Ever wonder why people respond differently to exercise at the gym? The answer to this question is the fact that each body is unique and has different reactions to the stimuli of the gym, as well as other peculiarities, such as the speed of metabolism , bone structure and the predisposition to accumulate fat.
Therefore, in order to have good aesthetic results and achieve the expected goals with the exercises, it is necessary to know which types of training are appropriate for your body class . The three types of bodies are: ectomorph, mesomorph and endomorph.
Do you want to know more about each one, what are their similarities and what is the type of training to get the best results ? So, keep reading and check it out!
Ectomorph
Characteristics
The people in this group are the so-called “skinny of bad”. Joking aside, the body of an ectomorphic individual is usually thin , with long but thin arms and legs, with fibrous muscles and narrow shoulders
They also have as marked characteristics little body fat, very dense bones, flat chest (without volume), difficulty in gaining weight and very fast metabolism . In addition, their bones stand out in relation to muscles and fat, which means that, even in periods without physical activity, they do not lose definition.
Types of workouts for this body class
Thanks to accelerated metabolism, ectomorphic individuals, in most cases, have difficulty gaining weight, especially muscle mass, as they burn calories quickly . For this reason, to cope with meeting the basic needs of the body and being able to acquire a few pounds, these people have the need to adhere to a high calorie diet, that is, with a high intake of calories from a quality food , combined with hypertrophy workouts.
Bodybuilding for people with this type of body should consist of intense and shorter training and, mainly, focused on larger muscle groups. The ideal is to dedicate yourself to exercises with higher loads to increase the size and definition of the muscles .
It is worth mentioning that aerobic exercises must be minimally present in the training of ectomorphs, because, due to caloric burning, they can accelerate the weight loss process . So choose to do it a maximum of three times a week and for short periods of time.
To maintain muscle gains and avoid catabolism, it is very important to eat before bed and eat at least six meals throughout the day, rich in proteins, low glycemic index carbohydrates and fibers.
Mesomorph
Characteristics
People who have a mesomorphic body are popularly considered to have “good genetics”. This is because they usually have a larger bone structure, with an athletic type. Naturally strong, individuals with this body pattern are ideal for the practice of bodybuilding , since they gain muscle mass with ease.
The main features are: larger head, broad shoulders, thin waist, athletic build, more defined muscles, ease for hypertrophy and also to gain fat, in addition to a rectangular body shape.
Types of training for the Mesomorph
Whoever fits this pattern responds well to exercises performed with weight. The changes in the mesomorphic bodies are quick and quite evident, especially when they start or change the training period. On the other hand, they have the disadvantage of gaining fat easily , which makes greater attention to calorie intake necessary.
Due to these conditions it is recommended that the ectomorphic individual reconcile weight training and cardiovascular exercises throughout the week. Thus, there will be fat burning, hypertrophy and an improvement in general conditioning.
Endomorphs
Characteristics
People who have an endomorphic body type are those who easily gain fat. The main characteristics of this pattern are: a more rounded body, a large physique, shorter arms and wide legs. Because they have strong and powerful muscles, especially in the legs, these individuals have great potential to be sportsmen .
Endomorphs have a slow metabolism, easy to gain muscle and great difficulty in losing weight . When a person wants to acquire lean mass and lose fat, the diet should be low-calorie, focusing on protein consumption.
Most suitable types of training
Due to the great difficulty to lose weight, the training of people with endomorphic body should be focused on high intensity , aerobic exercises and with use of moderate loads for muscle strengthening, but with a high number of repetitions to stimulate fat burning . For best results, it is recommended to combine weight training and activities such as cycling or running , for example.
Similarities between physical types
As we have seen, the physical types have some similarities, and it is difficult for a person to have only one pattern. What happens is that we often have body types combined.
For example, people with a weight within the normal range may have different combinations . Endo-mesomorphs tend to be larger, but with an athletic build, and gain muscle mass with agility, at the same time that they are easily gaining fat.
For this reason, high intensity training is recommended , which also tests agility in large and descending series. You just need to be careful not to overdo it, as glycogen can accumulate in the cells, which later converts to fat.
On the other hand, ecto-mesomorphs, in spite of the difficulty in gaining muscles, have the facility to remain thinner, with a defined body. The ideal here is to have a very intense workout and not leave rest aside so that there is time for the cells to recover and not use the muscle tissue itself as energy.
Now that you have read all this information with the characteristics of each body pattern, can you identify yours? Recognizing what your body type is is very important to get the food strategies and training types right for your profile.
However, remember not to start diets without the assistance of a nutritionist and never to start a series of exercises without the help of a physical education professional. Only he is able to correctly understand your body type , understand your limitations and define the best strategies with you.