8
SPORTS BY BODY TYPE
In chapter 3 I described the frustration and humiliation experienced by children who are forced to compete in sports or tested in sports-related skills that are not suited to their individual nature and body type. Asking a child who is endowed with the qualities of a Spring type to climb ropes for speed, or asking a Winter-type child to throw a football for distance, is not going to build self-confidence and self-esteem or inculcate a love of exercise. On the other hand, the light-as-a-feather Winter type will fly up the ropes, and the big Spring type will throw the football a mile—and both will want to come back and do it again.
I once gave an interview to a very closed-minded, nonexercising radio host named Peggy Hart. She was quick to voice her point of view on why mainstream America doesn’t exercise: “Basically we are all too busy for it. But if I had the time, I would surely do it, because as we all know, it’s good for us.”
I told her that if exercise were more fun, more of us would be doing it, “certainly more than the 15 percent or so who are involved in a regular exercise program. The basic theme of my program,” I said, “is to bring the fun back into physical fitness by paying attention to the exercise needs of the body, according to one’s body type.”
Peggy rejected my logic. But later in the program I mentioned the statistic about 50 percent of American children experiencing their first failure in life as a sports failure, and I told some stories about kids who were humiliated because they were tested in sports for which they had no natural aptitude. This must have broken through Peggy’s shell for a moment, because she immediately launched into a story from her childhood. For the next two minutes she related to me—and her radio audience—how she had been humiliated in gym class as a young girl.
It seems that when she was asked to bend forward and touch her toes, she couldn’t do it. Her teacher would regularly call her up in front of the class and demand that she touch her toes. She repeatedly failed. She would go home and practice for hours, without success. Reluctantly, she would go to gym class each week, only to be humiliated again and again.
However, when I asked her, “Do you think the humiliating experience you had as a child could have anything to do with the lack of time you have for exercise now as an adult?” Peggy had no response.
Whether or not Peggy ever got it, it is clear to me that with the knowledge we have of body types, if children could be trained and tested in sports that are appropriate for them, sports in which they could easily and naturally excel or at least do well, most of us would still be exercising and enjoying it. But unfortunately, sports selection according to body type is virtually unknown.
There are systems of body-typing, such as somato-typing, which recognizes three main types called ectomorphs, endomorphs, and mesomorphs, and psychological typing, which divides people into introverts, extroverts, and other classifications. These varied systems of constitutional typing will always be limited because they don’t connect man with nature.
Man is an extension of nature, possessing the same qualities as those found in foods, seasons, and times of day. Man’s individual nature is part of a larger, more intelligent system, which governs not only which foods or sports best suit us, but how we can live in harmony with nature’s intelligence and enjoy a happier, more productive life, whether on or off the field.
This chapter provides detailed Level 1 and Level 2 descriptions and charts to help you select sports, exercise patterns, and a cross-training program best suited to your individual nature. With the information in this chapter, you will be able to quickly analyze your strengths and talents, combine them with your own likes and dislikes, and choose a sport or cross-training program to provide maximum health benefits, maximum results, and maximum enjoyment. With enjoyment will come longevity—that is, you are far more likely to stick with something that gives you success and satisfaction.
SPORT SELECTION BY BODY TYPE
Sport selection by body type is not a completely new concept. In 1984, CBS medical correspondent Dr. Robert Arnot and Charles Gaines wrote a pioneering book called Sports Talent. The book’s theme is how to choose and participate in a sport or sports suited to who you are, so that you experience more pleasure and less frustration. The book provides scientific validation for the usefulness of this mind-body typing system.
Arnot and Gaines measured differences in body composition, frame size, muscle-to-fat ratio, and sizes of hearts and lungs, and analyzed muscle fiber to determine muscular potential for sprinting or endurance. They may have been the first modern researchers studying sports body-typing beyond the realm of simple somato-typing. Their research showed how differences in physical shape and size of various parts of the body combine to make unique individuals with specialized athletic aptitudes. Psychological profiles were touched on but did not play an important role in their recommendations.
Recent studies have shown substantial psychological differences in body types when under physical stress. Researchers at Florida State University studied two types of people during an exercise stress test, the now-classic Type A and Type B personalities. The Type A’s, aggressive and highly motivated, were most likely Summer-Winter types in nature. The Type B individuals were less aggressive and more “laid back,” probably possessing more Spring-type qualities.
The study found that the Type A’s needed no verbal support to push themselves to their full aerobic capacity, while the Type B’s reached full capacity only when cheered on or otherwise supported. These results jibe perfectly with our understanding of body typing. Summer types are naturally driven, while Spring types need motivation and support.
GAINING THE COMPETITIVE EDGE
If knowledge of mind-body types were available from childhood on, performance results would be noticeably affected. This was proven in 1960, when the East German government began somato-typing their athletes. At the time, East Germany was the size of New York in population. In 1968 they won only 9 gold medals, while the United States took home 45. In 1976, after a decade and a half of body typing, East Germany won 47 gold medals while the United States slipped to 37.
Body-typing was only one aspect of East Germany’s massive, highly funded Olympic training program—but it was a crucial part. Only in the last few years has the United States begun investigating body-type sport selection.
Some of the most obvious results of the successful East German experiment have been in gymnastics. Did you ever notice how the Eastern bloc nations always produced perfect, pint-size gymnasts? They all look about 8 years old and just “happen” to have the perfect body type for the perfect score. Fourteen-year-old Nadia Comaneci set the standard at the Montreal Olympics when she scored the first 10 in Olympic history. Nadia and Olga Korbut together carved into stone the body-size prerequisite for success in world-class gymnastics.
Judges today make no bones about criticizing gymnasts who are of a larger body type. They feel that a smaller body just looks better, and they will most likely give a better score on that basis alone. Larger-framed gymnasts go into world-class competition well aware of this prejudice. The USA’s Betty Okino was the victim of just such prejudice. Her skills were as good as any, but her size called attention to even the slightest flaw in her performance.
When you look at the American bench, you see a variety of different shapes and sizes rather than the uniformity of Eastern European teams. Some of these American girls are great young talents who often come up short in world-class contention simply because they have already reached puberty. Their hips and breasts mature and the girls are no longer the perfect pixie model required for supreme success in the world of gymnastics.
Another reason for body-typing appears a few years after childhood. In sports today, young athletes are placed under enormous pressure to excel. One of the consequences is that many of them, particularly (but not exclusively) women, develop eating disorders due to the fear of gaining weight. The most common disorder is bulimia, in which the young athlete fulfills his or her natural desire to chow down heartily and then induces vomiting, due to the fear of gaining weight and losing a competitive edge.
This behavior results in large part from forcing the body to perform outside its natural design. Not everyone is born to be a pixie. Nor is everyone designed to be a hulk—a fact that has led to the abuse of steroids by lighter body types. Although part of the problem facing athletes is the tremendous pressure to win, and part is the stressful “no pain, no gain” method of training, much of the problem begins with improper sports selection. Intelligent selection of sports by body type is the first step toward setting the situation right.
LIFELONG FITNESS
Critics of body-typing for sports selection with young children say that it will take away freedom of choice, that children will be pushed into sports rather than inspired by them. But the role of body-typing is not to force a child into a sport—it is to expose a child to activities in which he or she is likely to excel. Kids who are successful will be motivated and enthusiastic for the rest of their lives, because they are doing what comes naturally.
I once sat on a plane next to a wrestler coached by the famous Dan Gable of the University of Iowa. Coach Gable’s philosophy belongs to the old school. Although Gable definitely squeezes the very best out of an imperfect system, this wrestler was totally exhausted from the experience.
I asked him, “What if you had to wrestle for the rest of your life?”
“No way,” he said. “This is my last year, and I don’t even want to think about wrestling again.”
“How would you feel about wrestling for just one more year?”
“Even if I were eligible,” he said, “I wouldn’t do it. I’m just too tired all the time.”
There are many reasons why this young man’s attitude was so negative, all of which I address in this book. But one of the very first steps in making exercise a way of life is to select a sport that you like. This results in a level of enthusiasm that can arise only when a person is involved in an activity that suits his or her nature. It is natural for us to be attracted to something we do well—it is human nature.
Learning a child’s constitutional type early in life, and giving the child the chance to choose activities that he or she can perform well, averts the danger of failure and humiliation that we have discussed. It can lead to lifelong physical fitness. Our surveys showed that when children are exposed to a variety of sports, they will naturally select the ones that are most appropriate for their body types.
Parents are often to blame for pushing children into sports to fulfill their own frustrated athletic ambitions, with little or no regard for the child’s likes or dislikes. This kind of parental behavior may be the most injurious to the child’s exercise perspective. Children forced into sports at young ages often spend a good deal of their adult lives trying to figure out why they haven’t any desire to exercise.
The famous children’s story “The Ugly Duckling” describes the humiliation of a misplaced baby swan trying to fit in with a family of ducks. The rejection and alienation experienced by the “ugly” duckling—who turns out to be a graceful and beautiful swan—is akin to the humiliation and alienation experienced by a Winter type being tested on a performance scale suited to Spring types, and vice versa. When the activities chosen are in line with the natural talents of the person’s body type, the risk of becoming the ugly duckling and experiencing failure in sports is dramatically reduced.
THE SPORTS WINTER TYPE
Pure Winter types have substantially higher Winter scores on the questionnaire in chapter 4, such as 31 Winter, 5 Summer, and 5 Spring. These individuals are like high-strung Thoroughbred racehorses, always on the go, very restless and even jumpy at times. In baseball, they are the singles-hitting, base-stealing second-baseman types, where quickness and the short throw to first base make them the perfect choice. They are not endowed with power but are well endowed with speed and quickness.
They love fast, vigorous activity but can’t handle too much of it if they are going to stay in balance. If anything, Winter types need to slow down, and nature often forces them to, since their endurance is not great and they tire quite easily. These people are quick to get involved in a fitness program, but due to their constantly changing interests, they are also quick to give it up.
When the Winter types get aggravated and out of balance, these individuals can become compulsive and get trapped in addictive behavior. When their addiction is to athletics, they can get caught up in what is known, in sports circles, as “addictive runner’s syndrome.” The same obsessiveness in business is sometimes called “workaholism.” (This is a common Summer-type trait as well.) These people become completely dependent on constant activity and can run their health, marriages, and jobs into the ground. Their compulsive nature also makes them especially susceptible to overtraining and, consequently, to injury.
Because they are not well endowed with structural strength, pure Winter types will generally be inclined toward areas other than sports as a profession. However, there are certain sports-related professions that clearly require a Winter body type in order to excel, such as ballet and other forms of dance. These traditionally attract the lighter and more movement-oriented Winter individuals. But because of their lighter frames and lack of structural resiliency, Winter types may pay a price for their constant physical activity, ending up exhausted and injured.
More than any others, Winter body types need to know their limits—how much exercise is good and how much is harmful.
The same principle holds true for the elderly, who are in the Winter time of their lives. Their concerns are more for safety and longevity than simply avoidance of fatigue and injury, which makes sports selection and the coming sections of this book of paramount importance for them.
THE SPORTS SUMMER TYPE
Pure Summer types cash in at about 6 Winter, 27 Summer, and 7 Spring on the body-type questionnaire. Summer translates as fire, both in personality and desire to win. The competitive nature and natural killer instinct of pure Summer types make them high achievers and often big winners. They are hotheaded as a rule and must take care not to overheat mentally or physically. They are highly motivated and driven and are often not satisfied unless they win. For the purest Summer types, it is not how you play the game but whether you win or lose that counts.
These are natural leaders and they will often will appoint themselves as team captain, whether nominated for the position or not. They are attracted to individual sports because of their strong ego and natural competence in most sports. Whatever it is, they can usually do it better than most, so they often end up doing it alone. Rock climbing, skiing, sky diving, racquet sports, and running are a few of the Summer-dominated sports.
Summer types benefit from playing team sports because their competitive nature gains balance from passing the ball, working together, and sharing the accomplishment.
Summer types make great athletes, but for longevity in any sport, it must be fun. Their competitive minds can often drive the body into fatigue and exhaustion just to win or to be the best. This constant driving can take the enjoyment out of the game and ultimately strip the pleasure out of physical fitness and exercise. Summer types need to take it easy and enjoy the game itself, rather than live for the result.
Although Summer types make the best competitors in the world, celebrities such as John McEnroe and Steffi Graf have openly admitted that they rarely enjoy themselves during a match, when they are in the heat of the battle. Enjoyment begins only when they can relish a victory. Fortunately for these two, victory came often in their careers. Other Summer types may not have been so fortunate!
Many Summer types with less outstanding abilities find themselves losing interest in sport because they get too serious about their won-lost records. Some will tell you straightforwardly, “If I can’t be the best, I’d rather not do it at all.” This may be the psychology needed for the making of a champion—but it is hardly what’s needed for fitness as a way of life.
Summer types have the speed of Winter types and the endurance of Spring types, giving them fine potential for athletic excellence. Most pro athletes usually have at least some fire (Summer) in their constitutions, along with some Winter and Spring, depending on the specific needs for their sport.
THE SPORTS SPRING TYPE
Spring types are often late bloomers. Their development, mental, physical, or both, can be retarded until late in high school or even afterward. Coaches sometimes cut these kids from teams at a young age, only to watch them grow to become world-class athletes. Michael Jordan, probably a late-blooming Spring type, was cut from his high school basketball team.
On the body-type questionnaire, pure Spring might weigh in with something like 5s or 6s in both Winter and Summer and a high 20-something in Spring. They are more relaxed and easygoing, more naturally composed than other types. They love the camaraderie of team sports and are attracted to them. Most baseball players have this easygoing Spring temperament and are not easily flustered. To stay calm and focused while thirty thousand opposing fans are chanting, “You’re a bum!” requires a certain amount of composure.
As I mentioned earlier, Spring types need to be motivated toward exercise; otherwise, later in life, they can all too easily multiply the pounds and become part of the sedentary population. For good health and mental and physical balance, Spring types need regular exercise. Without it, they feel lethargic and complacent. Any aerobic exercise will benefit them—but to get them to do it, it has to have some charm. They are not often motivated to exert themselves.
For Spring types who need vigorous exercise, a leisurely ride on a touring bike through the Napa Valley in California, stopping to do plenty of wine and cheese tasting along the way, will not satisfy their exercise needs. They will probably eat more calories than they burn. But this is just the kind of trip that would attract the easygoing (and food-loving!) Spring types. They are rarely in a hurry and are usually fairly content with life in general.
I once taught an aerialist on the U.S. freestyle team whose body type was a Spring type. In comparing himself with his teammates, he said, “I really don’t do it to win. If I hit each jump right, I’m happy. Each time I jump, I hope I find that place where you are totally aware of every part of your body moving through space, flipping through the air, and seeing the landing well in advance. It’s being completely aware of the body from inside out. The other side of the experience is that when you jump, you find yourself thirty feet in the air, not knowing where you are in space, yet by some unknown phenomenon (probably called practice!) it all comes out okay and you land on your feet, hopefully.”
The greatest reward for Spring types usually has less to do with winning and more to do with playing. They are in it for the beauty rather than the glory.
COMBINATION BODY TYPES
In the next several sections I will review the traits of the remaining seven body types, which are combinations of qualities rather than the “pure” types I have discussed so far. One important point to remember is that when the qualities of each type are divided up, components such as mind, intellect, ego, emotions, behavior, likes, dislikes, talents, and strengths can land in either camp.
For example, a Winter-Spring type can have a mind that is predominantly Winter-like (quick, lively, restless, poor memory, etc.) and a body that is predominantly Spring-like (structurally stronger, heavier, slower). Or, a Winter-Spring type can have a Spring-like mind (slow to learn, slow to forget, more relaxed and composed) along with a Winter body (lean, light, mobile). Or, yet again, some Winter and some Spring qualities will go to the mind department, and others to the body.
Whichever way the chips fall, he or she is still a Winter-Spring type. This will create unique personalities within the type, each with the general theme of Winter-Spring. In fact, the combinations are virtually infinite, leaving no two persons exactly alike.
BODY-TYPE FOCUS
ONCE YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS AND TENDENCIES OF THE TYPES, IT IS NOT TOO DIFFICULT TO FINE-TUNE YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF YOURSELF (AND OTHERS). A CLOSER INSPECTION OF THE PHYSICAL, MENTAL, BEHAVIORAL, AND ATHLETIC PROFILES, BASED ON THE SUBTOTALS OF THE BODY-TYPE QUESTIONNAIRE, WILL SHED LIGHT ON THE EXACT NATURE OF EACH INDIVIDUAL’S TYPE. WITH SOME BASIC PRINCIPLES UNDER YOUR BELT, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A SPRING-SUMMER AND WINTER BODY OR MIND IS QUITE APPARENT EVEN TO A RELATIVELY UNTRAINED OBSERVER.
THE WINTER-SUMMER SPORTS TYPE
Questionnaire results here would be in the neighborhood of 21 Winter, 15 Summer, 5 Spring. Here, Winter is the major influence with Summer a close second. People of this type have the speed of the Winter types along with the strength of the Summer types. Endurance will not be their strong suit; they will be quick and agile, excelling in sports that require short bursts of energy. The Winter predominance will make them susceptible to early fatigue and overtraining.
The fire of Summer will motivate them to excel in all that they do. But in exercise, the fiery mind can push the Winter body beyond its comfortable limits and increase the risk of injury. The combination of the air and fire from the Winter and Summer can make for a very volatile, but also productive, personality. Being quick and getting things done quickly will be a part of this nature. But, as always when there is strong Summer in the constitution, it is important for them to find the fun in exercise and to smell the roses along the way.
Winter-Summer types do well in gymnastics, ballet, dance, and other sports requiring primarily speed and secondarily strength. Since Winter controls the mind, they will be very pensive, and when engaged in sports they will quickly plan a cerebral strategy to accomplish the goal. Their mental propensity can often steer them away from athletics into more mental endeavors.
THE SUMMER-WINTER SPORTS TYPE
Here the scores will peak in the Summer column, looking something like 15 Winter, 21 Summer, and 6 Spring. This type will have more of the strength of Summer but will still be well endowed with speed from the Winter. The Summer qualities will give larger, quick-firing muscles. This muscle strength will combine well with the fast metabolism of the Winter type to make good sprinters and middle-distance runners. Many marathoners on the world-class level are of this type, as marathons have increasingly become speed races. (Endurance events today are the ultramarathons, with runs up to 50 or 100 miles, and are dominated by the real endurance Spring types—the elephants and camels of athletics!)
The smaller-framed Summer-Winter types are usually very competitive, excelling in sports that require speed and strength, such as racquetball, gymnastics, aerobics, dance, and ballet. The Winter-Summer type described above will also do well in these sports but will not possess the extremely competitive nature of the Summer-Winter type. Winter-Summer types will also lack some of the structural soundness of Summer-Winter types. Both must take care not to overtrain, as they lack the structure and endurance of the Spring type.
Summer-Winter types make the best shortstops, while their Winter-Summer cousins are the best second basemen. On the basketball court, they excel in the guard position, dribbling, passing, and setting up plays. Their type combines the skills of a quick body and a quick mind.
The dominance of Summer properties can manifest in business, in sports, and in life as a very fast-thinking, competitive nature. With all this heat up front, these people have a strong desire to win. This trait can often make the process frustrating. Physically, they break down quickly, while their mental stamina is second to none. They usually last longer in business than in sports. These are the types who will return to the athletic field in their thirties and forties with a more tempered attitude (after being burned out in their twenties), to stay fit rather than to smash world records.
THE WINTER-SPRING SPORTS TYPE
A typical questionnaire result: 18 Winter, 5 Summer, 16 Spring. These people may be fairly slight in build and on the tall side. Or they may have a quick Winter-like mind along with a larger, more coordinated Spring-like body.
Winter-Spring types make great team players, and they enjoy what they do. They lack the killer instinct of the competitive Summer type, but this doesn’t mean they don’t like to win. The world-famous underdog U.S. 1980 Olympic gold medal hockey team was selected intentionally to exclude any superstar, extroverted, Summer dominant players. Coach Herb Brooks’s philosophy was that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts, and he chose Spring-type men who would be team players.
These individuals have a good balance of speed and endurance. Possible physical limitations of the Winter type are balanced by the strong Spring properties. They do well in the heat because of the absence of the Summer influence. They excel in endurance sports that also require short bursts of speed. In basketball, they may play the forward position and provide great ability to balance their team. They often go unnoticed because of their selfless personalities.
Winter-Spring types can be very tall and lean. With this combination, they are drawn to quick, graceful sports.
THE SPRING-WINTER SPORTS TYPE
Questionnaire sample score: 16 Winter, 3 Summer, 19 Spring. Because of the predominance of Spring, these men and women are more stable emotionally and physically than are Winter-Spring types. They are bigger both in size and in weight, but they still tend to be on the lean side. Spring-Winter types excel in endurance sports, while possessing a good measure of quickness thanks to their Winter qualities. Their Winter-Spring close cousins will be quicker but have less endurance.
Both the Winter-Spring and the Spring-Winter types need to avoid excessive exposure to cold weather. During the winter months, you will probably see both of these types wisely interested in indoor sports, rather than fighting the cold wintry elements.
Wide receiver is the perfect position for the Spring-Winter type on the football field. They are big enough not to be massacred, but light and fast enough to outrun the defensive backs.
Spring-Winter types can be very big and tall, with a certain amount of quickness and speed. If very oversized, they can easily overtrain and injure the less stable Winter-like structure. They are more naturally athletic than are Winter-Spring types. The Spring-Winter type provides heightened mind-body coordination and a natural cool composure during competition.
THE SUMMER-SPRING SPORTS TYPE
The questionnaire score for this type might be 3 Winter, 21 Summer, and 17 Spring. Summer-Spring types have the endurance of the Spring type along with the strength and drive of the Summer type. The strong-willed Summer-type mind is just what the doctor ordered to keep the lethargic Spring type physically fit. Spring types need motivation, but when in shape these individuals are incredibly coordinated athletes.
They combine the competitive drive and will to win with the natural grace and composure of Spring. This translates into a very powerful competitive package. The Spring qualities ensure that the Summer type’s zealous drive to win will be balanced with fun.
Because of the large amount of Summer, people of this type can overheat easily and become angry if they get physically hot. But their predominance of Summer qualities gives good muscular definition. This, combined with the large body size and bulk produced by the Spring influence, makes this type perfect for bodybuilding. These people gain weight fairly easily, but with Summer’s heat at the helm, they rarely get fat. Their competitive nature makes them great winners, but with a tendency to be sore losers.
They make great tennis players, great defensive backs in football, and will probably play third base, left or right field, or pitch in baseball. Summer-Spring types have a resilient constitution. People of this type are rarely sick and do well in just about any physical activity. Their only red flags are the Summer-type tendencies to overheat and to be so attached to winning that they cannot enjoy themselves.
THE SPRING-SUMMER SPORTS TYPE
Questionnaire sample score: 5 Winter, 15 Summer, 20 Spring. The leading Spring influence makes this type easygoing and easy to get along with, but there is still enough fire to get the job done. Their laid-back nature and need for external motivation attracts them to team sports such as hockey, football, basketball, and baseball. Their cool temperament makes team play extremely smooth; they can handle the pressure of being a winner as well as the agony of defeat.
Spring-Summer types play because they love the sport, the team, and the fun of it all. They lack the killer instinct, yet they are highly motivated. They are gifted with the desire to achieve the goal, without the infatuation with attaining it at any cost. They are the team players in sports, business, and family life, always thinking how to help the cause rather than themselves.
Without proper training, Spring-Summer types can easily get tired and suffer from a loss of concentration. Their very natural athleticism can remain dormant unless they are properly motivated. They do very well with a highly motivated coach who can spark their competitive fire. These types might find themselves labeled as teddy bears, good but not great. Yet, greatness is waiting to surface, if the inspiration is there.
In baseball, they make perfect catchers; in football, perfect linemen or fullbacks; in basketball, perfect centers.
These are the Babe Ruth types, with talent to spare. But as they grow older, if regular exercise hasn’t become a way of life, their Ruthian talents can turn into major-league problems. A sedentary lifestyle, combined with too much or too heavy food, etc., can slowly wear them out.
In the strength and endurance department, Spring-Summer types tower above all others. Their only lack is some speed, which, with training, they can make up for due to their exceptional athletic abilities. (Even Babe Ruth led the Yankees in stolen bases several times!) If I were to venture a guess on the most common body type in professional athletics, it would have to be a Spring-Summer type.
THE WINTER-SUMMER-SPRING SPORTS TYPE
This type is an equal balance of Winter, Summer, and Spring. This may sound like an ideal, perfect type, but in fact, each constitutional type is unique and has its own areas of strength and weakness. The goal is not to be some particular type but to maximize your strengths and minimize your weaknesses by not exercising—and not living—against the grain of your nature.
This specific type, which is somewhat rare, has the speed of a Winter type, the strength of a Summer type, and the endurance of a Spring type. Their questionnaire totals might be something like 14 Winter, 16 Summer, and 15 Spring. The good news about this type is that they have the natural abilities to excel in just about any activity or sport. On the other hand, they have to be careful not to overtrain the Winter, overheat the Summer, or undermotivate the Spring qualities. In this regard, they have to be more conscientious than most others to match their daily routine and sport selection to the season of the year.
These types, although rare, have world-class personalities. Their natural gifts are copious, and, with proper training and exposure to the right sports, they can be the best in the world.
It is true that if one constitution could be desired at birth, it would be this one. These types are the balanced expression of Winter, Summer, and Spring, and, as a result, people of this type rarely get out of balance. But when they do, it can be difficult to get back in.
SPORT SELECTION INSTRUCTIONS
A person of any body type is capable of engaging in any sport or exercise. The following information is not intended to be restrictive. It is offered only to help enhance the experience of exercise, to make it a more appealing and therefore more important part of your daily life.
The remainder of this chapter has three main purposes. First, it is designed to help those who want to start an exercise program but don’t know what sport or exercise would be best for them. Second, it is a useful guide for more serious athletes, who have already selected their sport but need to design a balanced cross-training program suitable for their body type. Third, it lists the sports in which the various body types are most likely to excel on a competitive level.
The chapter contains two sets of lists, Level 1 and Level 2. Level 1, called “General Fitness and Cross-Training,” is to be used by anyone looking to design or start a fitness program, and as a cross-training or balancing guide for Winter, Summer, and Spring athletes—whether elite or of the weekend variety—who have selected their primary sports. Consulting this list will ensure putting “safety first” with respect to not overexciting Winter or overheating Summer.
Use this list in the same way you used the diet listings in chapter 7. For example, the sports enumerated under “General Fitness and Cross-Training for Winter Types” are sports that will bring Winter types back into balance, as would a Winter diet, and so on.
The Level 2 list, “Athletic Training,” is for more serious athletes as well as individuals who are not comfortable with Level 1 selections. In this case, be sure to choose sports from Level 1 for cross-training.
Individuals are likely to excel in Level 2 sports because they are matched to the natural strengths of the body types. These sports increase the qualities of the three body types. (For example, the fast-paced Winter sports will increase the Winter tendency toward speediness.) Therefore, persons choosing these sports must take care not to aggravate their body types with overtraining, and should balance their programs by cross-training with a Level 1 sports selection.
If certain sports appear on both lists for a particular body type, then clearly these sports should be considered first for possible selection. They will have the most beneficial body-type-specific benefits.
CROSS-TRAINING BY BODY TYPE
Probably the greatest single contribution to mainstream athletics during the 1980s was the concept of cross-training. Cross-training allows athletes to train in other sports while still improving in their own area. One of the virtues of cross-training is that athletes are now able to train in a secondary sport and still benefit in their primary sport.
For years it was held that specificity of training was the only way to enhance performance. If you were a tennis player, tennis training was all you would do. Now, many athletes are finding that they can cross-train in another sport, while playing a little of their primary sport, and maintain the same fitness level and competitive edge.
This concept has proven invaluable after injury and during rehab. An athlete can let certain muscle groups rest after an injury, while training aerobically in secondary sports.
Our version of cross-training is slightly different. The purpose is not to allow individuals to push harder and farther toward their physical limits, but to balance sport-specific training with body-type training to ensure the highest unfoldment of physical potential without strain, overtraining, or injuries.
For example, if you put a classic Winter type on a racquetball court, where the ball is going 100 miles per hour during most of the match, he or she will be forced to follow the ball and move at a tremendous pace, thus driving the internal RPMs to the red line. Winter types are drawn to the quickness of this sport and excel in it because of the quick, agile nature of the Winter type. But if this person is pushing 100 mph at work, and also on the racquetball court for any length of time, sooner or later both the mind and body will burn out.
The point is that even though Winter types do well at fast-paced sports, they do so at the risk of overtraining and psychophysiological imbalance if they participate in only that sport. The solution: cross-training in sports that help keep the body in balance. Instead of intense, high-speed activity on the Winter aggravating racquetball court, Winter types should select more leisurely, low-intensity sports such as golf, swimming, or Yoga, which have a calming, relaxing effect on the high-strung Winter nature. These sports give them movement, which they love and need, but in the right amount.
SPORT SELECTION BY SEASON
To make the best use of this section, you must take into account not only your body type but the current season. Always select the sport or exercise that will balance your body type in conjunction with the season.
For example, if you are a Winter-Summer type, you should choose Winter-balancing sports in winter and Summer-balancing sports in summer. In spring, your selection is not crucial. If you’re not sure, exercise to balance Winter, which is most predominant in your makeup.
If you are a pure Spring type, the most important time to select the right sport is during spring. During the remainder of the year, the Spring type may choose any sport, but the Spring-balancing sports will always be most appropriate.
If you are a Winter, Summer, Spring type, adjust your sport selection for each season: Winter-balancing sports in winter, Summer-balancing in summer, and Spring-balancing in spring.
At the end of this chapter, to expedite your selection process, is a chart to help you determine the seasonally best balancing sports for each body type.
Please remember that when choosing your sport and exercise program, enjoyment is the highest priority. Any sport can be performed by any individual, as long as it is comfortable. The following section will ensure that you have maximum safety and longevity in a sport by applying the knowledge of body types, sports qualities, and seasons.
LEVEL 1: GENERAL FITNESS AND CROSS-TRAINING FOR WINTER TYPES
Winter-balancing sports or exercises require slow, calming activities that facilitate rejuvenation rather than exhaustion. Some examples:
aerobics (low-impact or dance)
archery-kyudo
badminton
ballet
baseball
bicycle touring
bowling
canoeing and easy rowing
cricket
dance
doubles tennis
golf
hiking
horseback riding
martial arts (nonviolent Aikido and Tai Chi)
Ping Pong
sailing
stairstepping (moderate)
stretching
swimming
walking
weight training
Yoga
LEVEL 1: GENERAL FITNESS AND CROSS-TRAINING FOR SUMMER TYPES
Cross-training and general fitness sports for Summer types must balance the excessive heat and competitive spirit with sports that provide enjoyment rather than a focus on competition and winning. Some examples:
basketball and other team sports
cycling
diving
golf
hockey
ice skating
kayaking/rowing
martial arts
mountain biking
noncompetitive
racquet sports
sailing
skiing (downhill)
skiing (recreational cross-country)
surfing
touch football
water skiing
wind surfing
Yoga
LEVEL 1: GENERAL FITNESS AND CROSS-TRAINING FOR SPRING TYPES
These sports must be stimulating and vigorous to maintain balance in the slow-to-get-started Spring types. Some examples:
aerobics
basketball
bodybuilding
calisthenics
cross-country running
cross-country skiing
cycling
fencing
gymnastics
handball
in-line skating
javelin
lacrosse
martial arts
parcourse running
racquetball
rock climbing
rowing
sculling
shot put
soccer
stairstepping
swimming
tennis
volleyball
There may be many other sports that fit the three body types; the above is only a selection of some of the most common sports. If one sport appears in more than one section, that indicates the more universal nature of that sport.
If you find a balancing sport in the Level 1 General Fitness and Cross-Training list that is your primary sport, you need look no further. That sport is ideal to keep you in a balanced state of health and fitness. If you don’t find one there that appeals to you, then choose a sport you enjoy from the Level 2 Athletic Training lists that follow, choose at least one other sport from the cross-training list for balance, and be sure to use the Three-Phase Workout and the breathing techniques described in later chapters.
LEVEL 2: ATHLETIC TRAINING
Competition sports are the ones a person will be drawn toward and in which he or she will most easily excel. These lists are primarily for the more serious athlete, but anyone looking to excel in sports, rather than just to improve general fitness, can select from them.
Sports on the Level 2 lists support performance gains, but cross-training measures must be taken from Level 1 to ensure balance. In the same way as too much hot food will overheat a Summer type, too much of the Level 2 sports will overstimulate a particular body type and risk overtraining, injury, and even addictive behavior. To balance this tendency while keeping up fitness levels, cross-train from the appropriate Level 1 list.
Remember, performance gains at the expense of the integration of mind and body will provide enjoyment only in the short term. For lifelong health and fitness, we must respect and train both the mind and the body.
LEVEL 2: WINTER-TYPE ATHLETIC TRAINING
Winter types excel in fast-moving sports requiring speed, agility, and short bursts of energy. These include:
aerobics
ballet
dance
fencing
gymnastics
handball
martial arts
Ping Pong
race walking
racquetball
skating
sprinting
squash
swimming
tennis
LEVEL 2: SUMMER-TYPE ATHLETIC TRAINING
Summer types are drawn to individual sports that exhibit their great strength, speed, and stamina. Some of these are:
archery-kyudo
baseball
basketball
bodybuilding
canoeing
cross-country skiing
cycling
diving
gymnastics
horseback riding
ice skating
in-line skating
kayaking
martial arts
rock climbing
skiing
sky diving
soccer
surfing
swimming
tennis
track and field
weightlifting
LEVEL 2: SPRING-TYPE ATHLETIC TRAINING
Spring types excel in endurance and mind-body-coordinated skills, particularly when under pressure, due to their calm, easygoing, stable nature. Their prime competitive sports include:
archery-kyudo
baseball
basketball
bodybuilding
bowling
cricket
cycling
football
golf
hiking
hockey
horseback riding
martial arts
mountain biking
sailing
skiing
surfing
tennis
volleyball
There may be many other sports that fit these categories. The above is only a selection of some of the more common sports.
SPORT SPECIFICS
In this section we will approach the situation from the reverse angle. Up to now, we’ve been looking at the different body types to see which sports are good for them under different circumstances—as a primary sport, for cross-training, and in what season. Now we will briefly focus on a number of major sports to see what body types are most suitable to engage in them. This list will help you to cross-reference your original selection in terms of the individual nature of each sport.
Body-type icons next to each sport appear in sequence according to the benefits and enjoyment each sport will provide for that individual. For further details, see Level 1 and Level 2 lists. Remember: All sports can be enjoyed by all body types when used in conjunction with the Three-Phase Workout in chapters 11 through 15.
AEROBICS
Aerobic exercise provides a good cardiovascular workout, which makes it beneficial for Spring types and somewhat good for Summer types, as long as they don’t get overheated. Although Winter types will be attracted to the fast pace of aerobics, they will be at high risk for overtraining and burnout. Winter types must practice aerobics with some restraint in order not to overtrain.
ARCHERY
Archery is very balancing for the unsettled Winter type and is probably best mastered by the more sedate Spring type. In Zen archery, or kyudo, hitting the target is not the major concern. The entire focus is on the form and process. This may be difficult for goal-oriented Summer types but is quite valuable for them.
BADMINTON
This sport demands speed and agility, which are abundant in both the Winter and Summer types.
BALLET
This is a profession more suitable and enjoyable for the Winter and Summer types, who love to move and have the lighter frames necessary to fly through the air. Although the vigorous, aerobic nature of ballet would be good for Spring types, they are usually not particularly successful at it, for obvious reasons.
BASEBALL
As a sport of individual exhibition, baseball will attract Summer types. It also demands great composure, found mostly in Spring types. Although there are Winter types in the sport who are often at home playing second base and hitting singles, baseball demands the combination of coordination and strength most abundant in the Spring-Summer type.
BASKETBALL
Basketball is best suited to the giant Spring and Spring-Summer types. Again, they need great mental composure, but even more, those who excel here possess exceptional coordination and grace, inherent in the Spring and Summer natures. This is a sport where size is a dominant factor; it is definitely not suited for the small-framed pure Winter type. Spring-Winter types, however, can excel in this sport. They are often very tall and thin, Winter properties providing the thin and Spring properties the tall.
BODYBUILDING
This sport attracts Summer types, who love to look at and admire themselves. But this can be a wonderful sport for all types, especially if they can build bodies, not just muscles, from the inside out. Don’t get caught up in the result; focus on the process. Winter types can use the extra bulk; strong, structurally large Spring types naturally excel at it; Summer types can self-motivate themselves to any achievement.
BOWLING
There is not a great deal of strength involved in bowling, but some endurance is definitely required. The biggest demand comes from mental pressure, especially in competitive, championship play. This can be handled best by Spring types and a little less successfully by Summer types. This is why the best bowlers are usually the full-framed Spring or Spring-Summer types.
CALISTHENICS
Much like aerobics.
CRICKET
Much the same as baseball.
CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING
This sport is said to develop the most complete fitness of any sport. It is good for all types, but because of the sport’s demanding nature, Winter types have to be careful not to overtrain. Indoor skiing machines can easily be regulated to different levels of exertion, which makes them useful for all types. There is no vertical impact on the body, so it is one of the few aerobic activities Winter types can do long-term. Summer and Spring types excel in this sport.
CYCLING
In general, cycling is good for all types, because of its lack of structural impact. There are three main types of cycling: sprinting, touring, and road racing. Touring is best for Winter types. While Spring types are attracted to it, it may not provide enough exercise for them. Summer types excel in sprinting, and Spring types benefit most from road racing. Also see mountain biking.
DANCE
Much like ballet.
DOWNHILL SKIING
This is a good sport for Summer types because it is for the most part pure, cool, noncompetitive enjoyment. Winter types usually shy away from the cold, while Spring types relish the scenic beauty. Ski racing is usually dominated by the midsized but competitive Summer or Summer-Spring types.
FENCING
A sport of quick bursts of energy, fencing is more suitable for Summer and Winter types than for the more heavy and methodical Spring types.
FOOTBALL
Nowadays it is rare to see a pro football player who is not gifted with some of the Spring qualities, whether he be Summer-Spring, pure Spring, or Spring-Winter type. The sheer size of Spring is a prerequisite to play in the NFL—and at just about any other level of football, from sandlot to college. Although Summer types may have the drive, they probably won’t have the bulk to keep from getting hurt. Recreational touch football is fine for the lighter-built Winter types—otherwise, this is not their department.
REMEMBER: ANY SPORT CAN BE MASTERED BY ANY MIND-BODY TYPE. THIS CHAPTER GIVES GUIDELINES THAT REPRESENT THE MAJORITY OF PARTICIPANTS. THERE ARE ALWAYS EXCEPTIONS TO EVERY RULE.
GOLF
Golf, if played in a calming and relaxing manner, is great for Winter types. It is not vigorous enough to give Spring types a good workout, although they will excel in it because it so perfectly matches their methodical, slow-paced nature. Summer types have to stay cool, both physically and mentally, in order to do well; they often get frustrated.
GYMNASTICS
The Winter-Summer type is the winning combination here. Spring types can do well in certain aspects of gymnastics and find it enjoyable and stimulating, but they are simply not in their element. This is a good cross-training sport for Spring types.
HANDBALL, RACQUETBALL, SQUASH
These sports require quick bursts of energy as well as agility and a great deal of endurance when played on a competitive level. Summer types usually excel because they have Winter-like speed, Spring-like endurance, and their own usual will to win. Handball, because of bilateral involvement, offers another dimension of mind-body integration to indoor court sports.
HIKING/WALKING
Great for Winter types, probably boring for Summer types, and not vigorous enough for Spring types—unless you’re going up the Rockies toting a 40-pound pack.
HOCKEY
This team sport is dominated by Summer and Spring combination types. Hockey players need to be aggressive, fast, big, and strong—although not too big, as they need quite a bit of agility, too. Spring-Summer types make great team competitors and are the usual call in hockey.
HORSEBACK RIDING
This sport does not provide enough exercise for Spring types. Although they are attracted to it, they will need to cross-train for more aerobic conditioning. Winter types are perfectly suited for it, both in size and temperament. Summer types also do well, but the Winter-Summer types win the gold.
IN-LINE SKATING
This is a very good endurance sport that develops cardiovascular fitness. Although it is dominated by Summer types, Winter and Spring types can do well and enjoy it, too. Winter types enjoy the quick, short bursts of speed and practicing trick maneuvers, while Spring types relish the long, gliding, speed-skating workouts.
MARTIAL ARTS
The martial arts are really for the development of mind-body coordination and the unfolding of maximum potential. They are good for all constitutional types, as long as the teaching has an integrated, spiritual base rather than one focused on fighting.
MOUNTAIN BIKING
A sport that will challenge all types. Winter types can gear down and enjoy the beauty. The Summer types will have the unlimited terrain to challenge them. (Summer types must be sure that getting to the top is not more important than the process itself.) Spring types will be dually challenged and motivated to keep coming back for more.
ROCK CLIMBING
This sport requires both the agility and the drive of a Summer type. Most rock climbers are either Summer-Winter or Summer-Spring. This drive to conquer can be a double-edged sword, which must be realized if Summer-type rock climbers are to maintain the much-needed balance in this sport.
ROWING
Balance, coordination, endurance, and strength are required for excellence in this sport. This makes it especially suitable for Spring and Summer types. However, if done in moderation it is a very balancing sport for Winter types. The calming influence found near or on the water is additionally soothing for the Winter types and appealing to the Spring types.
RUNNING
Because of the pounding incurred by the body, excessive running should be avoided by Winter types. The lean Winter body type lacks the shock absorption needed for vigorous running. In moderation, on soft surfaces, it is okay. Spring and Summer types are well suited for this sport, but it is the Summer-Winter types who excel. The ultraendurance runners are usually the bigger, slower, more endurance-paced Spring types.
SKATING
Skating requires the talents of all three types. Although Summer types often excel at it, Winter and Spring types also do well. The types correlate to various skating styles: quick, aggressive, and graceful. Speed skaters usually have more Spring qualities, while figure skaters have more Winter and Summer qualities.
SURFING
This sport demands balance, patience, and coordination, all qualities found in abundance in the Spring type.
SWIMMING
Swimming is excellent for all body types. Winter and Summer types excel in the short-distance events, while Spring types excel in the longer, more endurance-oriented events. Basically, swimming is recommended for everyone who enjoys it.
TENNIS
Tennis requires the assets of all three major body types, although a Summer-Spring combination or Winter-Summer-Spring types are probably best suited for success at the game. The exertion of singles can often be too much for an unconditioned Winter type. Doubles provides the needed exercise without the risk of overdoing it. Spring types tend to play power tennis, and Summer and Winter combinations play touch tennis. Winter-Spring-Summer types have all-round skills.
TRACK AND FIELD
Sprint/pole vault. The best sprinters have the best of all three types—Winter-based speed, Summer-based strength, and Spring-based endurance—needed to handle all the intense training.
High jump. This requires a lighter-framed Winter-Summer body type, or the taller Winter-Spring type.
Shot put. Spring-Summer-based size and strength are required to excel.
Discus and javelin. The balanced Winter-Summer-Spring types excel, but the Spring-Summer type also does well.
VOLLEYBALL
In this game, height, quick reactions, jumping ability, and power all come in handy. The Spring qualities must be strongly present and are usually complemented by the Summer type’s drive to win. The Summer-Spring or Spring-Summer types excel, although the very tall Spring-Winter types can also play a dominant role.
