Why is important to know your body type?
It is very important to identify your body type (soma type) as you base your nutrition and exercise around it. All somatypes react differently to nutrition and exercise.
What body type are you?
Your somatype is your body type. Original somatypes were described under three categories:-
Ectomorph
Typical traits
What should I be doing?
Ectomorphs need a huge amount of calories in order to gain weight. Workouts should be short and intense focusing on big muscle groups. Supplements are definitely recommended. Ectomorphs should eat before bed to prevent muscle catabolism during the night.
Mesomorph
Mesomorphs are naturally muscular and slightly stocky. They have large bones and have no problem putting on muscle mass. They put on fat easier than ectomorphs but also put on muscle easier.
Mesomorphs have attributes such as broad shoulders, smaller waists and an athletic look. Mesomorohs tend to hold fat in their hips and thighs.
Typical Traits:
Endomorph
Endomorphs have large bones,carry more fat cells and are generally short to medium height. They don't have a tough time putting on muscle but do have a tough time losing fat. Endomorphs traits are short legs, big bones and high body fat percentage.
Typical Traits:-
However, very few people are classified as strictly belonging to one of the above three categories. Kyle Leon speaks of somatyping becoming more accurate in recent years. The latest somatype combinations include
Ecto-Mesomorph- skinny but with more muscle building traits than a true ectomorph
This is my body type- I have majority of ectomorph traits and a few mesomorphic ones. Ecto- morphs usually have a frame that is slightly heavier and tends to carry more muscle mass than a true ectomorph. Their metabolism is not as lightning fast as a true Ectomorph.
Typical Traits:-
Meso- Ectomorph- naturally muscular but still skinner than a true Mesomorph
This body type has mostly mesomorphic traits and a few ectomorphic ones. Meso-ectos can easily gain muscle mass but can lose it quicker than a true Mesomorph.
Typical Traits:-
Meso- Endorph- muscular with a tendency to gain fat
A frame that is heavy or medium build. This body type has excellent muscle building capacity but has a slower metabolism than a true Mesomorph.
Typical Traits:-
Endo- Mesomorph- gain fat easily but have good muscle building traits
People under this type gain fat easily. They have wide hips, round faces and a heavy frame but tend to be strong although heir muscles are usually hidden under fat.
Typical Traits:-
It is very important to identify your body type (soma type) as you base your nutrition and exercise around it. All somatypes react differently to nutrition and exercise.
Your somatype is your body type. Original somatypes were described under three categories:-
Ectomorph
Ectomorphs are generally known as "skinny" and tend to have long and thin bones. They have a fast metabolism and find it hard to gain weight. Unfortunately they have a difficult time putting on muscle. Ectomorphs usually have narrow shoulders, low body fat. They have a slender shape with narrow hips and chest and thin arms and legs.
Typical traits
- small delicate frame
- flat chest
- small shoulders
- thin
- lean muscle mass
- finds it hard to gain weight
- fast metabolism
What should I be doing?
Ectomorphs need a huge amount of calories in order to gain weight. Workouts should be short and intense focusing on big muscle groups. Supplements are definitely recommended. Ectomorphs should eat before bed to prevent muscle catabolism during the night.
Mesomorph
Mesomorphs are naturally muscular and slightly stocky. They have large bones and have no problem putting on muscle mass. They put on fat easier than ectomorphs but also put on muscle easier.
Mesomorphs have attributes such as broad shoulders, smaller waists and an athletic look. Mesomorohs tend to hold fat in their hips and thighs.
Typical Traits:
- Athletic
- Hard body with well defined muscles
- rectangular shaped body
- strong
- gains muscle easily
- puts on fat more easily than ecto morphs
What should I be doing?
The mesomorph usually responds best to weight training. Gains are seen relatively quickly. Downside is that they gain fat more easily than ectomorphs. Usually a combination of weight training and cardio works best for mesomorphs.
Endomorph
Endomorphs have large bones,carry more fat cells and are generally short to medium height. They don't have a tough time putting on muscle but do have a tough time losing fat. Endomorphs traits are short legs, big bones and high body fat percentage.
Typical Traits:-
- Soft and round body
- gains muscle and fat very easily
- generally short and stocky
- round physique
- finds it hard to lose weight
- slow metabolism
What should I be doing?
When it comes to training endomorphs can gain weight easily. However, a large portion of the weight is fat not muscle. To keep fat to a minimum, endomorphs must always train cardio as well as weights. Supplements not required if the person as a high protein intake in their diet.
However, very few people are classified as strictly belonging to one of the above three categories. Kyle Leon speaks of somatyping becoming more accurate in recent years. The latest somatype combinations include
Ecto-Mesomorph- skinny but with more muscle building traits than a true ectomorph
This is my body type- I have majority of ectomorph traits and a few mesomorphic ones. Ecto- morphs usually have a frame that is slightly heavier and tends to carry more muscle mass than a true ectomorph. Their metabolism is not as lightning fast as a true Ectomorph.
Typical Traits:-
- Small delicate frame
- can build more muscle than a true ectomorph
- flat but defined chest
- medium shoulders
- thin
- lean muscle mass
- finds it hard to gain weight
- can have well built legs
- relatively fast metabolism
What should I be doing?
Ecto-mesomorphs find it difficult to gain weight. They have a fast metabolism which burns up calories quickly. Ecto-meso's need a huge amount of calories in order to gain weight but do not need a drastic deficit to lose weight. Workouts should be short and intense focusing on big muscle groups. Supplements are recommended which looking to gain muscle. Ecto-meso's should eat before bed to prevent muscle catabolism during the night.
Meso- Ectomorph- naturally muscular but still skinner than a true Mesomorph
This body type has mostly mesomorphic traits and a few ectomorphic ones. Meso-ectos can easily gain muscle mass but can lose it quicker than a true Mesomorph.
Typical Traits:-
- Athletic
- Hard body with defined muscles
- Rectangular shapes body
- Medium sized frame
- Average to good strength
- gains muscle easy
- gains fat more easily than ectomorphs or ecto-mesos.
What should I be doing?
The Meso-Ecto responds well to weight training. Gains are usually seen pretty quickly. Downside is that they tend to gain fat more easily than ectomorphs or ecto-mesos. They must watch their calorie intake. A combination of weight training and cardio works best.
Meso- Endorph- muscular with a tendency to gain fat
A frame that is heavy or medium build. This body type has excellent muscle building capacity but has a slower metabolism than a true Mesomorph.
Typical Traits:-
- Athletic Broad Shoulders
- Big muscles that are somewhat defined
- Rectangular shaped body
- Abdominal fat
- Strong
- Gains muscle easily
- Gain fat more easily than mesomorphs
- Carbohydrate sensitive-must keep them low
What should I be doing?
The meso-endormorph responds best to weight training AND cardio. Gains are usually seen very quickly but are usually covered in a layer of fat. Keeping carb intake low especially later in the day is a must.
Endo- Mesomorph- gain fat easily but have good muscle building traits
People under this type gain fat easily. They have wide hips, round faces and a heavy frame but tend to be strong although heir muscles are usually hidden under fat.
Typical Traits:-
- Soft and round body
- Relatively broad shoulders
- Gains muscle and fat very easily
- Tend to have defined chest
- short and stocky
- Round physique
- Finds it hard to lose fat
- Medium to slow metabolism
What should I be doing?
When it comes to training Endo-Mesomorphs find it very easy to gain weight. Most of this weight consists of fat not muscle. Try to keep fat to a minimum, endo-mesomorphs must always train cardio as well as weights.
