Some people are able to get into shape without much effort while others have to struggle for months to show any progress at all. Some bodies lose weight faster than others. Some don’t gain weight as fast as others. Everyone not only looks different but they are build different as well. That much is obvious. What isn’t so obvious is finding out how to best use your body type to get to where you want to go or how to overcome the limitations of your body type.

A psychologist named William H. Sheldon introduced a theory in the 1940′s that there are three body types and with each body type there comes a certain personality. Now the scientific community has discredited his assumptions but there may be truth to being able to divide people into the three body types and learning a bit about each may help you customize a fitness program that suits, to help you reach your goals.

The three types that Sheldon said existed was the ectomorph (those born skinny who struggle to put on weight and muscle), the mesomorph (those with a good athletic build), and the endomorph (those with the round bodies who are strong but have trouble losing fat). The mesomorph has the body type that most people wish they had. They naturally have a very muscular form and can get a good physique with very little effort. For these people it is mainly just a matter of maintaining their physique or fine tuning it. Daily amount of fat taken in should not exceed 20% and there should be a good balance between protein and carbs. Ideal would be 20/30/50 ratio of fat/protein/carbs.

Most of the focus on exercise for the mesomorph should be applied to weightlifting with aerobic exercise done two or three times a week. This is mainly to keep body fat under control and the heart healthy. The rest of the week can be spent on lifting weight for maximum growth. The advantage that mesomorphs have, other than just being blessed with a great body shape, is that they can add or lose weight as they want to with ease. If you want to work on getting a lean build for some special athletic event then incorporate more aerobic activity and reduce your amount of anaerobic activity. If you want to bulk up then back off on the aerobics and pick up more weights. It really isn’t fair that you people exist but you do, so take advantage of it and give yourself the best look you can.

No matter what your body type, achieving and maintaining the body you want, can happen if you know and follow the rules.  It is easier to do, though, if you have the ideal build of the mesomorph. For the ectomorph who is trying to gain weight and muscle or for the endomorph who is trying to reveal the strength they already have under all their fat, it is a bit more of a challenge. If you want to know how to build muscles for your body type, learn as much as you can about it and stick to controlling it.

 There’s a site I’ve found that has lots of great short movie clips that show you simply, how to do all types of exercise. I love it. It makes it so easy to get the exercises right. Check out Global Health and Fitness for 2 free e-books and more!

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