Have you ever wondered why two people can put an equal amount of effort into the same exercise routine and come out with different results? Maybe you and a workout partner have been going to the gym for three months, doing exactly the same exercises and have ended up with very different results. Despite the fact that you were doing identical workouts your bodies reacted in very different ways. Perhaps you have noticed something else: some people bulk up really quickly while others struggle to put on weight. This is because different body types respond to exercise in radically different ways. Of course how the body reacts to exercise has to do with diet, stress and sleep patterns. But a very prominent and convincing theory in exercise science states that there are three pure body types - and each of these body types reacts differently to exercise. Of course, most of us do not fall neatly into one type. Most of us display a mixture of the different characteristics. Most people however, reflect one body type that is more dominant than the others. The three ‘pure’ body types are Ectomorph, Mesophorph and Endomorph.Ectomorphs tend to be long and lean: think of the typical supermodel. Ectomorphs tend to have really good flexibility and can be fast for a short amount of time but lack cardiovascular and musculature endurance and muscle strength. If you are an ectomorph you probably really like flexibility exercises. But if you are an ectomorph you need to step out of your comfort zone and do exercises that promote strength and endurance. Think of increasing the time you spend doing typical strength training exercises like a bench press or a leg press. Use heavier weights and try to incorporate more endurance cardio into your exercise routine.Mesomorphs are almost the exact opposite of ectomorphs. They lack flexibility but are really good at endurance cardio and have good muscular power and stamina. If you are a mesomorph you probably tend to increase your muscle mass quite quickly. I suggest incorporating lots of flexibility and mobility training into your routine and adding lots of intervals into your cardio routine.Endomorphs tend to have trouble controlling their weight. They are inclined to hold extra weight all over their bodies but find it gathers especially quickly in their mid section. They could be described as rounded or soft.Endomorphs tend to be comfortable at most exercise routines but they do not easily excel at any of them. For example they have moderately good flexibility but are not as flexible as an ectomorph is. They have good muscular strength but they are not as strong as a mesophorph.So if your workout partner has been successful in changing his or her shape while you are wondering why your shape remains the same, try figuring out your strengths and weaknesses in the gym based on body type. Maybe you need to re-evaluate your workout. Perhaps you should be doing a different exercise routine then your friend is. It is also extremely important that you make sure you are not always working within your comfort zone. If you lack flexibility and hate stretching - be brave, try a yoga class. If you always go for long, slow runs trying doing a 20 minute run going as fast as you can. Mix up your routine. Push yourself to try some things you might be unfamiliar with or less comfortable doing. Add some things to your routine that you might think you will hate doing. You might just love the result!

Have you ever wanted to start running? Maybe complete a 5km race? Have you been scared to start a running program because you are afraid of hurting yourself? Maybe you have been apprehensive of starting running because you don’t know how to begin? The purpose of this article is to tell you what one needs in a good running program to prevent injuries. A successful and safe running program must include 3 elements: a good strength training component, a good flexibility component and the actual running component.The Strength Training ComponentThe strength training component is important because your muscles need to be strong to help absorb some of the shock from the impact from the running. Most people are weak in their medial quads (inner knee muscle). This can cause problems when running because the vastus medialis (or medial Quad muscle) is an important stabilizer of the knee. An easy but very effective exercise which strengthens this small muscle group is the terminal knee extension. Let me explain how it works.Terminal knee extension:Stand with a resistance band tied just above your knee. Stand perpendicular to the machine the band is attached to. Feet are hip distance apart and parallel. Keep the leg without the band around it straight. Slightly bend the leg with the band around it. As you straighten the leg try to contract the muscles around the inner part of your knee. This is a small movement – don’t let the bend get too big. This exercise is about being precise. We want to strengthen the small muscles that support your knee.You also want to be careful not to compound exercises that attempt to strengthen all the large muscles in your lower body. Many people do squats and lunges, which are both really good exercises, but I suggest trying as much as possible to do single leg exercises instead. This is important because most people have strength discrepancies from leg to leg. I also suggest focusing on getting the ‘glutes’ working when doing your lower leg exercises. Many people over use the quad muscles when doing squats and lunges. This can be problematic. As a runner you need to get your ‘glutes’ working, especially your gluteus medius, because it is the main stabilizer of the hips. Let me suggest a great exercise for this: it is a twist with a lunge. It will help you to engage your ‘glutes’ when doing a lunge.Lunge and rotation:Stand with both feet facing forward but with one foot ahead of the other. Hold a medicine ball in front of you. Bend your back knee down into a lunge. Both your front and back knees should be creating 90-degree angles. Be careful to keep your front knee from going over your front toe when you drop into the lunge. As you bend both knees, shift your weight onto your front leg. Concentrate on putting weight onto your front heel. As you lunge rotate your medicine ball to the outside of the front foot. Connect your energy into that front heel and push back up to standing. As you push up try to connect into the glute of your front leg. Make sure that front glute gives you the power to push yourself up.The Flexibility ComponentIt is extremely important to include a flexibility program when running. One of my favorite tools to use for this is a foam roller. This wonderful piece of equipment allows you to do myofascial release or what I like to call self-massage. Let me describe one of my favorite foam roller exercises as well as a more traditional stretch. There are countless other stretches that could be included in a running program. The truth is that all stretches are good. Just make sure you are not “bouncing” the stretch. You want to hold each stretch for at least 10-30 seconds. Remember to breathe as you hold each stretch and to focus on doing them after your run.IT Band Foam Roller Release:Lie on your left side with the foam roller perpendicular to your body, with the roller underneath the side of your left leg. Bend your right leg so your foot is on the floor. Use your right leg and your left arm to roll your body up and down the foam roller so your side of your leg gets a nice massage. Switch and do the other legHip Flexor Stretch With A Swiss Ball:Put a Swiss ball underneath your right hip. Put your left leg forward in a lunge position. Let the right side of your body relax into the ball, contracting your right glute muscle and sitting up nice and straight. Feel a stretch through the front of your right thigh. When you are done switch and repeat on your other leg.The Running ComponentIf you have not been a runner before now, you want to start with a running and walking program. Week 1-2: Start with a warm up of walking for five minutes. Then run for 3minutes and then walk again for 2 minutes. Repeat this cycle four to six times. End with a cool down of gentle walking for five minutes. Week 3-4: Warm up for five minutes with a faster walk then week 1 and 2. Run for five minutes and walk for 2 minutes. Repeat this four times. Cool down for five minutes. Week 5-6: Warm up for 5 minutes with a fast speed walk. Run for eight minutes and walk for 2 minutes. Repeat three times. Cool down for five minutes. Week 7-8: Warm up with a 3minute fast walk and a 2 minute slow jog. Run for 10 minutes and walk for 1minute. Repeat three times. Cool down for 5 minutes.Enjoy your running program and celebrate your success!

Shake Up Your Cardio

Do you go to the gym and do the same cardio routine every time? Do you always do the same boring thing on the same machine? Are you not getting the results that you want? Bellow are three cardio plans. A beginner, iintermediate and advanced plan. They are designed to keep your body guessing the entire time you are working out and therefor keep your body getting fitter and stronger.

Beginner Plan: on treadmill

5min warm up walking at 3.0 speed and 0 incline

3min medium intensity walking at 3.5 speed and 0 incline

2min fast walking at 4 speed and 0 incline

2min walking at 3.0 speed and 2 incline

2min walking at 3.0 speed and 3 incline

2min walking at 3.0 speed and 4 inlcine

2min walking at 3.0 speed and 5 incline

2 min walking at 3.0 sped and 6 incline

2 min walking at 3.5 speed and 0 incline

2 min walking at 3.8 speed and 0 incline

2 min walking at 4 speed and 0 incline

2 min walking at 4.2 speed and 0 incline

2 min cool down at 3.0 speed and 0 incline

 

Intermediate Program: You Need treadmill and a skipping rope

3 min warm up at 3.5 speed and 0 incline

2 min 4.0 speed and 0 incline

5 min jog at 5.5 speed

5 min walk at 3.5 speed and 10 incline

get off treadmill and skip rope for 2 min

stay off treadmill and do 20 squat jumps (have feet shoulder width apart, sit backwards into a squat, jump up, land back into a squat, repeat)

 jog on the treadmill at 5.5 speed and 0 incline

walk on the treadmill at 3.5 speed and 10 incline

cool down at a 3.0 speed walk

 

Advanced Program: you need a treadmill, skipping rope and a bosu ball

5 min warm up at 4.0 speed and 0 incline

jog on treadmill for 3 min at 6.0 speed and 0 incline

jog on treadmill for 2 min at 6 speed and 2 incline

jog on treadmill for 2 min at 6 speed and 3 incline

jog on treadmill for 2 min at 6 incline and 4 incline

sprint on treadmill for 1 min at 7 speed and 0 incline

jog on treadmill for 1 min at 6 speed and 0 incline

get off treadmill

skip for 2 min

do 30 squat jumps (have your feet shoulder width apart, sit backwards like you are sitting on a chair, jump upwards, land backwards into a squat, repeat)

get on the top of the bosu ball and run on the top of the bosu ball for 30 seconds

do 20 burpies with the bosu ball (turn the bosu ball over so the dome part is facing down, start standing with bosu on the floor/ dome part is facing down, bring your hands down to the top of the bosu, jump your feet backwards into a plank position, jump your feet back in and stand back up)

walk on treadmill for 2 min at 3.5 speed and 0 incline

jog on treadmill for 3 min at 6.0 speed and 0 incline

jog on treadmill for 1 min at 6.1 speed and 0 incline

jog on treadmill for 1 min at 6.2 speed and 0 incline

jog on treadmill for 1 min at 6.3 speed and 0 incline

jog on treadmill for 1 min at 6.4 speed and 0 incline

jog on treadmill for 1 min at 6.5 speed and 0 incline

jog on treadmill for 1 min at 6.6 speed and 0 incline

jog on treadmill for 1 min at 6.7 speed and 0 incline

jog on treadmill for 1 min at 6.8 speed and 0 incline

jog on treadmill for 1 min at 6.9 speed and 0 incline

jog on treadmill for 1 min at 7 speed and 0 incline

jog on treadmill for 3 min at 6.0 speed and 5 incline

jog on treadmill for 2 min at 5.5 speed and 0 incline

walk on treadmill for 2 min at 3.5 speed and 0 incline

walk on treadmill for 1 min at 3.0 speed and 0 incline