Have you been jumping from one diet and training plan to the next?
It happens a lot. You ask Coach Google to serve you up a diet and workout plan.
You sift through the results, and pick one with the most impressive before-and-after pictures of someone who when from fat to fit.
That’s it. Right?
If you follow Coach Google’s plan, then you’re going to get just as jacked and ripped as the person in the picture.
You really want it, so you hustle through the workouts. You stick to the nutrition plan religiously, and you can’t seem to replicate the results.
You get frustrated, and start the process all over again.
Sound familiar?
The problem with cookie-cutter programs
There’s nothing wrong with off-the-shelf plans, especially if you’re new to eating healthy and working out.
Most training plans include sensible guidelines for healthy eating and exercise to lose weight, build some muscle, and improve your health.
But if you have bigger goals in mind (like building muscle, gaining size, increasing strength) than just tipping the scale in the right direction, you need a training plan based on your body type and your goals. Why?
Metabolic rate and body type
Your metabolic rate, the way your body uses calories for energy, and the way your body stores fat may not be the same as a guy like Edwin Maka, a 6-foot-7-inch (2.02 m) rugby player from New Zealand who weighs 314 pounds (142 kg).
And if you are his size, it doesn’t make sense to eat and train like legendary Australian horse jockey Steve Arnold who raced at 5 feet 5 inches and 121 pounds (55 kg).
Both of these guys have different body types, different training goals, and obviously different metabolic rates. Deadlifting 500 kilos for Maka might be a warm up, but that’s just not going to happen for Arnold, no matter how hard he tries.
And you need to know that, if you want to achieve your ideal physique. Your body type, or phenotype, is an important factor to understand to determine how to eat and how to train.[1]
Which body type are you? Take this mini-quiz to find out.
- Yes/No Are you a walking mass of size and muscle like Edwin Maka?
- Yes/No Do you look more like the lightweight horse jockey Steve Arnold?
- Yes/No Are you naturally lean and muscular, even when your diet and training isn’t perfect?
If you answered “yes to:
#1 – You’re an Endomorph. This body type is characterized by a blocky stature, thick rib cage, wider and thicker joints, wide hips and shoulders, and shorter limbs. Gaining weight and adding size comes naturally.
#2 – You’re an Ectomorph. This body type is characterized by narrow hips and clavicles, small joints, and smaller frame. You’re skinny and don’t have a lot of muscle definition. And even though you can eat a lot, you never seem to gain weight.
#3 – You’re a Mesomorph. This body type is characterized by wide shoulders and clavicles, a narrow waist, thinner joints, and long lean muscle. You sometimes wonder what all the fuss is about from people who struggle to add muscle strength and size.
In reality, most people are a combination of one or more body types. But you can probably see which body type is most dominant when you look in the mirror or review your health and fitness history for your weight, nutrition habits, and working out in the gym.
Now what? When you know your dominant body type, you can adjust your training to get better results. Here’s how:
Endomorph training
If you’re an endomorph, you’ve got the benefit of already having mass and size. That a plus for rugby players and strongman competitors. But it’s a challenge if your goal is to get lean and shredded. Endomorphs gain weight easily and store more fat than ectomorphs and mesomorphs, and your metabolic rate is slower.
The fix: Like it or not, more cardio is on the menu for endomorphs who want to lose weight and get leaner. Steady state and high-intensity interval training should be part of your training program, along with strength training. As an endomorph, you’ll also need to keep a careful eye on calories and macros to get the best results.
Ectomorph training
If you’re an ectomorph, it’s both a blessing and a curse. About one-third of the world’s population is overweight or obese.[2] Packing on too many pounds is a risk factor for a long list of chronic diseases.
But if you’re an ectomorph, you don’t have that problem. You’re skinny, and maybe even underweight. Your metabolic rate is a lot higher than most people, and it’s why you can eat a lot and not gain weight.
The fix: Start by cutting back on cardio training. Any aerobic exercise you do will burn the calories you need to build muscle. Then hit the gym for short, intense training sessions using compound lifts. And dial in your diet with plenty of calories and a macronutrient ratio that will maximize fat loss and muscle gain.
Mesomorph training
If you’ve got a naturally athletic-looking build, you’re probably a mesomorph. That gives you a slight advantage over ectomorphs and endomorphs. Your body fat percentage is naturally low. You respond well to lifting weights. And some occasional cardio is all you really need to do to drop a few pounds and get shredded.
The fix: If you’re a mesomorph, developing the ideal physique probably comes naturally. A smart balance of cardio workouts and weight lifting will yield the best results.
Training for your body type
There’s a reason I ask all my clients to answer a detailed questionnaire. Your answers help me create a customized meal and training plan based on your current fitness levels, your body type, and your goals.
Ready to get started?
References
1,Bolonchuk, W., et al. (2000). Association of dominant somatotype of men with body structure, function during exercise, and nutritional assessment. American Journal of Human Biology. From: https://naldc.nal.usda.gov/download/45750/PDF.
2.Ng, M., et al. (2014). Global, regional, and national prevalence of overweight and obesity in children and adults during 1980–2013: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2013. The Lancet. From: http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(14)60460-8/abstract.