There are so many
names thrown around that are used to describe the female body, from comparisons
to fruits, being pear or apple-shaped, having a peach booty or an hourglass
figure, and the list goes on.
So, what are the
ins and outs of somatotyping, and could it be just the secret we need to unlock
our full potential by eating and training a certain way?
The Somatotypes Theory
Somatotyping aims
to categorise the human physique as combinations of 3 fundamental elements -
'ectomorphic', 'mesomorphic' and 'endomorphic' below are the physical traits of
the three basic somatotypes as follows:
Ectomorph
·
Petite frame and bone structure
·
Narrow shoulders
·
Small chest
·
Naturally lean
·
Fast metabolism
·
Difficulty building muscle
Mesomorph
·
Medium frame
·
Athletic build
·
Prominent muscle definition
·
Natural strength
·
Tendency for building muscle easily
Endomorph
·
Larger bone structure
·
Minimal natural muscle definition
·
Higher body fat % and harder time losing it
·
Slower metabolism
Even within the
original system, it’s acknowledged that trying to describe an individual by a
single somatotype would be an generalisation in most cases. Instead, you should
consider each individual a combination of the above, with some traits being
more dominant than others.
Should you eat and train for your somatotype?
One of the main
reasons somatotyping lives on in the fitness world is because it’s often
speculated that one can tailor their nutrition and training to their natural
somatotype and achieve superior results. It’s not rare to come across
statements along the lines of “mesomorphs respond quickly to weight training”,
or “endomorphs should eat low carbs to lose weight”.
But is there any scientific merit to such claims? Unfortunately, the answer
is not really.
Interestingly, in its original form, the theory was largely aiming to predict
human temperament by assessing someone’s body type - very little to do with
fitness and dieting! This approach has been quickly identified as a hoax and
rejected by the scientific community many years ago.
As such,
somatotypes provide very little insight into how an individual will respond to
a certain training and nutrition protocol. We simply cannot determine that just
by assessing someone’s baseline appearance.
For Instance, while
body composition plays a large part in determining nutritional requirements,
adhering to a certain diet or macronutrient split shouldn’t rely solely on the
body type classification.
If not somatotypes, then what?
If your
somatotype doesn’t determine your ideal lifestyle, then what does?
Don't get me wrong
- it can be fun to explore different somatotypes and where you may fall between
them. But the truth is, instead of giving too much power to any single factor -
being that body type, family history, or someone else’s progress - it’s
important to acknowledge that what’s best for you at any given time, depends on
many factors, such as:
·
Current body composition
·
Activity levels
·
Preferred training styles
·
Nutritional needs, including any special requirements
·
General health
·
Goals you are looking to achieve
·
And so much more!
And as these factors may change over
time, so can your approach to training and nutrition. For example, completely
different strategies can be applied if you’re looking to improve your strength
or change your body composition, and neither of those goals are “right” or
“wrong” just because you match a certain somatotype.
So don’t over think how your body
looks, your body fluctuates and grows each day! If you really wanted to change it
(for the better) you can. Please remember that you cannot compare yourself if
you come under the Mesomorph category to someone who has a Ectomorph body shape.
If they have long limbs and a tiny waist, but you are athletic and carry more
muscle – OWN it. That is your genetic makeup. You have other abilities someone
else does not.
No one is you and that is your power!
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