Blog
|March 24, 2020
Do different body types affect our training needs?
3 min

We all have different body types which may respond differently to training regimes. In this blog we get to know the three classic body types and consider how they might influence the way in which we train.
What kind of morph are you: ectomorph, endomorph or mesomorph?
Identification of different body types is usually based on an assessment of your stature, muscle and fat mass. The approach was defined by an American psychologist, William Herbert Sheldon, in the 1940s who coined the terms we still use today: Ectomorph, Endomorph and Mesomorph.
An Ectomorph will have a tall, light build, small joints and lean muscle. A typical Endomorph will have a shorter, squarer, build and can easily gain fat. The traits of the Mesomorph are a typically athletic shape and they respond quickly to training with visible differences soon apparent. Have a look in the mirror and see if you feel you fit into one of these shape definitions.
Make sure you know what is happening, on the inside
Looking at yourself will probably have reminded you that we are all different and our bodies are capable of incredible things. Whatever physical traits you might have, you don’t have to let it control your quest to be fitter and healthier and that journey should begin with you knowing what is going on, on the inside.
Start with the science and use an accurate body composition monitor so that you have a clear understanding of your level of muscle and fat and importantly, their distribution around your body. You might look slim but have a low level of muscle and hence fall into the category of ‘skinny fat’; knowledge is power and you are in a better position if you know where you are starting from.
Once you understand your body composition, you can then overlay that knowledge with the traits which might be influenced by your body shape and work on a fitness plan to suit you.
