ECTOMORPH is generally someone with smaller bone structure and is lean.
ENDOMORPH usually carries a combination of lean muscle and higher percent of body fat.
MESOMORPH is general naturally muscular and has a thick bone structure.
*An easy, basic way to determine your samotype is to wrap your index finger and thumb around your wrist. If the thumb and index finger overlap, you're generally an ectomorph, if they touch, an endomorph and if the don't touch, a mesomorph. This is not by any means the most accurate assessment, but will give you a general idea.
I always joke and say "I'm a Humvee not a sports car." My body type is generally fast twitch muscle fiber which generally means explosive muscle contractions for a short period of time. The ideal workout for a person with a high fast twitch or mesomorph body type makeup such as myself is generally that of a bodybuilder, power lifter or football player etc. Generally lower reps with a more challenging weight is what stimulates muscle hypertrophy (growth).
The person with more slow twitch muscle fibers (typically an Ectomorph) will more than likely do better with a faster pace workout such as circuit training, running, swimming, biking for long distance etc. They would do better with modest weight and higher reps in a circuit type workout.
The Endomorph usually has more of a balance of both the fast and slow twitch muscle types and can really train both styles but are also prone to store more body fat.
Learning which type of workout is best for you is important for success and injury prevention. If you take a person who is built like a bodybuilder or football linebacker and train them like a marathon runner they will burn out quick, become frustrated and may even be prone to injury. On the other hand, if you are a person who has a lean body structure with smaller joints and bone density try to lift extreme heavy weight as a power lifter would train, you will run the risk of injuring joints, tendon and ligament damage etc. Of course as I have already mentioned, we all possess both types of the muscle tissue and can train both types of skeletal muscle. However, don't be disappointed if you are predominantly a slow twitch muscle fiber makeup and you can't seem to build enough muscle tissue to look like Mr. Olympia.
We can and should train both, fast and slow twitch muscle fibers and strive to have a well rounded fitness program. You cannot change the type of muscle make up you have. That is determined by genetics. You can however train to maximize the muscle involvement and thus help yourself lose body fat and shape your body. If you're tired of not getting results or always seem prone to muscle and joint injury, perhaps changing the way to exercise may not only help you get the results you want but remain injury free!
* Do not hesitate to contact myself or a Certified Personal Trainer to help develop a personalized exercise program specifically for your body type and goals.