Does Body Type Matter When Planning Exercise?
One of the subjects which I tend to hear mentioned most frequently in the fitness industry is that of “Body Type”.
It appears that many people believe it is a key determinant of the mode of training or exercise that they should adopt. However, in my opinion, the use of body type as the principal factor in planning an exercise regime for a client carries the risk of limiting the outcomes of the fitness program.
Why do I say this?
Well, let’s start with the three main body types that are generalised as:
Ectomorphs
Ectomorphs are long, slim or slender individuals who seem to be able to eat whatever they like without ever gaining a single pound. On the flipside, Ectomorphs also tend to have a difficult time putting on a lot of muscle.
Predisposed to have a fast metabolism, an example of the advice they could be given might be to build muscle by focusing on resistance training and try to raise their calorie intake.
Endomorphs
Endomorphs are the opposite to Ectomorphs. They store fat quickly and tend to be bigger and more rounded, especially in the mid-section.
Typically the recommendation would be for a focus on cardio with resistance training to help with countering body fat. Metabolism can be enhanced and fat loss encouraged by a blend of strength training and aerobic exercise.
Mesomorphs
Mesomorphs are all muscle! A Mesomorph’s high metabolism and super responsive muscle cells quickly burn up calories.
They have a tendency to respond well to both resistance and cardiovascular training, and likely see results quicker than others!
This ‘pigeon-holing’ can be counterproductive however, as there are many other factors which will determine what exercise is suited to someone and what is going to be the most effective program
I will agree that there is some value in recognising that different body types will experience different results with training and are likely to store fat, use energy and develop muscle differently. However, I cannot stress enough that your health is not defined by your body type.
When designing a fitness program for a client it is vital that I take the holistic approach and include genetics, age, gender, and lifestyle factors into account because all play a part in determining how the body responds to exercise.
So, although body type can be an indicator of how someone will benefit from one form of exercise over another, it is by no means the sole consideration, so don’t get caught-up on it!
Research and Acknowledgements
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