The Best Exercise for Your Shape

You’ve seen the infomercials on TV for fitness products that promise to get you in the best shape of your life. But the truth is, there is no one-size-fits-all workout. The brisk walk that revs one person’s metabolism won’t make a dent in another’s daily energy expenditure. Not only that, but sometimes the workout you love isn’t what your body needs most.

But there is good news. By taking a quick assessment of your body type, you can find a routine that gets the results you’re looking for without having to spend excess amounts of time or energy to achieve them. As an added bonus, when you find a workout that suits you, you’ll uncover the best version of your body as nature intended it to look and feel, helping you love your body no matter what shape you are.

You’ve probably heard the terms endomorph, ectomorph, and mesomorph. Take 2 minutes now to refamiliarize yourself with them and determine which one you are, and you’ll be on your way to finding the workout that works wonders for you.

ECTOMORPH
Slender
Think: Gwyneth Paltrow

Ectomorphs are naturally slim and tend to have energy to spare. If you’re an endo, you probably love cardio—anything that gets you moving appeals to your energetic nature. But to balance your body type, focus on building muscle. Forget using light weights with high reps—it won’t give you the tone you need. Instead, focus on total body exercises with heavier weights—such as a lunge/press combo—to help you get stronger, more grounded, and more well-rounded.

ENDOMORPH
Curvy
Think: Oprah

Endopmorphs can tend toward heaviness if they don’t stay active. But they also have deep reservoirs of strength and stamina that the other two types don’t have. You need an intense workout to move into a fat-burning zone. Keep your lower body toned with light squats and bridges, but don’t try to build big muscles in the lower body.  Instead, consider building muscles in your upper body to balance out your shape and help you apply that inner strength to your daily life.

MESOMORPH
Muscular
Think: Madonna

Mesomorphs build muscle easily and are naturally athletic. You can get a little too intense when it comes to fitness—either by getting competitive (even if it’s just with yourself), or by exercising too much or too rigorously. You can also put on fat as easily as you can muscle if you fall off the exercise wagon. Stick to a balanced workout of weight training and cardio to keep yourself interested, challenged, and fit.

If you’d like help finding the right workout for your shape, please don’t hesitate to contact us at info@kriswade.com.