Hey Ross, I’m relatively fit already and have an ok body (14% body fat) but was wondering is it true that your body type will have an affect on your training and your diet? Thanks mate, Ben

Hi Ben mate, firstly well done on the 14% body fat…sure you’re looking good, so basically all I think you health and fitness needs is a ‘lil tinkering’ (technical term, haha.) Yes it is true that your body type will have an affect on your training and nutrition, however it is only one of many factors. Body types have been classified into 3 categories, called somatotypes. These are:

Endomorphs
-Wide hips and narrow shoulders (pear-shaped)
-A lot of fat on the body, upper arms and thighs
-Quite slim wrists and ankles

Ectomorphs
-Narrow shoulders, hips and chest
-Thin face, high forehead
-Thin legs and arms
-Very little muscle or fat

Mesomorphs
-Broad shoulders and relatively narrow hips (wedge-shaped)
-Muscular body
-Strong forearms and thighs
-Very little body fat 

Every person is a mix of these three body types, displaying characteristics of each one. Assuming that all three body types wanted to achieve the stereotypical good body i.e. muscle mass, with little body fat, here is how their training and nutrition should be tailored;

Endomorphs
An Endomorph's biggest concern should be the losing of fat and adopting a lifestyle that keeps it off. Strength training should be done to get a better muscle to fat ratio and therefore improve metabolism. Use moderate weights at a fast training pace (very little rest between sets and exercises). You should lower your calorie intake (but not try to starve yourself) and should eat frequent but small meals. Certain sugars, sweets and junk food should be eliminated from your diet. Engage daily in some activity like brisk walking, biking, etc., and try to increase the amount of time you spend each week. H.I.I.T Training may be excellent for you as well (High Intensity Interval Training) since you won’t loose too much muscle mass because of your body type. And as always engage in and enjoy all aerobic activities, sports, etc for their social and health benefits.

Ectomorphs
Ectomorphs should concentrate on gaining weight in the form of good lean muscle tissue Weight training should be done but not too often or for too long each session. Weight should be fairly heavy and workout pace slower (longer rest periods between sets). Diet should be high in calories (good quality food not junk) and you should eat more then you're used to and often. Aerobic and other activities (sports, dancing, etc.) should be kept at a fairly low intensity to avoid muscle mass loss however engage in them frequently and enjoy them for their social and health benefits.

Mesomorphs
A Mesomorph has a naturally fit looking body but to maintain it or improve it they should exercise and diet correctly for their type. Strength training can be done more often and for longer sessions then would be good for an Ectomorph, but you must still be carefull not to overdo it. You should train with moderate to heavy weighs and at a moderate pace, not resting too long between sets. You will find you gain muscle quite easy (some women and even men might not want to get too bulky, but this won't happen suddenly. When you are happy with your muscle size simply train to maintain it). Stick to a good healthy diet to keep you lean and muscular, and watch for any slow creeping fat gains. And as always engage in and enjoy all aerobic activities, sports, etc for their social and health benefits.

Hope this helps Ben mate,
Happy training
Ross