WHAT BODY TYPE ARE YOU: ECTOMORPH, MESOMORPH OR ENDOMORPH?
Just like when you were young, your body type determines how easily—and how much—muscle you'll build. See what you should do about it.
A brief overview of the article:
- Strength training builds new muscle mass and increases cardiovascular endurance.
- Be careful: an injury in your forties lasts much longer than in your twenties.
- Exercise and physical activity improve strength, balance, flexibility and endurance.
Trying to get fit after forty can be quite a demanding task. Not only do we then have to build muscles where there are none, but we also have to fight the aging process when our skin loses its elasticity. Painful backs and unstable knees become part of our everyday life, a network of wrinkles is drawn on the face, palms and hands, joints become more and more susceptible to injury, cellulite appears in places where no woman would expect it, and hormone fluctuations become such that our body it comes to the fact that our golden years have passed. Aren't we happy?
However, if you've never been in shape and now you've decided it's time to do so, then you've made one of the wisest decisions of your life! There is a wealth of research based on the benefits of exercise after forty.
If you've never been in shape and now you've decided it's time to do so, then you've made one of the wisest decisions of your life!
THE BENEFITS OF EXERCISE
Recent studies show that exercise and physical activity can help you maintain or partially regain strength, balance, flexibility and endurance. The American Heart Association claims that daily, moderate physical activity can reduce the risk of heart disease, heart attack and stroke, diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
And if those aren't enough reasons to exercise, you'll also sleep better, feel better, deal with stress easier, have more energy and have a more positive outlook on life.
However, when you turn 40, you must realize that your joints are 40 years old and you will likely need to modify your exercise intensity and your training program and plan to accommodate the physical, psychological and hormonal changes that have taken place or are taking place.
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The normal reaction to this phenomenon is a diet that leads to further muscle loss. Every kilogram of muscle lost means that the body's metabolism slows down by 90 calories a day.
PRESERVATION OF MUSCLE MASS
An aerobic routine paired with strength training, a healthy diet and stretching can replace muscle loss, restore the metabolism of your younger days and keep the extra pounds away. That's why your goal must be exercise, strength training and proper nutrition. By strength training, you build new muscle mass and increase the endurance of the cardiovascular system. Is there anything better than that? But caution, just like we mentioned earlier, you have to be aware of the fact that your joints are over 40 years old and you have to take these things easy and slow.
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| fitness even after 40 |
An injury in your 40s will last much longer than in your 20s, so you'll have a lot more time spent not exercising, opening the door to regression and returning to your old habits that will eventually lead to weight gain and the destruction of a solid body. you put in so much effort.
That said, you need to remember this: when starting a new exercise regimen, moderation is the key. Start with low impact exercises, light weights and stretching before, during and after training.
TRAIN ACCORDING TO YOUR BODY TYPE
Just like when you were younger, your body determines how easily and how much muscle you will build. Fortunately, most of us over 40 don't want to look like bodybuilders , but on the other hand, there are a few who will say: Why not!?
There are three basic body types: ectomorph, mesomorph and endomorph. Ectomorphs are "hard-gainers", they have a hard time gaining weight because most of their lives they are very thin, with a narrow body, little fat and long muscles. Think of those Ethiopian runners competing in track and field events. They are a true example of ectomorphs.
A mesomorph is a body shape that in most cases meets the word "average". Such people are not big and excessively muscular, and they are not fat either. The real difference between meso and ecto is in the ability to build muscle and gain fat.
Ectomorphs have difficulty packing on mass, while mesomorphs can store fat if they are inactive and prone to overeating, but they can also transform their bodies into real rocks with enough effort. Many NFL quarterbacks are good examples of mesomorphs.
The last group are endomorphs. These body types are generally round with fat shoulders, womanly hips and double chins. However, with the right approach, they can build muscle without any problems combined with a clean diet and additional cardio. Many huge bodybuilders are endomorphs, only before a competition they resort to drastic calorie restriction in order to release the massive muscles that lie beneath the sheets of body fat.
GET TO KNOW YOUR BODY TYPE
Although there are a certain number of people who are really only one of the above types, most of us are a combination of two types, one of which is more pronounced than the other. Knowing your body type will help you understand your nutritional and exercise needs, which will help you burn fat and build muscle, while also planning a sound long-term strategy that won't set you up for disappointment.
In other words, if you're an ectomorph, don't expect orange-crushing biceps overnight. You will need to take a lot of time to build additional muscle mass.
In the following paragraphs, you'll find nutritional and training regimens broken down for all three major body types. This does not mean that you will become Hercules or Sheene, but that with these guidelines you will increase your strength, gain muscle and improve your overall fitness level. I repeat once again: you will have to adapt your routine until you define which of the types or intermediate types you belong to.
ECTOMORPHS
WEIGHT TRAINING:
- Always warm up and stretch your muscles slightly before choosing any weight
- Introduce split training – train one or two muscle groups each workout
- Train each muscle group twice a week if possible
- Aim for eight to ten repetitions per set and do two to three sets for each exercise
- Rest well between workouts; never train a muscle group if it is tired from the last workout
- Try different routines and exercises to confuse the muscles
- Increase the intensity of your training slowly to avoid strains or injuries
- If you are tired for more than three days, there is a good chance that you are using too much load; reduce the load and gradually increase it
- If your progress in building muscle or strength seems to be stagnating, increase the load until you can perform eight repetitions in a set
- Train the abdominal muscles three times a week, three sets of 25 repetitions or two different exercises (abdominal crunches and leg raises from a lying position for example)
CARDIO:
- Keep cardio activity to a minimum, no more than three times a week
- The cardio load should be at 70% of the maximum heart rate and no more than 20 minutes per training session
- Cool down after cardio for at least five minutes (walking would be perfect)
- Good cardio exercises are elliptical machines, stationary or recumbent bikes, treadmills and walking outdoors
DIET:
- A clean diet and proper supplementation is extremely important
- Eat six small meals a day
- Make sure your daily protein intake is 3 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight
- Proteins should make up 30% of total caloric intake; carbohydrates 50%; fat 20%
- Drink protein drinks after training and before going to sleep
- Increase the intake of fibrous carbohydrates and limit the consumption of simple sugars
- Eat foods with a lower glycemic index such as beans, corn, sweet potatoes, oatmeal, pasta, brown rice and whole grain bread
- Increase your daily intake of water to 2.5 liters. Do not count coffee and tea
- Limit or eliminate alcohol
- If you smoke, stop smoking (you should definitely!)
MESOMORPHS
WEIGHT TRAINING:
- Always warm up and stretch your muscles slightly before choosing any weight
- Introduce split training, which means that you work two muscle groups each time; do the upper part first and then the lower part
- Aim for three sets of eight repetitions for each exercise
- Train each muscle group twice a week if possible
- Rest well between workouts; never train a muscle group that is tired from previous training
- Every two months, change your training routine by adding new exercises
- Increase the intensity of training gradually to avoid strains and injuries
- If progress in muscle mass or strength stagnates, try increasing the load and adding one set to each exercise
- Train the abdominal muscles three times a week, three sets of 25 repetitions or two different exercises (abdominal crunches and leg raises from a lying position for example)
CARDIO:
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| fitness even after 40 |
Commit to cardio activity three times a week for 30 minutes. Cardio load should be at 70% of maximum heart rate for no longer than 20 minutes per activity until you build fitness; after that you can increase your target heart rate Cool down after cardio for at least five minutes (walking would be perfect).
Good cardio exercises include elliptical machines, stationary or recumbent bikes, treadmills, and outdoor activities such as walking and running.
DIET:
- A clean diet and proper supplementation is extremely important
- Eat five to six small meals a day
- Make sure your daily protein intake is 3 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight
- Proteins should make up 25%-30% of the total caloric intake; carbohydrates 50%; fat 20%
- Drink protein drinks late before noon and after training
- Use low fat milk in your protein shakes
- Increase the intake of fibrous carbohydrates and limit the consumption of simple sugars
- Eat foods with a lower glycemic index such as beans, corn, sweet potatoes, oatmeal, pasta, brown rice and whole grain bread
- Increase your daily intake of water to 2.5 liters. Do not count coffee and tea
- Limit or eliminate alcohol
- If you smoke, stop smoking (you should definitely!)
ENDOMORPHS
WEIGHT TRAINING:
- Always warm up and stretch your muscles slightly before choosing any weight
- Introduce split training, which means you work two muscle groups each time
- Aim for three sets of up to eight repetitions for each exercise. When you can easily perform eight repetitions, increase the weight
- Train each muscle group twice a week if possible
- Rest well between workouts; never train a muscle group that is tired from previous training
- Try new training methods and exercises to confuse your muscles
- Increase the training intensity gradually and avoid strains and injuries
- Do your best in every training session to promote the burning of fat tissue and at the same time build lean muscle mass.
- Train the abdominal muscles three times a week, three sets of 25 repetitions or two different exercises (abdominal crunches and leg raises from a lying position for example)
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| fitness even after 40 |
CARDIO:
- Commit to cardio at least three times a week for 30 minutes – five times would be ideal
- Cardio load should be at 70% of maximum heart rate, no longer than 20 minutes per activity until you build fitness; after that you can increase the target heart rate
- Cool down after cardio for at least five minutes (walking would be perfect)
- Good cardio exercises include elliptical machines, stationary or recumbent bikes, treadmills, and outdoor activities such as walking, running, and cycling.
- For additional fat burning, try HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training), but approach it very carefully and slowly
DIET:
- A clean diet and proper supplementation is extremely important
- Eat five to six small meals a day, but watch your calorie intake
- Make sure your daily protein intake is 3 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight
- Proteins should make up 25%-30% of the total caloric intake; carbohydrates 50%; fat 20%
- Drink protein drinks after training and before going to sleep
- Use skim milk in your protein shakes
- Increase the intake of fibrous carbohydrates and limit the consumption of simple sugars
- Eat foods with a lower glycemic index such as beans, corn, sweet potatoes, oatmeal, pasta, brown rice and whole grain bread
- Increase your daily intake of water to 2.5 liters. Do not count coffee and tea
- Limit or eliminate alcohol
- If you smoke, stop smoking (you should definitely!)
CONCLUSION
Regardless of your body type, there are a few constants that ectomorphs, mesomorphs, and endomorphs have in common:
- You have to lift weights and be persistent at it
- You must warm up and stretch before every workout
- You must introduce cardio activity into your protocol at least three times a week
- You must have a clean diet and proper supplementation
- You need to increase your daily protein intake if you want to feed your muscles
- You must start slowly to avoid injury
- You must drink at least 2.5 liters of water a day
- You must limit or eliminate alcohol
- You must stop smoking if you are a smoker
- After the age of forty, building muscle mass and burning fat deposits is a big job - the most important thing is not to rush
Of course, it will take a long time if you want the body you've always wanted, but with a lot of patience and determination, you can succeed. Regardless of your age, indulge in fitness and let this decision become your daily pleasure.
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