Have you ever heard someone say “ you have a runner’s body!” or “your body is great for building muscle”? It is true that every body is built differently. We each come with an eclectic mix of genes from our ancestors that have given us the body we have today. Over time, research has identified 3 major trends in body types and it has become very useful in identifying who would be more genetically inclined for certain kinds of sports, or certain types of diets.
With that said, if you find after reading this article that you identify with one of these body types more than the other and it is not the body type you have been “training” for, don’t worry. Our bodies are highly adaptable and will therefore adapt to the training stimulus you give it. So if you have an ectomorph body, but you love lifting heavy, keep pushing the limits of your strength! And if you are an mesomorph body type and love to go out for the long running events, then you should definitely keep running! This article is simply here to educate you, not tell you what you should or should not do.
Ectomorph
The first category of somatotype (body-type) is the ectomorph. Individuals with this body type are generally tall, and lean with long limbs and the marathon body. These individuals usually find it difficult to put on weight. Whether they are hitting the gym regularly, trying to eat more, or a combination of the two, it is difficult for these individuals to put on weight. This is due to their characteristically high metabolism. They burn and use the energy they consume through food and hardly store any away for later use.
Endomorph
The endomorph somatotype corresponds with individuals who are usually naturally heavier-set. Their body’s are pear shaped and they are commonly quite stocky in their build. While they can put on muscle mass easily, they can also put on fat quite easily as well. When training as an endomorph, it is important to include both cardio and strength training into your program. This will take advantage of your muscle building abilities while staying lean. Endomorphs have a much slower metabolism than the ectomorphs which is why when they consume food, their body is less efficient at using the energy and more efficient at storing it.
Mesomorph
Mesomorphs can be thought of as the muscle builders. These individuals have an athletic build and are usually rectangular in shape. Broad shoulders and strong muscles all over give them a more filled out, hard body. These individuals have a steady metabolism that helps to feed and maintain their muscle mass, while maintaining and lean look. It is these people who are best suited for weight training.
So Which One Are You?
Based on the information above, you may now be able to identify which body type you are. With that said, you can also be a combination of body types and can take advantage of the many different training modalities that work best for you unique combination.
Once again, we really want to stress that you body type does not put you in a training box. If you are an ectomorph and love weight training, you can still benefit from weight training. It may take you a bit longer to get to a certain lifting goal than a meso or an endomorph, but you’ll still get there if you work at it. The same is true for all of the other body types.
