Marion Freijsen A blog about Sports, Fitness & Health

Do you know your body type?

I usually don’t pay too much attention to body types, because at the end of the day – you will simply have to work with the one you got! No use crying that you want to look like Arnold Schwarzenegger if you really are more like Danny de Vito after all.

I was in conversation yesterday though with Nando, Personal Trainer (www.1-2-1-trainers.com) and he pointed out that it does make a difference what material you work with and that it helps understanding your body type in order to know what you can expect. That makes sense, and I like sense so here’s the short version on body-types and what it actually means to your training….

There are three basic types -

1. Ectomorph – these are typically long and lanky and those types that can eat anything they see without gaining much wait. Typically, suitable for sports that require length and lean strength such as cycling, or jumping or high-jumps rather then training to build muscle. It’s great being able to eat a lot, but the fact that you burn it quickly is obviously not always helpful. It means that if you do long distance work, you will need to make sure you keep up your energy and keep eating.

2. Mesomorph – these are the types that gain muscle easily. Not as light in bone structure as the ectomorphs, and often with broad shoulders and chest. Ideal candidates for bodybuilding and other strength activities where they can show off their muscle power.

3. Endomorph – these types are round and soft. Very hard to really get “dry” (a term that means low bodyfat percentage so that you can see underlying muscle structure well) and often a lower metabolism so harder to lose weight.

The bad news is that however much you train, you cannot alter your body-type. You are born with it and will have to learn to make the most of it. The good news is that knowing which type you do have, will help you select activities and sports that you are most suited to and you can train specifically to improve on what you already have. Whatever your type, you are always apt to do something! And being active is better then not being active…whatever type you are.