intensity to avoid the possibility of injury because endomorphs are prone to broken bones due to their bigger bone structure.
Ecto-Endomorphs
Ecto-endomorphs are people who inherit both ectomorphic and endomorphic features. Ecto endomorphs are people who inherit the naturally thin ectomorphic body type, but also have rounder features like an apple-shaped midsection, chest, and hips. This means that they are able to gain weight in their stomach, chest, and hips pretty quickly while also carrying the benefits of being naturally thin. If they gain weight it’s usually in these areas, but if they lose weight it tends to come off there too. The best way for an ecto-endomorph to lose fat is through high-intensity interval training, such as running and biking, resistance training like weight lifting, and simply just by working out more often than their ectomorphic counterpart. For both types of ectomorphs, the principle of eating small meals more often applies. When you are eating small portions frequently throughout the day to avoid energy storage as body fat, and eating lower calorie foods to help maintain their weight, they are able to maintain their ectomorphic features.
Meso-Endomorphs
Meso-endomorphs are people who inherit the naturally big-boned mesomorphic body type with rounder features like an apple-shaped midsection, chest, and hips that also gain weight in these areas more easily than any other type of body. They usually carry extra fat to store energy in case they ever need it in emergency situations like famine or dehydration. If a meso-endomorph loses weight, they are prone to losing it in their arms and legs first rather than in their stomach. The best way for an endomorph to lose weight is through high-intensity interval training, eating small portions frequently throughout the day to avoid energy storage as body fat, and eating lower calorie foods. They should also focus on resistance training to build lean muscle, so they can burn more calories when exercising.
Now that you know about the different body types, it is important to consider what type of workout routine will be best for you. If you are an ectomorph, you should focus on high-intensity interval training and resistance training. If you are an endomorph, you should focus on high-intensity interval training, resistance training, calorie-burning exercises, and eating small portions more often throughout the day. Lastly, if you are a mesomorph or meso-endomorph, you should maintain a good balance between cardio and weightlifting while also focusing on eating small meals frequently throughout the day.
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