How Your Bones Affect Your Body Type
Can the size and structure of your bones affect how you exercise? Definitely! Learn more from Get-Fit Guy.
I came across an interesting article the other day entitled: “Why People Have to Squat Differently.” The main take-away point is that when someone has difficulty squatting, or their feet turn out, or they prefer a wider squat stance to a narrow squat stance, many personal trainers or fitness coaches will tell them “your hips are tight, you need to mobilize them”– basically, another way of saying the body is “broken.”
The article goes on to highlight that if we say someone is squatting improperly without considering anatomical variations of the hip joint, we can be misled. For example, some people’s femurs point upwards and some downwards, and that is simply their bony difference due to variations in skeletal structure.
This got me thinking about how your skeletal structure and bone type affects your body type, too!
For example, an ectomorph is the body-type term for a typical skinny guy or girl. Ectomorphs have a light build with small joints and lean muscle, long thin limbs and a small “delicate” frame and bone structure. In contrast, another body type – mesomorphs – have a larger bone structure, with large muscles and a naturally athletic physique. Not only will these two body types squat differently, and do many other exercises differently, but they’ll also respond in different ways to a variety of exercise programs, with an ectomorph needing to address weakness such as strength and power with a little more time in the weight room, and a mesomorph needing to address weakness such as cardiovascular capacity and flexibility with a little more time spent in aerobics and yoga.
See also: Which Body Type Are You? Part 1
For more details on how to achieve your ideal body based on your unique body type – and bone structure – then grab a copy of my book Get-Fit Guy’s Guide to Achieving Your Ideal Body at GetFitGuy.com.
If you have more questions about how your bones affect your body type, then leave them over at Facebook.com/GetFitGuy
- Ectomorphs: Light build with small joints and lean muscle.
- Mesomorphs: Larger bone structure with large muscles and an athletic physique.
About the Author
Ben Greenfield received bachelor’s and master’s degrees from University of Idaho in sports science and exercise physiology; personal training and strength and conditioning certifications from the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA); a sports nutrition certification from the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN), an advanced bicycle fitting certification from Serotta. He has over 11 years’ experience in coaching professional, collegiate, and recreational athletes from all sports, and has helped hundreds of clients achieve weight loss and fitness success.