Body Type and Training Athletes

How can body shape affect an athlete’s reaction to training and recovery?

We know that every athlete is different. However, when it comes to body types, these differences in shape may determine how your body adapts to high intensity training. Some will argue that it is all common sense, when you carry some extra weight your performance is impacted. However, sometimes having a little extra weight can benefit swimmers and bikers on a flat surface while at the same time being far from beneficial for runners.

A more muscled athlete, known as a mesomorph, is generally not as good as a skinnier (ectomorph) athlete at tolerating high level of speed and lactate tolerance training. It means that the more muscle you have on your body the longer you may need to take recover from the high end efforts. Coaches and athletes will need to be mindful of this when building and designing the training plan.

Body type also plays a role in gender adaptations. Different hormone make ups related to body shape also affect training and recovery. Males for the most part cannot tolerate high intensity training as well as women. This is due to their higher levels of testosterone. Training hard impacts testosterone levels and therefore tends to cause more damage for those with higher level of testosterone. This doesn’t mean that men can’t train as hard as women, again it just means that they need to factor in more recovery time.

Don’t think that women are getting off easy on this. Though female athletes recover faster from hard training since the impact is not as severe on their hormonal balances, the science of body types also has an impact on female tolerance of high intensity training. Females with an endomorph body type (soft and round and gains fat easily) will tolerate higher volume of hard training than females with a leaner mesomorph build (muscled athletes). So they too will have to factor this into recovery time.

In general, athletes and coaches need to know that body type matters in training and recovery. If you are male, or have a more muscular build your body’s systems will be impacted more heavily by high intensity or high volume training. By watching diet and factoring in extra recovery time, athletes will be better equipped to adapt to these types of training sessions.

Resource from the SIRC Collection: 
Manietta K. Shape Matters. Australian Triathlete. February 2012;19(4):34-36.

Contact SIRC for more information on training and recovery for athletes!

Why should women try powerlifting?

If someone said to you that they knew something you could do that would be empowering, challenging, engaging and would change your body composition - would you consider it? Powerlifting, often confused with Olympic lifting, is an individualized sport in which competitors attempt to lift as much weight as possible for one repetition in the squat, bench press, and deadlift. For women, powerlifting is currently a niche sport but one that is growing.

Many women are under the impression that lifting weights will make you bulk up when in fact women don't have the testosterone to get the big muscles. Building muscle isn't easy and you won't turn into a she-hulk if you squat your own body weight, what you will end up with is stronger legs and great backside! The way you train will play a significant role in your success - if you adhere to a balanced program of lunges, dead lifts, squats, pull ups, push ups and presses you will get stronger, not bigger.

Weight training can:

• reduce stress and is good for your heart.
• make you stronger and reduces your risk of osteoporosis.
• help you lose weight. According to one study, adding just two sessions per week of heavy lifting can reduce your body fat by three percent without cutting calories.
• strengthen bones and stabilize joints which reduces the risk of injury.
• increase your metabolism. When you put on more lean mass, your body requires more energy which in turn allows you to burn more calories during the day without exercise.

What many women notice when they start lifting is the positive community surrounding them. When people go for a personal best (lifting more weight than they have previously) there is a lot of support from other lifters, sometimes cheering you on trying you psych you up for the lift. Having people root for you and celebrate with you for having achieved something you may not have thought possible a month or two ago can be an amazing and addicting experience.

Throwing around some heavy weight can also do wonders for your self-esteem. If you feel physically strong, chances are it will increase your confidence in your ability to tackle new challenges in and outside the gym.

Whether you have just beat a personal best or you're just starting to see and feel the difference in the strength of your own body, one of the best things lifting does is to turn your attention away from just getting "skinny" and empowers you to create a strong new body that's all your own.

References from the SIRC Collection:

1. Haines J, Thrine A, Titlebaum P, Daprano C. Women and Weight Training: Education and Demonstration Make a Difference. Applied Research In Coaching & Athletics Annual. May 2008;23:237-254.
2. KOLBER M, CORRAO M. SHOULDER JOINT AND MUSCLE CHARACTERISTICS AMONG HEALTHY FEMALE RECREATIONAL WEIGHT TRAINING PARTICIPANTS. Journal Of Strength & Conditioning Research (Lippincott Williams & Wilkins). January 2011;25(1):231-241.
3. Lifting Weights Attacks Unhealthy Belly Fat in Women. Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter. June 2006;24(4):8.
4. Nasim H. THE EFFECT OF SHORT-TERM WEIGHT-BEARING EXERCISE ON BONE MASS DENSITY IN OBESE AND THIN YOUNG GIRLS. / EFEKTI KRATKOTRAJNOG VJEŽBANJA SA DODATNIM TEGOVIMA NA KOŠTANU MASU KOD PRETILIH I MRŠAVIH DJEVOJAKA. Sport Scientific & Practical Aspects. December 2010;7(2):11-16.
5. Seguin R, Economos C, Palombo R, Hyatt R, Kuder J, Nelson M. Strength Training and Older Women: A Cross-Sectional Study Examining Factors Related to Exercise Adherence. Journal Of Aging & Physical Activity. April 2010;18(2):201-218.
6. Shepherd J. Why are you weight-ing?. Ultra-Fit Magazine. August 2013;23(7):4.