How to Tell Which Exercises Are Best for Your Body Type?

When it comes to building a workout routine, there are two important considerations. The first is the body type you currently have, and the second is your goal. Some people seek to reinforce their existing build for better strength or endurance, but others have body sculpting goals that could lead to a change in body shape. Both the current proportions of your physique and the goals you have for the future should be considered in any workout plan, but no body type categorization is cut and dried. There will always be some features of each body type in each person. So, to start with, let’s talk about the broad classes of body type and what exercises strengthen their core traits.

3 Common Body Shapes and Their Athletic Strengths

While body type is something that falls on a spectrum, it’s helpful to have a common language for discussing broadly different types. Just remember, you can move your place on this spectrum if you wish.

• Endomorphs tend to be stockier, carrying more weight throughout the midsection. Top endomorph athletes have great core strength and excel in sports like football, as well as high strength field events like the discus and hammer toss. Power lifters also tend toward this body type. Out of shape endomorphs tend to carry more fat than average and find losing weight generally difficult, but in-shape endomorphs have the strength to make use of a high mass, high-density body.
• Ectomorphs are the opposite. They tend to be lean, with muscle builds that reflect the strengths found in endurance sports like cycling and cross-country running. High metabolisms are the hallmark of ectomorphic body types, and if you are seeking a body type closer to this build then cardio exercises and endurance-based strength building like interval cycling will help reshape your metabolism in this direction. While gaining weight is often difficult for extremely ectomorph types, not all ectomorphs are in shape. Out of shape ectomorphs tend to lack muscle tone instead of carrying a lot of excess fat, but long-term sedentary lifestyles can lead to weight gain and sometimes body type shifting. Ectomorphs looking to rehabilitate after a long sedentary period are often well-served by products designed to avoid joint strain, like the designs meant to be the best ebike for seniors.
• Mesomorphs are people with a body type in between the two. They accumulate weight quickly whether it is muscle or fat because of a medium-rate metabolism that can be easily swayed by exercise or long periods of inactivity. This body type is the easiest to change because of its responsiveness to lifestyle changes, but it is also the hardest to hold onto intentionally. Sports like baseball and basketball reward mesomorph body types because they demand a combination of speed and strength, requiring more endurance than endomorphs tend to have but favoring those with mass to use when making plays.

Read this also: Losing Fat and Losing Weight Are Not the Same Thing

Choosing Exercises for Body Sculpting

With those general locations on the spectrum in mind, it’s easier to get an idea of where you want to go with a body-shaping routine. For example, an endomorphic type looking to become more rounded would do well to look into bikes for short people and others with a high core mass, adding activities that favor the other body types to encourage body sculpting in that direction. You can even get comfort bicycles for those with chronic conditions that may be aggravated by the posture of traditional bikes.