For the Women: Body Types
Everyone knows this: not everyone is made the same. The media likes to portray the ideal body image for women to be tall and lean. Obviously this is not the case and it tends to be a problem, especially for women who begin to work out to walk out becoming smaller and leaner. First understanding your body type is very important to understanding what your fitness needs are. A scientist named W.H. Sheldon created a system whereby body types can be classified into three categories: Mesomorphoric, Ectomorphic, and Endomorphic. However, a person is not entirely restricted to just one category.
Mesomorphic – Mesomorphs are more muscular with larger bones and thicker joints. Generally all men fall into this category, mainly due to the testosterone that is released. However, having said that, women have a small percentage of testosterone which is being released in the bloodstream from a gland near the kidneys (adrenal gland).
Ectomorphoric – Ectomorphs are leaner and have a larger absence of fat, making muscle fibres and skeletons more prominent, however lacking muscle tone. Their metabolisms are much higher, leading to a higher consumption of calories.
Endomorphic – Endomorphs are generally rounder and wider. Endomorphs take a lot more effort to lose weight because the food being taken in is easily absorbed into the body and the metabolism is lower.
Many women actually have a mix of all three categories; however one or two will be much more prominent than the other one(s). So why did I tell you all of this? I just want people to be aware that due to your genetics, not everyone can end up with the same ideal end result. What is most important is being fit and healthy because the results will show later. Look out for my next article on Being Skinny vs. Being Fit.
Flatten/Strengthen that Tummy with Core exercises!
Being in an engineering program, much of our workload takes up most of our time and the stress begins to build up. My foolproof method that I have been using for years is being active and working out. ‘Working out’ and ‘gym’ are terms which have been floating around lately amongst my peers. While you are raising your heart rate, your brain releases endorphins which provide a good explanation to all the happy feelings after one works out—this is always the feeling I aim for after a stressful time in school. My main focus for the remainder of the term is showing you a set of workouts which you can do at the gym or even in your own room!
You can do this exercise either at home or at the gym. All you need is a mat/carpet, typically anything with a soft surface for your back. Mind you there are a lot of variations of what I will be showing you. This is what I do and it is my own preference. It will not guarantee the same results for everyone. So try other variations and see what works best for you.
Crunches: Lie flat on your back with your knees up and feet on the ground in a comfortable position. Place your hands in a ‘X’ position over your chest. Focus your eyes on a spot on the ceiling or wall, lift your shoulders (not head!), pull yourself forward, and breathe out. Slowly lower yourself back on the ground and repeat.
Planks: Lie on your stomach and put your arms directly underneath your shoulders. Push yourself up, creating a 90 degree angle between your forearm and upper arm. Remember to tighten your stomach while you are doing this. Hold it for as long as you can.
Side Planks: Lying on one side, put your lower arm beneath you making sure that the elbow is directly under your shoulder and lift yourself up. Your other arm should be on your hip and your head should be aligned with your body. Hold this for as long as you can.
Lower Abs: Lying on your back again, lift up your legs together. Start from having your legs in a lower position and start raising your legs towards your head. As soon as your legs are directly above your hips, raise your hips up. Breathe out and repeat.
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