Do Somatotypes Really Matter And How To Change Yours
It’s comical to think a simple greeting led to the eventual.. grown-up thing your parents did. Then only a short time later popped out crumb snatching you.
You with your glossed over eyes, klutz-like movements, and visceral desires.
You and your largely preprogrammed temperament. You and your largely already downloaded personality.
And body type right?
You have no choice, but to grow into it right?
Yes and no.. well more like no and yes – lead with the positive.
Unlike your parents keep your shorts on; I’ll explain.
In this article you’ll find: what a somatotype is, the three different body types, how much they matter, and what it takes to adjust your body type.
SECTIONS:
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What Is A Somatotype
Now it’s late 2021, you’re here. Puberty is likely behind you or maybe you’re smack in the middle of it. You’ve seen some things in life, had your share of heartbreaks.. maybe broken a few. But with you throughout this whole rollercoaster of life has been a body type - your somatotype.
I know I know soma-what?? Somatotype (səˈmatəˌtīp) is reference to a body type you’re classified as based on your physiological layout according to a theory created in the early 1940s by Dr. William Herbert Sheldon.
There are 3 body types, which we’ll get into soon. Your somatotype, for example could be the difference in you and another’s arm length or joint size.
If you’re a basketball fan think about Kevin Durant’s shoulder width versus George Hill’s.
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What Are The Three Somatotypes
Based on Dr. Sheldon’s theory the 3 types of body shapes are: mesomorph, ectomorph, and endomorph.
Some believe wholeheartedly the category you fall into determines many aspects of how your body responds to certain stimuli, which may or may not be true. But that knowledge only does so much, more on that later.
Note: there are 3 general somatotypes. Emphasize the general, since no one is solely one somatotype.
If the three somatotypes were part of a supper your grandma cooked up, one would be chicken breast and the other two would be sides.. let’s say brown rice and something cruciferous.
One side may be bigger than the other, and it’s even possible you almost have the same amount of brown rice as you do granny’s locally famous pan-seared chicken breast. But you’ll have some of all three, even if you despise broccoli.
In other words you may be mostly mesomorph, still there’s a little ectomorph and endomorph in you.
Here are the somatotypes.
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No matter body type your calves can grow, but it can be quite a process
Ectomorph Body Type
An ectomorph build is classically slender and has the reputation of a high metabolism. As a result ectomorphs tend to struggle to put on weight, yet can lose weight with relative ease.
Usually labeled hardgainer.. a label I rally against by the way.
A hardgainer is one that struggles to pack on muscle/weight despite their perceived best efforts.
*Whispers*
They just don’t eat enough.
If you’re a “hardgainer” put your dukes down, I used to think it was deeper than that too, but it’s not. Once I upped the calories – I gained.
GO EAT!!
Snoop Dogg is a classic ectomorph [3]
Ectomorph characteristics
Narrow shoulders
Thin ankles and wrists
Boney appearance
Little fat, little muscle
Muscle building takes a conscious effort
Long limbs
High metabolism
Fat accumulation also a task
Weight loss is easy peasy
Think long distance runners
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Mesomorph Body Type
The somatotype mesomorph would be more in the stereotypical jock realm.
Muscular build, allegedly not requiring the calorie intake of an ectomorph, however metabolism is above that of an endomorph.
DK Metcalf is certainly a mesomorph [4]
Mesomorph characteristics
Wide shoulders
Narrow waist
Thick, hard looking muscles
Thin to medium sized joints
Above average lean mass
Gains muscle well
Healthy metabolism
Think bodybuilder
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Endomorph Body Type
An endomorph has more of a puffy, round appearance and requires less calories because of their slower metabolisms.
Eddie Hall fits the endomorph mold [5]
Endomorph characteristics
Round shape
Broad shoulders
Slow metabolism
Wide hips and waist
Expanded rib cage
Soft appearance
Short limbs
Thick joints
High fat mass and high lean mass
Gains fat easily
Gains muscle easily
Losing fat is a task
Losing muscle is a task
Benefits strength potential due to shorter levers AKA limbs [2]
Think sumo wrestler
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Does Body Type Matter
It’s all hunky-dory to know which somatotype fits you best. But as always it still comes down to diet, exercise, sleep patterns, and all those other elements I type about every Friday for making changes to your body and/or performance.
You can’t be given a blanket diet/exercise plan for a specific somatotype.. we all possess marginal to gaping variations. Your body today is more complicated than the result from combining the DNA of a lady and a gent X years ago.
What works for you reaching physical goals today takes understanding your base and adjusting from there. Don’t think too hard.
Genetics aren’t nothing. Again, bone structure can’t be denied. Some muscles are pre developed. Some need more work.
Blame the parents.
Long arms, short arms, short legs, etc.. they do play a role, but it’s not the whole play.
Your genetic hand could place you closer to or further away from your goal, but whether you’re closer or further what’s on top of those bones is ever so changeable. And whether or not you reach those goals still depend on your dedication and wherewithal.
Despite somatotype you have to respond to your current state concluded from lifestyle choices you’ve made to this point. So how much does digging into your structural history really matter if you have to figure your metabolism out and adjust from there anyhow?
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How To Change Your Body Type
Read me clearly: no one is married to a somatotype. You’re free to mingle.
You have the ability to veer in and out of a dominant somatotype.
Your body type doesn’t determine your body. More like your body determines your body type.
We’ve escaped the bone structure part of discourse, that’s out of your hands, we’re on to how vastly changeable what goes on top of the structure is.
The further you get from puberty the less your winnings from the genetic lottery factor in.
Life choices have turned me into an ectomorph-mesomorph hybrid. Started more on the ectomorph side, but with training, nutrition, and my wife would say obsession.. I’ve pushed myself into more mesomorph territory.
The main focus of those deep diving into somatotypes is metabolism, yet your lifestyle is the biggest factor in the metabolic department [1].
A real world sample you can see by visually scrolling the local supermarket is how many of us are inching toward the endomorph somatotype, at least in America, as the obesity epidemic strolls along.
If you’re like me you can name the slimmest of folks from high school that aren’t as slim as they used to be.
Ectomorphs turned endomorph – somatotypes aren’t set in stone.
In the grand scheme it matters not if you’re an ectomorph, an endomorph, or a mesomorph.
Want to get stronger? Progressively overload.
If you want to gain weight it’s on you to consume more calories than you burn and hit the weights.
If you want to lose weight it’s on you to consume less calories than you burn. Hit the weights and assist with cardio.
Regardless of the direction you choose, even if maintaining, you need enough calories. Can’t go too low and expect long term results.
Decide what direction you want to travel, adjust according to results or lack of results, and continue to get busy.
Although the methodology for getting the job done remains the same. I’ll give you a highlight for your dominant somatotype.
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Ectomorph Tips
As an ectomorph it’s safe to assume you’ve probably struggled with weight gain. If that’s your goal the whole ectomorph diet plan recipe is you must track calories. Otherwise you’ll continue to fall short of muscle growth because you’ll never be sure you’re consuming enough calories. Tired of playing the guessing game? Try my muscle building plan that took me from slender to not so slender.
Mesomorph Tips
If you’re a mesomorph there’s nothing special to be said except if you don’t get, or stay on point with diet and exercise you will eventually lose your mesomorph status.
You can’t have cheat meals day in and out, then expect to be safe simply because you have a muscular build.
Endomorph Tips
As an endomorph your metabolism is probably an issue, so a reverse diet may be needed. If cutting calories doesn’t seem to do the trick jumpstart your metabolism before the real fat loss starts. A reverse diet is where you introduce more calories to your meal plan.. strategically.. with the aim of raising your metabolic rate. Fighting to lose fat as an endomorph have you stressed? Try my fat loss plan.
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My Thoughts
The line at the bottom is structural somatotypes matter, but what’s on top of the structure matters less since it can be manipulated so greatly.
You can’t look at your body type and be sure you have certain limits, you have to test those.
So other than how your bones sit it’s ultimately irrelevant, because your life choices make up your ever so adaptable body type.
Whether your metabolism is a problem or not I suggest tracking calories because even if progress happens initially without tracking.. eventually you’ll hit a roadblock and need to know what can be adjusted. No numbers? No proper detailed changed can be made.
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So, It’s About That Time
I appreciate the read, hopefully I answered all inquiries on somatotypes. If you have any questions leave a comment. A somatotype is just the body type category you fall into, but it’s nowhere near an eternal bond. You can’t change your bone structure, yet you can change your body. Stay focused, and ready to always put those muscles to use. Be Great.
Sources:
[1] sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/somatotype
[2] ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5963773/
[5] builtforathletes.com/blogs/news/what-does-eddie-hall-eat-in-a-day