Fitness Regimes for Different Body Shapes and Sizes

People are born with an inherited body type based on skeletal frame and body composition. Most people are unique combinations of the three body types: ectomorph, mesomorph, and endomorph. While these body types are inherent by birth they can be changed with the help of exercise or lack of it.
The three types of physique and the workouts to follow are:-
 
1. Ectomorphs – This body type is long and lean with low body fat ratio and very less muscle. It’s an extremely athletic body type and not recommended for office goers. They do not gain weight easily but lose weight very fast. These people should avoid cardio and aerobic workouts or try and keep them to a minimum. Their focus should be on lifting weights and trying to put on muscle. Training with heavy weights and lots of rest in between sets (2-3 minutes) as well as in between exercises (5 minutes) must be followed. One must only train 1-2 body parts per training day to avoid too much caloric expenditure and aim for 5-10 reps and 6-8 sets of each exercise. Taking plenty of rest in between workouts is essential and never train a muscle group that is sore. Cardio should be minimal and instead of running bicycle rides should be preferred.
 
2. Mesomorphs – People with this body type are athletic, strong and solid. They are neither over-weight nor under-weight. This is often considered the “perfect” body type and most gym goers strive to attain this level of fitness. They gain and lose weight without much effort.” Genetically lucky, these people have an easier time staying fit and slim. However, eating right and healthy is still a must. The more varied the training, the better the results. One must incorporate light, moderate and heavy weight training as well as bodyweight training in their routine. Basic exercises (squats, lunges, deadlifts, rows, chest press, shoulder press, etc.) with heavy weights, followed by isolation exercises with moderate/light weights is what one should try to do. One must aim for 8-12 reps for most exercises. When it comes to leg training, you can incorporate really heavy weights with around 6 reps and really light or no weights at around 25-30 reps for 3-5 sets. Light Cardio should be done thrice a week.
 
3. Endomorphs – This body type has people with high body fat ratio but also lots of muscles. They are rounder and heavier individuals. They gain weight easily but do not lose weight very fast. This body type needs to focus on lose of fat and gain of muscle simultaneously making it hard work in the gym as well as the dining table. Crash dieting is something that has to be avoided at all costs as it slows down the body metabolism and makes one’s body cling to reserve body fat. Instead, one must eat smaller equally spaced meals. It is important for them to reduce fats and carbs in the diet and increase intake of proteins. Further while exercising after warmup, cardio and/or aerobic exercises must be done for half an hour followed by muscle building exercises. Total-body workouts with compound movements to burn the most calories are the best way to start fat reduction. This can be a mix of bodyweight training as well as moderate weight lifting. One must avoid heavy weight lifting with low reps and aim for 8-12 reps and 3-5 sets for upper body and 12-20 reps for lower body. You must focus on cardio in the initial days and do it on all days of the workout starting from 45mins and gradually decreasing it to 15 and keeping it constant there. After reaching initial weight loss goals, it is okay to start to isolate muscles you want to shape a bit more
 

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