The Best Workout for Your Body Type (DO THIS)
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Read this on Dango.co When I first started lifting, I thought squat, bench, and deadlift were the only lifts that mattered. Everyone swore they were the key to getting strong. But here is what I learned the hard way: not everyone is built to do the same exercises. Ever wonder why some exercises feel natural for you while others feel alien? The answer is not effort. It is proportions. Your arms, torso, hips, and shoulders all dictate how you move. Ignore them and you invite frustration, plateaus, and injury. Pay attention to them, and training can suddenly click. This is called the science of anthropometry, and today I'm going to show you how to workout right for your unique body type. Also, make sure to read to the end because I've got a cool gift that'll help you put this together. You ready? Let's go 🔥 The Best Workout For Your Body Type (DO THIS)What Does Anthropometry Mean?Anthropometry is just a fancy word for measuring the body. Your height, limb length, torso length, hip and shoulder width, all have a dramatic impact on your choice of exercises. Example: Long torso and short legs vs. long legs and short torso #hightdifference #longback #longlegs #sitchallenge #fyp While an amateur would look at both of these body types and say, "Hey, they can still squat, bench, and deadlift." The professional would obviously notice the height difference, but they would also notice:
If you know your proportions, you can tailor your training to match your body. That means more strength, fewer injuries, and better long-term progress. Btw, this is not new. If we look at sports and the types of body types it attracts, you'll see that a body type for basketball is going to look wildly different than a body type for Judo. Unfortunately, this has not been popularized for the average person until now. What Anthropometry Is NOTNow you've probably heard of these three categories before, which are:
This is called the Somotype Theory, and it's complete BS. In the 1940s, psychologist William Sheldon claimed your body type defined both physique and personality. Scientists quickly rejected it as oversimplified and damaging. Think about it: if you believe you’re an ectomorph, you assume muscle growth is impossible. If you see yourself as an endomorph, you expect to always carry extra fat. That’s the myth at work, creating false ceilings. Your body isn’t fixed in a box. It changes with training, nutrition, and lifestyle. Anthropometry embraces individuality: measure, observe, adapt. How Your Limbs Affect Your Ability To Lift WeightsHeight When it comes to lifting, physics matters: Work = Force × Distance. Taller lifters with longer limbs move the bar farther, which means more work per rep. Shorter lifters move it less, doing less work. Example:
Multiply that over sets and reps, and you see why taller athletes fatigue quickly and progress differently. This is why strength ratios like “squat 1.5× bodyweight” oversimplify things. Strength should be measured relative to body size and leverage. Arms Long arms excel at pulls like deadlifts, pull-ups, and rows. Overhead pressing often feels solid, too. But horizontal pressing is tougher since the bar travels farther. Longer arms may feel better with dumbbell presses, floor presses, and neutral grip machine presses. Short arms dominate pressing. Bench, dips, and push-ups all play to your strengths. Pulls demand more effort, so trap bar deadlifts, rack pulls, or heavy swings may feel better than something like a conventional deadlift. Neither is better nor worse. It simply means adjusting your training expectations. Torso Length Short torso lifters stay upright easily. This can make squats, front squats, overhead presses, and even Olympic lifts feel more natural. Hinging can feel awkward, so the trap bar deadlift or hip thrust can reduce the strain. Long torso lifters often fold forward in squats but thrive on hinge lifts like the conventional or sumo deadlift and RDLs. For squats, consider a wider stance, or try split squats, lunges, or belt squats for a better fit. Leg Length Long femurs make back squats more challenging. A better option may be front squats, safety bar squats, Bulgarian split squats, or machines like the hack or pendulum squat. Short femurs, on the other hand, were built to do the conventional squat. Just make sure to balance with hinge lifts like hip thrusts and glute bridges to avoid quad dominance. Other considerations While the above are the main pillars to focus on, other pillars that you may want to consider:
Finding out these will give you a deeper understanding of your leverage points. How To Apply This TodayGrab a tape measure and a friend. Measure your wingspan, your torso length, and note your hip and shoulder width. Even rough comparisons work.
To see if your arms, torso, or legs are “long” or “short,” compare each to your overall height.
It doesn’t need to be exact either. Rough comparisons are enough to guide which lifts feel most natural. If this feels tricky, the next part of the newsletter offers a simple guide to put it all together. The Final Word (and a FREE Gift)Anthropometry is the ACTUAL science of body measurements. Your arm length, torso length, hip width, and shoulder width all influence which lifts you excel at and which ones feel like fighting uphill in sand. Instead of forcing your body into a cookie-cutter program, use your proportions as a guide. Modify your grip, stance, or lift selection. Train smarter, not harder. The result? More strength. Better exercises. More muscle growth. Fewer injuries. And a training plan that feels like it was made for you...because it was. Finally, if you want to get deeper into this topic, I highly recommend getting the book "Strength Training for All Body Types" by Lee Boyce and Melody Schoenfeld. They are the inventors of this method, and this is one of the most underrated fitness books to come out in the last five years. Onward and upward. 🚀 - Dan Ps. I found an easy-ish way to find out the right exercises for your body type. It's a ChatGPT prompt where you upload your photo and height, and it gives you recommendations. It's not perfect by any means, but it can point you in the right direction regarding which exercise is right for you. If you want that prompt, reply to this email with "WORKOUT" and I'll send it to you within 24-48 hours. References
Disclaimer: This email is provided for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute providing medical advice or professional services. The information provided should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, and those seeking personal medical advice should consult with a licensed physician. |
