| In his article The Mindset of a Successful Bodybuilder, | | | | named these body types: Endomorphy, Mesomorphy, |
| national bodybuilding champion Hugo Rivera wrote, "[a]s | | | | and Ectomorphy. |
| bodybuilders we must keep our eyes on the ultimate | | | | Moreover, these body types had vastly different |
| goal, which is always more muscle mass with less fat." | | | | physiological focuses. |
| The qualities inherent in the most successful | | | | - Endomorphy: Digestive system and stomach |
| bodybuilders, therefore, are those that aid them in | | | | - Mesomorphy: Musculature and circulatory system |
| attaining this ultimate goal. These qualities, moreover, | | | | - Ectomorphy: Nervous system and brain |
| can be encapsulated into two primary areas-mindset | | | | Although most individuals are a mixture of these three |
| and training. | | | | body types, one will predominate. Furthermore, |
| The Correct Bodybuilding Mindset | | | | whichever one predominates will vastly influence one's |
| The one quality that sets successful bodybuilders | | | | physical functioning (metabolism, musculature, even |
| apart from unsuccessful ones is consistency of | | | | predisposition to certain diseases) as well as one's |
| training, and this consistency depends upon the correct | | | | temperament. |
| mindset. There should be no room, says Rivera, for | | | | Body Types and Bodybuilders |
| thoughts of "giving" up on the achievement of the | | | | Sheldon's study of body types helps explain why |
| ultimate vision for one's body - or even deviating from | | | | certain fitness routines and diets work for certain |
| one's training schedule. Paradoxically, consistency | | | | individuals but not for others. A bodybuilder can now |
| requires flexibility and preparedness. | | | | use this knowledge to custom design a workout |
| Be Flexible | | | | routine to maximize the musculature of his or her |
| Many bodybuilders fail by allowing their much-loved | | | | unique body type. |
| sport consume them. Although dedication is admirable, | | | | Traits of an Endomorph |
| it should never come at the expense of one's personal | | | | The typical traits of an endomorph body type include: |
| life. Since few people can commit their time to | | | | - A short physique with thick arms and legs |
| bodybuilding-and few would, or should, want to-there | | | | - A soft (but solid) rounded body |
| must be a healthy balance between training and | | | | - Easily gains both muscle and adipose tissue |
| personal commitments. This is obtained with a flexible | | | | - Sluggish metabolism |
| mindset that: | | | | - Difficulty losing weight |
| - Creates a bodybuilding routine around one's personal | | | | The endomorphic body type is well suited to strength |
| schedule and commitments. Once personal time | | | | training, and thus it is recommended that this individual |
| commitments are analyzed and a bodybuilding routine | | | | commence weight training at higher intensities. (An |
| devised, however, one should endeavor to attain 100% | | | | overabundance of aerobic activities is not |
| adherence to his or her bodybuilding routine. | | | | recommended for an endomorph because of the |
| - But if a session is missed, one should not become | | | | absence of the requisite endurance.) |
| unduly discouraged. Instead, one should be sufficiently | | | | The best way to train an endomorphic body type is to |
| flexible to reschedule such session as quickly as | | | | use "high intensity interval training." Because such |
| possible. Similarly, if a meal is missed, it should be | | | | sessions are only 15-20 minutes in length, the burning of |
| consumed at the earliest possible opportunity. Likewise, | | | | muscle is minimized. For optimal results, high intensity |
| if a scheduled training session is missed, it should be | | | | interval training should be performed 3-4 times per |
| rescheduled one's for the following day. This way, one | | | | week, interspersed with strength training sessions. |
| acknowledges life's unexpected changes, while | | | | Traits of a Mesomorph |
| maintaining the routine designed to achieve the ideal | | | | The typical traits of a mesomorph include: |
| goal. | | | | - Strength |
| Be Prepared | | | | - Large bones |
| Ensure that you take the time to prepare meals and | | | | - Athletic build |
| snacks in advance to avoid missing meals; try to | | | | - Muscular |
| schedule your routines for the early hours before life's | | | | - Easily gains and loses weight |
| emands and unforeseen circumstances arise; | | | | - Rectangular body |
| determine your routine for the week at the beginning | | | | The mesomorphic body type is ideally suited to |
| of the week so that you can minimize time spent each | | | | bodybuilding, adapting well to most training routines. This |
| day endeavoring to create a plan and rather simply | | | | type can easily handle high intensity and low intensity, |
| execute on a predetermined plan. | | | | high endurance and low endurance training programs. |
| The Bodybuilder in Training | | | | Traits of an Ectomorph |
| There are many precise training recommendations for | | | | They typical traits of an ectomorph include: |
| bodybuilders, but few methods applicable to everyone. | | | | - Thin |
| Although these varied effects were puzzling, it was | | | | - Small boned frame |
| not until the science of "body types" emerged that | | | | - Fast metabolism |
| bodybuilders began to understand these discrepancies. | | | | - Lean muscle mass |
| Moreover, they began to understand how to use their | | | | - Small shoulders |
| individual body types to maximize their bodybuilding | | | | - Flat chest |
| success. | | | | - Difficulty gaining weight |
| The Science of Body Types | | | | The ectomorphic body type has difficulty gaining both |
| In the 1940's, psychologist Dr. William Sheldon became | | | | weight and muscle. Consequently, their bodies cannot |
| interested in the possible connection between one's | | | | tolerate intense exercise (either cardio or weight |
| body type and one's personality or temperament. In | | | | training). For this reason, ectomorphs should slowly build |
| order to test his theory, he studied the | | | | the intensity and the frequency of their training routines, |
| photographs-front view, side view, and back view-of | | | | changing their exercise routines frequently to prevent |
| approximately four thousand men. | | | | training plateaus that may occur as the body becomes |
| From this study and his observations, Sheldon | | | | accustomed to a particular exercise routine. |
| concluded that there were three elements that | | | | The science of body types provides a map for |
| determined one's physique and temperaments. | | | | customizing a training routine to optimize bodybuilding |
| Because these elements, he theorized, were related to | | | | sessions. This, combined with the appropriate mindset, |
| the three layers of the human embryo-which are the | | | | as noted above, will help anyone who desires to |
| endoderm, the mesoderm, and the ectoderm-he aptly | | | | become a successful bodybuilder. |