Hoping to increase your stamina or lose weight and attain a sexier or fitter body?
It all boils back down to improving body strength. Unfortunately, not everyone can attain that goal easily because they have different body types. After all, not everyone starts with a fit body; some are overweight, and others struggle to gain muscle.
Don’t worry; we’re here to help. Continue reading our guide right here to learn how to improve muscle growth for all body types:
1. Understand Your Body Type
Don’t dive into full-body workouts without first determining your body type. Learn how to improve muscle growth according to your level of metabolism and build. This will guarantee you don’t waste time doing routines or following diets that won’t get you anywhere.
Keep in mind that some people are a mix of two body types. A person can have features of both an ectomorph and a mesomorph or that of a mesomorph and an endomorph. It depends on the changes a body goes through due to dieting and exercise — or lack thereof.
This means you will need to make a few adjustments as your body changes. What works for a pure ectomorph body won’t work once they develop mesomorph features.
Ectomorph Strength Training
You can identify an ectomorph due to its narrow build. This type of body has thin arms and legs and narrow hips. Many ectomorphs struggle to gain weight, and some may look anorexic when compared to other body types.
Losing weight isn’t the only body issue people face. Ectomorphs are the exact opposite: they stress over being too thin. They struggle to gain weight and build lean muscles.
The goal is to first gain muscle mass. A good way to achieve this is to lift heavy weights, with multiple repetitions, with long intervals for rest. Take 2-3 minutes to rest between each set.
However, it’s important to monitor which body part you’re working on. Once your legs feel sore, for example, don’t work on it the next day. Focus instead on another body part, like the abs or back or arms.
Ectomorphs don’t need much cardio workout. However, it’s still important to follow a weekly cardio routine to keep your stamina levels up. It’s also a good way to keep your heart strong throughout rigorous bodybuilding.
Mesomorph Strength Training
When people think of a fit and normal body type, they’re thinking of a mesomorph build. These are people with narrow waists, big, broad shoulders, and can easily gain muscle. They burn fat off quickly due to their effective metabolism rate.
Mesomorphs should work out an average of three days a week. Unlike ectomorphs, their routines should include a variety of weight training intensities. Start with light or moderate weight lifting routines and then move on to heavy lifting before the end of the week.
One good way of balancing body strength building for a mesomorph is to alternate between LISS and HIIT workouts. Alternating between these two types of workout routines will guarantee you don’t tire out each muscle part.
A person with a mesomorph body type should conduct 10-15 minutes of cardio workouts three times a week. Unlike ectomorphs, mesomorphs need to keep burning calories to maintain their build.
Endomorph Strength Training
The final body type is the endomorph. These people gain weight easily, and their bodies store fat, particularly in their legs, neck, arms, and waist. The main struggle with an endomorph body is the difficulty in losing weight and the uphill battle to gain muscle.
Focus first on losing weight. To achieve this, an endomorph needs to prioritize low-impact cardio, such as biking or swimming. Focus on cardio three times a week, for fifteen to thirty minutes per session.
When it comes to weight lifting and body strength building, avoid a lot of heavy weightlifting with low repetition. It’s important to prioritize full-body workouts with tons of varied, compound movements. This will help burn calories to lose weight and replace it with lean muscle.
It will take time for an endomorph to lose weight and build body strength. However, it’s not impossible. Simply keep up with the routine and follow the other tips below:
2. HIIT and LISS Strength Training Regimen
Once someone gains enough muscle mass or loses weight to attain a general mesomorph build, the next goal is to stick with a good HIIT regimen paired with LISS exercises. Don’t worry if you’re not familiar with these terms. We’ll discuss them below.
What is HIIT
HIIT stands for high-intensity interval training. This is the kind of training bodybuilders and military personnel prioritize.
How does HIIT work? As the name implies, it’s about intensive workouts broken into sets. Between each set, you can take short bursts of rest.
For example, you can do 10-12 repetitions of an intensive exercise. Rest for a few seconds, and then another 10-12 repetitions of a different exercise. Do this until you complete a 10-15 minute session.
HIIT also focuses a lot on repetition. This also makes it a great alternative to cardio routines.
HIIT Sample Routine
Looking for a good HIIT routine to try out, with or without weights? Here’s a good example:
Start with a close-grip chest press. Do this for 30 seconds and then shift to chest presses with crunches for 30-45 seconds. Shift to 45 seconds of squat holds and then 3 sets of renegade rows for 30 seconds each.
Got a dumbbell? Add a few over-the-shoulder lifts and forward squeezes. Do repetitions for 30 seconds per set and end the routine with squat holds again.
If you want to focus on aerobic HIIT, like the routines military personnel does, try the following:
Start with 30 seconds of jumping jacks and then shift to 30-45 seconds of push-ups. Move on to half a minute of crunches (center) and then get up to run in place for another half minute. Get back down for crunches (left) and crunches (right).
Mix in a few mountain climbers, bridges, and planks. If you want to keep things varied, switch which ones you perform on the days you perform HIIT.
What is LISS
LISS, in many ways, is the exact opposite of HIIT. It stands for low-intensity steady-state training. Where HIIT focuses on intense workouts, LISS instead prioritizes longer but less intensive routines.
For example, in HIIT, you’d do a sprint for half a minute or do a mile and a half run in twelve minutes. Under LISS, you’d do a casual walk or slow jog for twenty to thirty minutes instead.
Keep in mind that LISS is a good method for endomorphs to stabilize their cardiovascular health. A lot of people with extreme endomorph builds struggle with weight loss, and that impedes their ability to gain muscle and build body strength.
If you struggle with weight lifting and intensive workouts, start with LISS. This is a good way to ease into a regular body-building regimen, especially if you’ve stuck with a sedentary lifestyle.
LISS Sample Routine
What counts as a good LISS routine? If you have a mesomorph build, you can start a LISS routine with jogging or swimming. Pace yourself slowly, sticking with a light jog, but keep at it for twenty to forty minutes.
However, if you have an endomorph body type, you might struggle with a long jog.
Remember that you can rely on LISS to build up stamina and improve cardio, making it an ideal stepping stone before moving on to HIIT. Cycling is a good starting point for this. If you have a bicycle, go for a light bike routine for fifteen minutes.
The best option, however, is to walk. It doesn’t have to be an uphill walk either; simply go around the neighborhood for fifteen minutes. You can also use a treadmill or elliptical to do twenty-minute walks indoors.
3. Body Building Supplements
Improving body strength isn’t only focused on HIIT and LISS routines for different body types. You will need a little help from time to time. Your diet is going to be a major factor here, but so will the supplements you take.
Yes, supplements are an essential part of building body strength. The average diet doesn’t include all the nutrients requires to keep up with an active workout. This is why you’ll see people in the gym snacking on protein bars or shakes before or after they exercise and lift weights.
Keep in mind that different body types will need different kinds of supplements. A person with an endomorph build might want to prioritize food-replacement shakes as part of their diet while ectomorphs and mesomorphs will need extra protein since they regularly lift heavy weights and perform HIIT exercises.
Don’t rely solely on supplements. As the name suggests, they aid in your bodybuilding and strength-building routines, but they’re not the main anchors holding everything together.
What are Supplements?
Supplements are products that contain a mixture of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients or chemicals intended to aid your bodybuilding goals. Some supplements help people lose weight, while others help in gaining weight, building muscle mass, or providing energy for intensive exercise routines.
You can rely on creatine supplements, for example, to build muscle. You can use protein supplements for additional energy to keep you going throughout the day. Some people also use some SARMs, like mk2866, to gain muscle mass.
Always make it a point to read about the supplements you buy before you commit to taking them. That brings us to the next concern: are supplements safe to take?
Are Supplements Safe?
There is no umbrella answer when it comes to supplements and safety. No two supplements are the same, including those that boast the same intended goals. For example, you could have two different kinds of protein shakes, but only one is safe to drink.
However, a majority of supplements you find online and in pharmacies are okay to take. Check the labels for lab testing verification and other forms of official certification.
4. Your Diet Counts
Don’t forget that your diet counts too. What you eat will affect the effectiveness of your routine. A bad diet won’t support the intensive exercises required for strength building.
This doesn’t mean you have to stick with a vegetarian or vegan diet. In fact, you need meat for the protein it provides. Otherwise, you will need to take extra supplements.
Follow a diet that suits your workout regimen. Not sure how or where to start? That’s where the next major tip comes into play:
5. Always Ask For Help
Never hesitate to ask for help.
It’s okay to call a professional to aid you in coming up with a diet or workout routine that works for your body type. These are professionals who work with others for years. They have the knowledge and experience, so make it a habit to pay attention to their advice.
When it comes to supplements, always consult with your physician before you take them. It’s also important to ask your dietician and gym coach for advice since the supplements will affect your eating habits and workout routines.
Boost Your Body Strength Starting Today
Boosting body strength can take a long while, but with these five tips, you’ll soon be on your way to increasing stamina and muscle mass. Ask for help, follow a healthy and effective diet, use the right supplements, and follow a good HIIT or LISS routine. Don’t forget to tailor all this according to your body type.
Of course, learning how to improve body strength is only one part of staying fit. It’s important to learn other important fitness aspects, like how to lose weight or how to move forward to professional bodybuilding.
Fortunately, we’ve got what you need. We recommend going through more of our health and fitness posts right here, today!
