What body shape are YOU?
Are you an ectomorph, endomorph or mesomorph? Find out how to customise your workout to your body shape.
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Ectomorph
– Small joints
– Slim appearance
– Fast metabolism
– Small chest and buttocks
– Difficulty building muscle
– Difficulty gaining weight
– Low body fat
– Narrow frame
Best workouts for this body shape?
Ectomorphs have a slim physique with low muscle and fat mass. It is important that these body types look at increasing their muscle mass to help protect their bone health,” says accredited exercise physiologist Anna-Louise Moule.
“For ectomorphs, I like to work on heavier weight-based training to build muscle,” says exercise scientist, herablist and health coach Angela Jackson.
“Ectomorphs typically have more slow-twitch muscle fibres. They tend to be better suited to endurance events such as distance running, swimming or cycling.”
The effect of slow-twitch fibres is the exerciser generates a lower power but has greater endurance.
Moule recommends ectomorphs strength train three to four days a week and focus more on moderate to heavy weights and lower reps (six to 10 reps). Look at supersetting exercises (doubling up on one muscle group with two to three exercises back to back), and make sure a good exercise technique is established before increasing to heavier loads.
