Workout to suit your body type

We all come in different shapes and sizes, therefore the results we achieve through training are different. Our maximum potentials are different and the speed in which we attain results will be different.  Have you ever wondered why your friend only needs to look at a dumbbell before he starts swelling up with muscle? Or why your sister can drop a dress size in a week just by controlling her eating?  While you fight tooth and nail just to lose a couple of pounds. It all comes down to the different body-types.

There are 3 categories known as the Somatotype which are used to describe someone’s body shape, Ectomorph (long limbs and slender), Mesomorph (broad shoulders) and Endomorph (round physique). You will generally tend to fall into one of the categories but it is not unusual to have a blend of 2. What I have done is break down the respective groups and suggest workout methods to help you achieve your goal.

Typical traits of an ectomorph:

•          Small “delicate” frame and bone structure
•          Flat chest
•          Small shoulders
•          Thin long limbs
•          Lean muscle mass
•          Finds it hard to gain weight
•          Fast metabolism

Ectomorphs struggle to gain weight easily so if you fall into this category and your fitness goal is to gain size then you will need to really increase your calorie intake substantially, eating loads of protein and supplementation is recommended. In terms of exercise you want to focus on compound movements working the larger muscle groups. Exercises for you are Squats, Deadlifts, Bench press, Pull ups and dips, working in a rep range of 8-12.

Typical traits on a Mesomorph:

•         Athletic
•          Hard body with well defined muscles
•          Rectangular shaped body
•          Strong broad shoulders
•          Gains muscle easily
•          Gains fat more easily than ectomorphs

Mesomorphs gain muscle easily and are best suited to weight training; the only problem is they can put on fat quickly. If your desire is to gain muscle but stay cut then I suggest you watch your calorie intake and include High Intensity Interval Training with your weight sessions. Interval sets of 1min sprints followed by 3mins jogging at a slower pace repeating for 20-30mins or incorporate a circuit session in your weekly regime also where you do a sequence of exercises packed together without rest in between, normally done by a measure of time rather than reps.

Typical traits of an Endomorph:

·        Soft and round body

·        Gains muscle and fat very easily

·        Is generally short and “stocky”

·        Round physique

·        Finds it hard to lose fat

·        Slow metabolism

Endomorphs carry the most fat so to trim down, dietary habits are important and you’ll need to do loads of cardio as well as lifting light weights doing high repetitions of 15+. A cardio exercise that is highly recommended is Boxing which is great for toning and burning the fat plus loads of fun.

Written by

Erron Dussard

STONEiMAGE Management LTD

@Stoneimage

Better health more wealth

We relate the acquisition of wealth to working hard, having an entrepreneurial mind or having a god given talent. How many of you relate the acquisition of wealth to your health?

Well its logical to think that better health means less days off sick, more work done, better appraisals leading ultimately to salary increases and promotions. Looking into it a little deeper, post exercise there is a release of endorphins into the body similar to that after orgasm which gives you that feel good factor. Those who exercise frequently benefit hugely from this natural high, so much so that when you extract exercise from the routine it is normal to feel low & depressed. Those who exercise frequently have lower stress levels than their lazier counterparts.  Your productivity levels will  go through the roof , your thirst for new challenges and opportunities will increase, your mind will be clearer of stress to be more creative and you will be far happier.


I had a phone conversation with my aunt after she done the STONEiMAGE30minCircuit, she was deliriously high on endorphins, you could hear the excitement in her voice. She said post workout that she was feeling really energised which is down to kickstarting your metabolism into gear. After 6-9hrs of sleep your metabolism slows itself down as you don't need the energy throughout the night, that is why when we first get up everything we do is in slow motion, that knocks on to how you start work and so on. A bit of exercise in the morning can really ignite your day and set you up for a real good one, TRY IT!!! Added to the biological benefits you also look better, when you look better you definitely feel better, your confidence is high and you wake up every day with a real purpose.


 The longest I've gone without exercise is 8weeks which I enforced on myself when I done the STONEiMAGE Experiment last year and those 2 months were my most unproductive months to date since I've been in business. A lack of energy, enthusiasm and motivation financially put a strain on the company and in that period I did not sign up 1 new client. I was a mere shadow of my previous self, very glum and uninspiring, I'm probably lucky to of kept my clients during that period. Once I restarted exercise again I felt rejuvenated, the spring in my step was back, I felt a lot better about myself therefore working better and being a better trainer to my clients. Within days I had signed up 2 new clients and not because I done anything different in my approach but my aura would have been better, much more approachable and enthused which led to those 2 people wanting to train with me. Exercise gives me the energy to take on new business challenges and explore new opportunities which can only be beneficial. 


To achieve all that you wish to achieve you need to be at your best both mind and body. They work in tandem  so for me, to have an imbalance in one aspect of your life it is surely to have affect on another. 


Written by


Erron Dussard
STONEiMAGE Management
www.stone-img.com

Too busy for your HEALTH

"I really want to get in shape but I don't have the time."
"I only have about 30mins training time, what effective workout can I do?"
"I don't want to sign up with a gym membership".

1st off I'm going to challenge those who say they do not have time to exercise, "like really, come on." No matter how busy you are you should afford 3hrs a week to your health. Your health is the most important thing above all, so my answer to you is make time. I question how much those said people actually really want to be fit & healthy, they're more into the idea of exercising rather than actually doing it. Exercise shouldn't be a hobby or chore but a way of life, we were made to move so get moving!!!

3hrs a week can be accumulated over a few days, now tell me 30mins a day is not feasible for 6days. Still not feasible? Please click the "X" at the top right corner of the screen...........
Ok now to all those who are now sitting up in their seats paying attention 30mins a day can still be effective. High intensity training is the newly publicised form of training, short, sharp & intense. Like Interval sprints over long drawn out jogs, its all about high intensity in short bursts followed by rest periods.

There is no better form of training for this then circuit. A sequence of exercises done one after the other with no rest in between for a set amount of time followed by a short recovery period and then move on to the next sequence or repeat. High intensity is all about getting the heart up working at 80-100% capacity. There is this suggestion that for fat loss you should work in the 'fat burning zone' which is more 30-50% capacity. I agree working at that capacity is more fat burning than fitness but working at high intensity will ultimately burn more calories, improve fitness & increase your metabolic rate so even after training your furnace like body will still be burning calories at a high rate hours/days after your workout. Now why would you spend 1hr plodding along on the treadmill, bike or x-trainer when you can do a high intensity circuit for half the time, improve your fitness, burn more calories during & after workout?! With your extra 30mins now you can get back to working busily.

"ok I'm convinced, how do I devise a circuit?"

Problem solved I've devised a 'STONEiMAGE 30min Circuit' training routine that you can do. It gets even better this circuit requires no equipment & can be done anywhere (no gym membership needed), your body is all the tool that is needed. How do you get your hands on said circuit??? To get started all you need to do is email info@stone-img.com and quote 'STONEiMAGE 30min Circuit', oh yeah did I mention its FREE!!!

Circuit training is for all fitness levels, you do as many repetitions as you can in the set time. The programme will always remain challenging as the fitter you get the more reps you'll do. 30mins a day, 6days a week with 1 days rest, do this for 4weeks maintaining a healthy diet & I guarantee change (take before & after photos as proof, best results will get a prize).

Allegedly summer is around the corner, are you beach ready? What you waiting for?! Email me info@stone-img.com quote 'STONEiMAGE 30min Circuit'

Written by

Erron Dussard
STONEiMAGE Management
www.stone-img.com

Fat loss over weight loss

"I don't get it, whats the difference?"

Well yes there is a difference that many are unaware of and knowing the difference may lead you to reassessing your fitness goals. Major difference is what happens to the fat in your body, with weight loss you may follow a cardio based training programme which not only burns fat but muscle too. Whereas fat loss is all about reducing your body and visceral (internal more dangerous fat surrounding your organs) fat while increasing muscle percentage which will be created by following a weights & high intensity cardio programme.

"So if I lose fat and increase muscle I will still be the same size?"

No, muscle is a lot more dense than fat so even though weighing the same a stone of muscle will appear a lot smaller than a stone of fat. We all have muscle on our body which contracts to create movement but what makes us appear bigger or smaller are the levels of fat on top.

"But my weight is too high for my height and my BMI says I'm overweight".

BMI readings are just a general measurement which doesn't take the specific distribution of weight into consideration. An olympic sprinter for example is clinically obese using the BMI measurements, I myself have a BMI reading of 26.2 which makes me overweight as the bracket deemed as normal is 18-25. Neither myself or any olympic sprinter would ever be seen as overweight or obese and any suggestion of needing to lose weight would be laughed at.

"ok i'm beginning to understand a little, so what will happen to my body shape with fat loss?"

Ok with losing fat and increasing muscle you will be left looking smaller, leaner while creating a more defined & clear body shape. You can drop dress/suit sizes without dropping too much weight and with a more definite shape your clothes will hold better. Looking in the mirror you will look completely different even if you don't weigh much different.

Once again a blog inspired by a client/trainer conversation and I hope this article will be of useful note when setting your fitness goals. Forget the weighing scales, concentrate more on body composition and measurements of key areas arms, chest, waist (measure at point of belly button), hips (around widest area of hip) and thighs (just below buttocks). Allow your clothes to be your guide, set clothe sizes as your goal.

Fat loss over weight loss

Written by

Erron Dussard
STONEiMAGE Management
www.stone-img.com