BODY TYPE FACT VS FICTION

People are often confused when it comes to body types and fitness because if we go back in history a bit, during the late 1930s and early 1940s, American psychologist and physician Dr. William Sheldon, who was best known for his theory associating physique, personality, and delinquency, became convinced that the psychological makeup of humans had biological foundations.

He constructed a classification system that associated physiology and psychology. Sheldon presented a unique body-type-temperamental model that purported to demonstrate a link between an individual's anatomical/psychological traits and his/her behavior and personality.

He identified three body types: (i) Endomorph: which is an individual who is bulky and beloved; seeks comfort; loves fine food and eats too much of it; are also jovial, affectionate and liked-by-all persons. (ii) Mesomorph: a basically strong, athletic and tough individual; fond of muscular activity; tends to be highly aggressive and self-assertive and, (iii) Ectomorph: a thin individual, long and poorly developed physically, but highly developed intellectually; labeled as absent-minded, shy but brilliant.

There is no medical evidence what-so-ever or any research or credible data linking these body types to exercising and fitness. All of the misinformation about body types and exercise that are presented to the public using Sheldon's Body types has been concocted by the media and fitness wannabes, basically everyone except for Dr. Sheldon - as he himself did not have an interest in exercise/fitness, and never gave advice, guidance or information as to what one should and should not do regarding exercise based on his or any other body types.

Common sense prevails here to anyone who reads the exercise advice given today for these body types Dr. Sheldon created 80+ years ago, that 90% of recommended exercises and/or fitness equipment that are associated with his body types weren't even known or even existed back then.

Often we hear the media misuse the words “body type" and/or “curvy” to describe the size of a person – which is also incorrect. A person can be short, medium tall or tall and be curvy, just as you can be petite but still be curvy. You can also be large and overweight and not be curvy what-so-ever. The point here is that people should say that their brand of clothing is for all sizes, not body types - and he/she should also stop using “body types” unless they include in the phrase body types of all sizes…

Similarly, there are a plethora of other names of body types floating around, such as “apples," “pears," “carrots," “rectangles," “inverted triangles," and the like. None are substantiated and many are knock-offs on Exude's trademarked, basic, essential, and easy-to-understand body types. And besides, if you were to analyze the names of these body types, is anyone truly built like an apple or a pear? – We hardly think so.

It's also important to note that Exude's CEO & Founder Edward Jackowski, Ph.D. is the pioneer and innovator when it comes to prescribing exercises for your specific body type. He is the only person to own and operate a fitness company as well as studies how different exercises can either enhance one's physique and figure or make problem areas even worse. The results of his 30+ years of research and data supporting his methodology are outlined in the many books he has authored along with the many thousands of television interviews and articles chronicling his fitness methodologies.

Consequently, Jackowski and Exude were granted the world's only patent for creating exercise prescriptions based on body typing.