The 2 Steps to create a customised fitness plan for great results!

Do you look around the gym thinking:

Will I truly be able to have that body by the fitness plan that I’m following now?

Step 1: Create a customised fitness plan according to your body type

Ectomorphs: Typically identified by being narrow in the shoulder & long lean limbs

Do you have difficulty in gaining body mass? You may benefit from having naturally higher metabolism but weight gain is a challenge. Ectomorphs do very well in endurance sports such as long-distance running, swimming and tennis, however looking after nutrition, supplementing with extra good fats & protein, getting enough rest, whilst incorporating shorter bursts of resistance exercise in your fitness plan will give good results for increasing your build.

Mesomorphs: Typically identified by a square more athletic physique

Mesomorphs have a good muscle mass & respond very fast to a fitness plan. If you found you didn’t have to work that hard in the gym to gain muscle you could be a Mesomorph. Watching nutrition well and mixing up your sports so your body doesn’t get too used to your fitness plan will give you great results

Endomorphs: Generally shorter build and rounder in the middle, strong legs then tend to be chunkier on top

You will have a challenge in weight loss due to your slower metabolism. Watching your nutrition including not overeating later in the day when the digestive system is slower is key, coupled with a fitness plan that mixes cardio and resistance will give you great results.

Step 2: Create a customised fitness plan according to how you want to achieve your goals

What are your goals and what type of exercises are you choosing to achieve them? There are 3 types of fitness plans that you may want to focus on or combine to get your results.

Flexibility: Being able to move your body parts with ease, having difficulty touching your toes? Tight hips or hamstrings? Incorporating time for static stretches, yoga or pilates can increase your ability to move freely

Resistance training: Want to look ‘toned’ or have more definition? For this aesthetic appearance, you will need to gain muscle and then burn fat to see it. Hence ‘abs are made in the kitchen’, however, building the muscle will require a workout that applies force. Before you jump straight to the heaviest weight, consider if you can lift or even push your own body weight with ease first. If you can do pushups or pull-ups with ease, no need to add extra weight and potentially get an injury. The more muscle you build from resistance training the higher your metabolism will be to burn the fat to get the aesthetic appearance you require.

Cardio:  The ability of the body to pump oxygenated blood and absorb around the body is achieved this way. If you are looking to compete for a sport, then you may need to ‘clock your miles’ in that particular area. However, too many people are doing hours on a treadmill, road or even machines hoping to burn fat and get ‘toned’.

Cardio is great for general fitness but do your resistance training for the most effective ‘fat burn’.

Combining your body type, fitness enjoyments and goals together will put you well on track to get the results you require from your fitness plan.