MUSCLE UNIVERSE​

Since Sheldon’s conclusions were published it has become widely recognised that most people have a body type that marks them as either an endomorph (big with high body fat), an ectomorph (lean) or a mesomorph (muscular). Over the past decade, science has discovered more about the genetics that go into making you the shape you are – and what you can do about it. Read on to discover how you can get results, whatever your genes.

 

Endomorph

 

The look Pear-shaped

Why?

High tendency to store body fat

Do…

Train with intensity

Watch your carb intake

Build your shoulders

Don’t…

Do endless crunches

Jog for hours

Drink sports drinks

 

The endomorph is the hardest body type to have in terms of managing your weight and overall fitness.

 

Are you the type?

 

If you have trouble shifting weight, the chances are you’re an endomorph, characterised by a relatively high amount of stored fat, a wide waist and a large bone structure.

 

What’s going on?

 

The good news is that, evolutionarily speaking, you’re a badass: when food was scarce, natural selection favoured humans with fat-storing metabolisms. The bad news is that, now sofas and milkshakes are readily available, those genes are scuppering you. Some experts suggest heredity might account for as much as 70% of your body mass index (BMI).

 

What you might be doing wrong

 

First, the good bit: there’s no point in spending hours plodding away on a treadmill. ‘The first thing I tell people trying to lose weight is to ditch the long, slow, steady-state cardiovascular work,’ says trainer Will Purdue. ‘Then I get them doing more interval-based conditioning to strip away fat. Sprints and box jumps are great, but if you’re heavy to the point of being worried about your joints, then moves like the sled push are slower but just as intense.’ And if you’re doing hundreds of crunches to try and shift your gut, ditch them now. ‘Spot-reducing fat just doesn’t work,’ says trainer Mark Hughes. ‘You need to lose it from everywhere to see results around your waistline.’

 

What you should be doing

 

While much of the endomorph's focus should be on shedding fat through aerobic exercise, here at Muscle Universe, we're of the opinion that weight-training is best because it carries on burning calories long after your final set. What's more, the calories you ingest during the recovery period will help your muscles grow rather than fuelling your gut. Therefore, we recommend doing four days a week of hypertrophy training (heavy weight, low reps) alongside your cardio. ‘Combine hypertrophy work – basically, muscle-building – with conditioning to strip away unwanted body fat,’ says Purdue. ‘A four-day split might go something like: Monday, upper-body hypertrophy; Tuesday, lower-body conditioning such as sprints or sleds; Thursday lower-body hypertrophy; and a Friday “repetition” day on the upper body, when you’ll do lots of reps at relatively low weights.’

 

What to eat

 

From a nutrition perspective, a low-carb diet that still includes oats and brown rice should be complimented by a high protein and fibre intake. Nutrients such as green tea and spinach will help with the fat burning process. You’ll have to watch what you eat more strictly than people with other body shapes. ‘Get your carbs from vegetables,’ says Purdue, ‘and steer clear of white bread and rice.’

 

What else?

 

There’s evidence that extra weight around the midsection indicates high stress levels or a low ability to handle stress,’ says Purdue. ‘Try to minimise the effects of the stress hormone cortisol by getting plenty of sleep and avoiding overtraining.’ And avoid sports drinks. ‘They’re full of carbs,’ says Purdue, ‘and they’ll spike your blood sugar through the roof.’ And, of course, steer clear of the booze.

 

Money moves

 

‘Get used to using your body,’ says Purdue. ‘Work on bodyweight moves such as the press-up or chin-up, and moves that force you to use good technique such as the Turkish get-up.’