The following are some common myths that you may hear from clients or potential clients or read about in popular media. Your job is to sift through these types of statements and look for the evidence—which, in this case, you will not find.
- Only those with an ectomorph body type can easily gain muscle. The truth is that you cannot tell how someone is going to respond to training simply by looking at their present shape and body composition.
- Individuals who have an ectomorph body type should perform fewer reps with heavier weights. This is based on the assumption that these individuals want—or should want—to gain muscle mass and increase their overall weight. A client’s approach to training reps, intensity and volume ought to be dictated by their goals and their responses to training, not their appearance.
- People with an ectomorph body type (and the other body types) should eat certain foods while avoiding others. The best approach to nutrition is to find a healthy eating plan that the client can stick to over the long haul. There are no hard and fast rules. And, the negatively worded guidance to “avoid” a favorite or preferred food is not likely to lead to success.
- People with an ectomorph body type have more self-control than the other body types, particularly endomorphs. Never assume that self-control lies at the heart of a person’s nutrition or physical-activity habits, or their appearance. Everyone’s personal experiences are unique and it’s your role as the professional to unravel that history and empower the client to make the behavioral changes they seek.
- A person with an ectomorph body type can, and should be encouraged to, eat as many calories as they want, especially if they exercise. Again, this is based on the assumption that these folks want or need to gain weight. Nutrient density and a balanced diet are important for everyone, no matter their body type.
- People with ectomorph body types can train less often because of their biological advantages. Because they are slender and less prone to gaining fat mass, people sometimes believe that ectomorphs don’t “need” exercise as much as others, but there are plenty of benefits to physical activity that have nothing to do with appearance.
