Train your shape

OUR bodies come in different shapes and sizes — the build being determined by several factors such as genetics, hormones, gender, and the things that we can control like lifestyle and dietary choices. And while most people do not consider this when starting a fitness regimen, personal trainer and fitness instructor Gisel Harrow says that choosing body-specific exercises will help you train your shape.

“There are three different body types — the ectomorph, mesomorph and endomorph. It is very important to train according to your body type to get the best results,” Harrow said.

Below she gives a detailed plan on the ideal training plan for each of these body types.

Ectomorph

People who fall in the ectomorph category are naturally very thin, have narrow hips and shoulders, very low body fat, and very thin arms and legs.

“The best training method for this body type is to train with heavy weights and lots of rest in between sets (two to three minutes) as well as in between exercises (five minutes). It is best to only train one or two body parts per training day to avoid too much caloric expenditure,” Harrow advised.

In addition, she said that with each exercise technique executed you should aim for five to 10 repetitions and six to eight sets of each exercise.

“You also want to take plenty of rest in between workouts, refrain from training a muscle group that is sore, and if you’re feeling really sore, try out foam rolling and stretches for recovery. You also want to engage in very minimal cardio training, moderate and low-intensity bike rides, and brisk walks.

Mesomorph

“The mesomorph is kind of in-between the ectomorph and the endomorph. Genetically, it is said to be the ideal body type for bodybuilding particularly because they can put on muscle easily. They have very strong legs, broad shoulders, and narrower waists. Generally, they also have very low body fat as well,” Harrow detailed.

She said that this particular body type will require varied training for best results. As such you want to go for light, moderate and heavyweight training as well as bodyweight training. This includes basic exercises such as squats, lunges, deadlifts, rows, chest press, shoulder press, etc, with heavy weights, followed by isolation exercises with moderate/light weights.

“When executing these exercises you should aim for eight to 12 repetitions for most exercises. When it comes to leg training, you can incorporate really heavy weights with around six repetitions and light or no weights at around 25 to 30 repetitions for three to five sets,” Harrow advised.

To increase your yield from these exercises, Harrow recommends that you add any other strength training activity that you think is fun and want to try out such as a resistance band workout. To top things off you should also include three days of cardio exercises, each session lasting between 15 and 30 minutes, along with a combination of HIIT(high-intensity interval training).

Endomorph

“People who fall in the endomorph category are more round and pear-shaped. They tend to store more body fat throughout the entire body, especially in the legs and arms. It’s much harder for the endomorph to put on muscle and much easier to gain weight,” Harrow explained.

She said that to adequately train this body type, individuals will not focus on specific body parts but will be required to engage techniques for a total body workout. These specific exercises should also have compound movements to burn the most calories. However, after reaching initial weight loss goals, Harrow said that it is okay to start to isolate muscles you want to shape a bit more.

“This can be a mix of body weight training and moderate weight lifting. You also want to avoid heavy weight lifting with low repetitions and aim for eight to 12 repetitions and three to five sets of upper body and 12-20 repetitions for lower body exercises,” Harrow instructed.

The fitness expert said that you should also incorporate cardio exercises a minimum of three times per week for 20 to 30 minutes. She recommends choosing low-impact cardio exercises that are easier on your joints such as swimming, biking, hiking, walking, and elliptical.