How to Choose the Right Workout for Your Body Type

Co-authored by Danny Gordon and Eric McClure

Last Updated: September 30, 2021 References

You've probably heard of the three main body types (known as somatotypes): ectomorphs, endomorphs, and mesomorphs. Some people in the fitness community have created workouts tailored to each of these body types. The theory is that each body type comes with different goals—ectomorphs want to bulk up, endomorphs want to burn calories, and mesomorphs want some combination of the two. If you're not sure how to work out based on your body type (or what your body type even is), don't worry. We've answered some of your most common questions about choosing the right workout for your body type to help you get started.

Question 1 of 6:

What are the 3 main body types?

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Ectomorphs are long and lean, with very little body fat and muscle. When you picture a long-distance runner or fashion model, you’re probably picturing an ectomorph. They tend to struggle putting on weight, and they can often eat whatever they want without packing on the pounds immediately.^{[1]
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- If you have a thin frame and a rectangle, triangle, or inverted triangle body type, you may be an ectomorph.
- Most people are not a single body type. They’re usually a combination of one or more body types.^{[2]
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  Research source} It’s also important to note that body types can change. It really depends on your activity level, diet, and lifestyle choices.^{[3]
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Endomorphs often have lots of body fat and muscle. Endomorphs tend to be taller and wider, and they have a lot of body fat. This doesn’t necessarily mean that all endomorphs are overweight, just that they’re more likely to become overweight naturally. If you would make a great lineman on a football team or you could play center on a basketball team, you might be an endomorph.^{[4]
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- If you have a diamond, round, or pear-shaped body, you’re more likely to be an endomorph.
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Mesomorphs are athletic, and gain or lose weight very easily. Mesomorphs tend to be very flexible, and they often aren’t overweight or underweight. In fact, they can gain and lose weight fairly easily without going through dramatic dietary changes or working out every day.^{[5]
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- Many triangles, inverted triangles, hourglass, and rectangular body types are mesomorphs.
- Remember, you can be a combination of different body types. For example, there are a lot of pear-shaped ecto-endomorphs who have wide hips and thinner upper bodies.^{[6]
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Question 2 of 6:

How do endomorphs lose weight fast?

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Do interval training if you want the best results. Any exercise will help you lose weight, but interval training is the most efficient way to exercise for weight loss. This is where you work out as hard as you can in a shorter burst, rest for a moment, and repeat. In other words, doing wind sprints with short breaks in between them is better than slowly jogging for a similar period of time.^{[7]
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- You also want to make sure you get a good combination of cardio and resistance training. When it comes to resistance training, calisthenics that rely on body weight are great for weight loss. Exercises like lunges, burpees, and pushups are solid ways to shed some pounds!^{[8]
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- As a note, you cannot target specific parts of your body for weight loss. If you want to lose belly fat, for example, you’re going to need to lose weight all over.^{[9]
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- This process would be the same for a mesomorph or ectomorph as well.
It doesn’t really matter what kind of workout routine you choose if you don’t cut calories and eat a healthier diet. Exercise will absolutely help you lose some weight, but it’s more important to cut out saturated fats, empty carbohydrates, and processed sugars. Control your portions, eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, and opt for lean proteins (like chicken and fish) over red meats.^{[10]
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Question 3 of 6:

How do ectomorphs build muscle quickly?

Lift with a focus on keeping your reps low and weights high. Heavy resistance exercises are the best way to bulk up. Bench presses, bicep curls, squats, and deadlifts are all phenomenal options.^{[11]
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Research source} For each exercise, aim to keep the weight heavy enough that your muscles are exhausted after 5-12 reps. This is the most efficient way to build muscle mass.^{[12]
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- You have a lot of freedom when it comes to the specific exercises you choose, but you do want to make sure that you’re targeting every muscle group over the course of the week. You can split it up so that you do lower body one day and the upper body on another, or incorporate total body workouts every time you hit the gym.
- If you’re a mesomorph or endomorph, this would also be the ideal way to build muscle.

Question 4 of 6:

What is the right workout for your body type?

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There is no relationship between body type and workout strategy. Your body type is not fixed, and it’s not like certain workouts are only good for some body types. An exercise is either beneficial or it isn’t, so don’t lose sleep over this one.^{[13]
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Research source} Everybody will benefit from cardio and weightlifting, and you should get at least 150 minutes of exercise a week regardless of your body type.^{[14]
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- If you want to bulk up, emphasize more weightlifting and get less cardio. If you want to lose weight and get leaner, do more cardio and focus on low-weight resistance exercises.^{[15]
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- Your height and weight influence your ability to perform certain tasks. For example, ectomorphs are more likely to be thin, and thus they might have an easier time breathing during cardio.^{[16]
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  Go to source} Mesomorphs tend to gain and lose weight very easily, and thus they may have an easier time benefiting from aerobics.^{[17]
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  Go to source} This doesn’t mean endomorphs shouldn’t do cardio, or ectomorphs shouldn’t do aerobics, though.
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You can totally emphasize a specific type of activity if you’d like. If you’re an endomorph with a lot of fat stored around your hips or belly, you can absolutely do more cardio to shed some pounds and more upper-body workouts to get bulkier shoulders. This doesn’t really change based on your body type, though—cardio and upper-body workouts aren’t exclusively beneficial to endomorphs. It’s more a question of what kind of exercise you want to pursue based on the results you want.^{[18]
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- For example, an ectomorph can lift heavy weights to try and bulk up, or focus on lower weights to tone their muscles. It totally depends on what your fitness goals are.
- It’s important to choose activities that you enjoy when it comes to working out. It’s much better to choose a slightly less optimal exercise that you find fun and engaging than it is to choose a slightly more efficient exercise that you despise.
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Question 5 of 6:

How can I get a perfect body by exercising?

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Get at least 150 minutes of exercise a week. The more active you are, the happier your body will be. While you should get at least 150 minutes of exercise a week, you can break this up however you’d like. In other words, you can do 30 minutes a day 5 times a week, or do a 75-minute workout twice a week. You can also emphasize a specific type of activity depending on what your goals are.^{[19]
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- Remember, a brisk walk can count as exercise! You don’t have to go to the gym every day to get some physical activity in.
- Choose activities that you enjoy. You’ll be more likely to stick with a workout routine if you find it fun!
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Go swimming, running, or cycling, to get some cardio. The health benefits of exercising to improve your cardiovascular system are well established when it comes to your metabolism, blood pressure, and fitness levels.^{[20]
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Go to source} Anything that gets your blood pressure up counts here; you can play basketball, go jogging, use an elliptical machine, or swim some laps!^{[21]
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- Low-impact cardio, like cycling or brisk walking, is ideal if you want to put less stress on your body and take things slow.
- High-impact cardio activities, like wind sprints, are better if you want to be more explosive and burn calories efficiently and quickly. You probably shouldn’t start with high-impact exercises if you’re just starting out, though.
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Do some resistance training by lifting weights or doing calisthenics. Resistance training is essential if you want to get stronger, improve your overall health, and boost your metabolism.^{[22]
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PubMed Central
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Go to source} In addition to regular cardio, aim to get at least 2 days of resistance training a week. You can lift free weights, use weightlifting machines, or do calisthenics to get the blood flowing! Aim to exercise your entire body when you do resistance training by incorporating exercises that target your upper body, lower body, back, and core.^{[23]
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- Focus on high-weight and low-rep exercises if your goal is to build muscle, get stronger, and increase your overall strength. Aim to exhaust your muscles after 6-10 reps with each exercise.
- Opt for low-weight resistance exercises with a higher number of repetitions if you want to tone your muscles, lose weight, and keep your heart rate up. Make it a goal to perform at least 15 reps with each exercise.
- If you don’t want to lift weights or you can’t easily get to a gym, you can do pushups, burpees, or pull-ups at home! Callisthenic exercises are a great way to get some resistance training in without any fancy equipment.
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Question 6 of 6:

How do you tell your body type?

Just look at the mirror and analyze how much weight you’re carrying. If you’re exceptionally thin, you’re probably an ectomorph. If you’re a little overweight and you have a lot of fat around your stomach and hips, you’re probably an endomorph. If you’re in-between, you’re probably a mesomorph. Remember, you can be a combination of different body types, so if you don’t feel like you fit in a specific category, it’s probably because you don’t.^{[24]
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- On top of all of this, your body type can change. A pear-shaped body can become a rectangle shape and an ectomorph can become a mesomorph.^{[25]
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Sample Workouts

Hourglass Shaped Body Workout Plan

Pear Shaped Body Workout Plan

Straight Shaped Body Workout Plan

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Question

Can you change your body shape with exercise?

Danny Gordon
Certified Personal Trainer
Danny Gordon is an American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Certified Personal Trainer and Owner of The Body Studio for Fitness, a fitness studio based in the San Francisco Bay Area. With over 20 years of physical training and teaching experience, he has focused his studio on semi-private personal training. Danny received his Personal Trainer Certification from the California State University, East Bay and the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM).

Danny Gordon

Certified Personal Trainer

Expert Answer

You can certainly lose or gain weight. At the same time, you can gain and lose muscle. It all depends on your diet and your exercise routine. All of this definitely impacts the way your body looks! Just keep in mind that it can take time to see results and it's extremely important that you're consistent.

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What are workouts for a pear-shaped figure?

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Squats, dumbbell back kicks, lunges, leg exercises, and try to do more cardio.

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What exercises help to reduce weight?

Nathan Litz

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A great exercise would be to start walking on a track or a treadmill at a pace a little faster than walking. When that becomes easier, speed it up. You could also use light dumbbells and do basic arm exercises to lose arm fat.

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Your diet is extremely important if you’re overweight. Aim to cut out saturated fats and sugar, and make sure that you eat a balanced diet full of lean proteins, vegetables, and fruit.^{[26]
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