What Is Your Body Type?

80/90 years ago an American psychologist by the name of William Herbert Sheldon became obsessed with studying body types.

His agenda was to discover how body type can be linked to mood, personality and temperament. He carried out research based on the inspection of over 4000 photos and pioneered a system known as ‘somatotyping’.

Sheldon’s system said you can discern a persons body type by visual inspection. His results were as follows:

1. Endomorphs - larger types with a soft roundness, have difficulty losing body fat. 2. Mesomorphs - more muscular types. Lean, gain muscle with ease. 3. Ectomorphs - lean, skinny types. Thin and bony with fast metabolisms.

Typically, a combination is most common. For example, a person who gains muscle easily but also has a tendency to gain fat at the same time, is known as an endomorphic mesomorph (endo-meso).

The somatotype system only gives a general guideline but if you know your predominant ‘type’ it is useful to apply practical knowledge in a way in which you will benefit.

Although some people find it easier to burn fat and build muscle than others (genetics can play their part in relation to slow twitch/fast twitch muscle fibres, limb length, joint size, carb intolerances, digestive differences - amongst others), it is worth remembering that fat loss and fitness are also determined by behaviour and environment and not genetics alone.

How far have you pushed yourself in the past? Have you given up on building muscle because you are an ectomorph or scrapped the idea of training at all because you have “accepted” you will always be a endomorph?

Dedication, discipline, patience, consistency and applied knowledge can take you a long, long way; however, a lot of people will never come close to fulfilling their potential due to a belief in their limitations.

Accept the challenge of lifelong personal improvement, regardless of genetics. Get to know your body type and customise your diet and training based on what you are.