Body Type
When you look at your naked body in the mirror, what do you see? Unless you are some sort of genetic muscle mutant, your body will fall into one of the three typical body shapes.
Below click on the type you got from the quiz – and learn how to tailor your fitness tactics to it: what you should be doing in the gym and the kitchen, where you might be going wrong, what to eat, what moves make the biggest difference and how supplements can help you improve further. At the very least, you’ll gain a better understanding of why your body is the shape it is and know how to get the best out of your genetic make-up.
The idea that human body types are genetically pre-set into one of three camps is nothing new. American psychologist William Sheldon popularised three broad categories of body in the 1940s.
Since Sheldon’s conclusions were published it has become widely recognised that most people have a body type. These are:
1. Ectomorph: Lean and long, with difficulty building muscle
2. Endomorph: Big, high body fat, often pear-shaped, with a high tendency to store body fat
3. Mesomorph: Muscular and well-built, with a high metabolism and responsive muscle cells
But what do these three terms mean in reality? In short, ectomorphs stay lean despite hours in the gym, endomorphs struggle to shift their gut, and mesomorphs pack on muscle with ease. Learning which body shape you were born with, and understanding what that means for your training and diet plans, will help you train smarter to maximise your potential and get closer to building the body that you’ve always wanted.
Falling between categories
Although there are three clear body types, it’s important to be aware that these aren’t set in stone.
“The three body types exist but probably never in their pure form,” says Professor Lars McNaughton from Edge Hill University.
“We all have some aspects of endomorphy, mesomorphy and ectomorphy.”
You could be a mix of mesomorph and endomorph where you gain muscle quickly but also put on weight easily if you relax your diet. Or the dream combo: a muscular mesomorph who can strip fat rapidly from just a couple of HIIT workouts. If that’s you, try not to rub it in everyone’s face.
Whatever your characteristics, you should know that regardless of your body type, anyone can get lean or put on considerable muscle mass – and, equally, get fat if they’re not careful. It might be harder for a skinny guy to follow in Arnie’s Mr Universe footsteps, but it’s not impossible.
The Importance Of Sleep
Whatever your body type, to get the most out of your training you need to focus on your nutrition and recovery – key to the latter is sleep. The positive effects of getting forty winks are huge.
Most of us tend to associate testosterone and growth hormone with pure muscle growth. However, they are equally important in aiding fat loss and recovery from exercise. Sleep has a massive say on your body’s production of said hormones.
A University of Chicago study found that if your levels of sleep fall below eight hours a night over the course of a week, testosterone can be lowered by 10% or more. Your body’s levels of testosterone and growth hormone are also regulated by the amount of sleep you gain within a daily cycle known as a “circadian rhythm”. You should aim to synchronise your circadian rhythm with daylight and night-time.
Your sleep can be negatively affected by unusual or additional light at night. A great step you can take to alleviate any light interaction with sleep is to switch off lights and electronic devices at least one hour before you go to sleep.