By Natasha Love
We live in a crazy, hectic world these days. Personal training takes precious time out of our busy day, and nothing is more flustering than going to the gym, putting in the time and not getting the results you want. The most common question I hear from clients is, “What is the best workout?” The answer is not that simple. First of all, the person asking must determine her personal training goals. The two most common goals are losing weight and gaining muscle. To achieve either of these results, you must understand your body type and what type of training will give you the best results.
THERE ARE THREE BASIC HUMAN BODY TYPES: THE ENDOMORPH, THE ECTOMORPH AND THE MESOMORPH.
THE ENDOMORPH
The endomorph is physically square and blocky with shorter limbs. This thicker physique tends to gain weight and keep it on due to a slower metabolism.
• To lose weight, those with this body type should focus on more cardio than the other two body types. They also should consider limiting rest periods between exercises and adopting a HITT (high-intensity interval training) regimen.
• To gain more muscle mass, endomorphs should train like power lifters, with lower amounts of reps and plenty of rest time between exercises.
THE ECTOMORPH
The ectomorph usually is tall and skinny with long limbs. People with this physique tend to have a difficult time gaining weight as either fat or muscle due to their high metabolism. The main goal of ectomorphs is to gain more muscle mass. To accomplish this, they must avoid intense cardio sessions. They also must incorporate longer rest periods between exercises, use higher weight with lower reps and have workout routines that are short and to the point.
THE MESOMORPH
The mesomorph is more of a middle-of-the-road body type that has traits of both an endomorph and an ectomorph. These individuals tend to be naturally fit. They should train consistently with weights paired with moderate cardio. Mesomorphs can train longer and hit muscle groups more frequently than the other two body types. They may focus on low reps or high reps, and either way, they will see results.
All of this being said, the most important factor is diet. Seventy percent of how we look is attributed to what we eat. You can go to the gym five days a week, but if you eat unhealthy foods, you will not accomplish your goals.
Love is owner of Chic Physique, a private personal training studio. Reach her at trainwithlove@hotmail.com or (228) 264-0939.