Best Workout for Your Body-Type (article)

M

mini-natty

Cathlete
I came across this article, found it interesting and wanted to share:

The Best Workout For Your Body Type - iVillage



Does anyone here "customize" their workout to their body-type? If so, have you seen positive results? Who finds it very challenging to tone/slim down certain area's of their body?


I am a pear shape and find it very difficult to tone my upper body while trying to slim down a very curvy lower body. LIS has been amazing for my body-type, and has given me visible results when no other workouts have. I know I can't change my body-type, and I (finally!!) accept and embrace what I have been given. Besides I am in the company of beautiful women like Jennifer Lopez and Beyonce. A little "junk-in-the-trunk" ain't so bad after all ;)
 
Really interesting article. I'm more of an apple, but still shapely. Not top heavy. When I gain wt, I gain all over, but when I lose wt, my midsection is the most stubborn area and the last area to shed the excess fat. I pretty much do all the things she suggests in the article. My body responds very quickly to weight training and I tend to have alot of muscle even if I don't do alot of weight training. I also do alot of cardio like she said. Doing what she suggests is working very well for me. I love the way my body is shaping up. And I guess it's true what she said about the metabolism because I don't have to restrict my diet alot to lose weight. I can eat until I'm satisfied and still lose wt as long as I'm working out regularly. I have lost alot off my mid-section, but it's the only part of my body that still needs work. Everthing else is good.
 
Great article, thanks for sharing!

I'm a pear/hourglass. The main areas of fat on my body are in the hips/butt/thigh region, but I wouldn't say I fit the true pear shape. It's been a struggle to reduce the fat in that region. I also have trouble building muscle in my upper body. I have found the best combo so far to be adding more strength training and less cardio (counter-intuitive, I know) and really eating as clean as possible (I've turned to the paleo/Primal Blueprint way of eating as of late, as I've found grains are a huge reason for my not being able to reduce my body fat). As I've gotten older, a clean diet has become key to getting the figure that I strive for. I've also found huge benefits from the new LIS series - those discs have completely re-shaped my thighs.
 
FitChick25 said:
I have found the best combo so far to be adding more strength training and less cardio (counter-intuitive, I know) and really eating as clean as possible (I've turned to the paleo/Primal Blueprint way of eating as of late, as I've found grains are a huge reason for my not being able to reduce my body fat). As I've gotten older, a clean diet has become key to getting the figure that I strive for.
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Ditto. I'm a pear (really hour glass, I have always had a tiny waist).

The thing I've noticed about eating the Primal/Paleo way is that you don't need super high intense cardio. The diet with weight training is fat burning. I feel like I found the fountain of youth! LOL
I can only get so far with calorie counting. I could reach my scale weight but I always fall short of my body comp goals which are two very different things.
For me, it all boils down to the quality of food. Processed food keeps the last layer of fat on my body. Sad to say, now that I'm older my body is less forgiving of the junk food.
 
I am an apple with string-bean tendencies. I have always had what I call "football" shoulders. I am 5'9" and even when I am a size 6 pants, my tops would have to be size 12-14 in the shoulders just to accommodate their width :confused:. However, my wrists are so small you can get your fingers around them with space left and I have a terrible time putting on any muscle! Good thing I love lifting weights...that is my prescription...but then lots of cardio too!
 
I think pear and hourglass are two different types. True pears have lower bust/chest measurements then their equivalent hip size while hourglasses have curvy busts and hips.

I'm a true pear, 34 A bra cup but with full hips. I was told by a amateur body builder one time that to even out my shape I should lift as heavy as possible on upper body and stick to lower, muscle endurance reps for my lower body. I was also advised to do body pullups to widen the lats and also to do lots of leg cardio because most my fat resides below the belt.

Of course I haven't started doing any of this.....:eek: but that is what New Year's resolutions are about ;)
 
dennyr said:
I think pear and hourglass are two different types. True pears have lower bust/chest measurements then their equivalent hip size while hourglasses have curvy busts and hips.

I'm a true pear, 34 A bra cup but with full hips. I was told by a amateur body builder one time that to even out my shape I should lift as heavy as possible on upper body and stick to lower, muscle endurance reps for my lower body. I was also advised to do body pullups to widen the lats and also to do lots of leg cardio because most my fat resides below the belt.

Of course I haven't started doing any of this.....:eek: but that is what New Year's resolutions are about ;)
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Hmmm that's interesting about the heavier weights for the UB. It's hard for me to build lots of muscle there, but I know that's what I need to do to balance my top half to my lower half. I am also a true pear. Same as you, A-B cup, a definite smaller waist and curvy hips/thighs. That's why I wanted to buy a barbell, so I could start working my UB with heavier weights and see more muscle definition. Is that what you do? How heavy to do you lift?


Natasha
 
mini-natty said:
Hmmm that's interesting about the heavier weights for the UB. It's hard for me to build lots of muscle there, but I know that's what I need to do to balance my top half to my lower half. I am also a true pear. Same as you, A-B cup, a definite smaller waist and curvy hips/thighs. That's why I wanted to buy a barbell, so I could start working my UB with heavier weights and see more muscle definition. Is that what you do? How heavy to do you lift?


Natasha
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Mini,

I'm still in weight reduction mode but when I get down to my normal weight I intend to concentrate on my UB buy doing of Cathe's rotation( Upper Body Bliss) . She does include leg work but it is not the main emphasis.

When I'm finished with that I plan to go totally with Slow and Heavy for the UB. Low reps with heavy weight is what is needed to gain size.

And yes, a barbell is a necessity for us bony shoulder gals:(.


Best Wishes,
DennyR

I wonder what body type Cathe is?:confused:
My body type


I would guess she's a banana!:D
 
dennyr said:
Mini,

I'm still in weight reduction mode but when I get down to my normal weight I intend to concentrate on my UB buy doing of Cathe's rotation( Upper Body Bliss) . She does include leg work but it is not the main emphasis.

When I'm finished with that I plan to go totally with Slow and Heavy for the UB. Low reps with heavy weight is what is needed to gain size.

And yes, a barbell is a necessity for us bony shoulder gals:(.


Best Wishes,
DennyR

I wonder what body type Cathe is?:confused:
My body type


I would guess she's a banana!:D
Click to expand...



A banana for sure!

Thanks for the info. The Upper Body Bliss looks great. I just HATE working different muscles on different days. I would much rather work them on ONE DAY, up to 2X/week. I just don't have that much time to devote right now. That's why STS would be out of the question at this point in my life. I will however up my weight and go heavier with less reps.

Good luck with your fitness goals! Take care.

Natasha
 
LOL...I had to go look at that article, because I'd never heard the term banana to describe a body type and really couldn't imagine! Ive always just heard this body type referred to as athletic...banana doesn't sound very complementary...but of course neither does apple or pear now that I think about it! It's all better than potato, though. :)
 
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