Body Types -EctoMorph

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The Ectomorph

A thin, delicate build usually characterizes the ectomorph. This individual has trouble gaining weight and muscle growth takes much longer to achieve and is harder to maintain. The ectomorph is very lean with little body fat and usually very little muscle mass. These individuals tend to be like the endurance athletes such as long distance marathon runners or the tall, very lean super-models.

If you fall into this category, take a look at the members in your family. It might just be that you inherited a predisposition to thinness. What the ectomorph needs to do is add more calories to his or her diet. The way to do this is not by eating larger meals but by eating more calories over several smaller meals. By adding an additional five hundred (500) to one thousand (1000) calories per day spread out over five (5) to seven (7) meals you give your system a chance to utilize more of the calories consumed.

Look at the foods you are currently consuming and then either add to them or look at other food sources that are more calorie dense. Add dried fruits in addition to fresh or maybe eat more nuts and grains. As an ectomorph you can increase you fat intake upwards to around thirty (30) percent but make sure that your consuming the majority from unsaturated fat sources such as fish and vegetable oil for example.

When it comes to exercise, the ectomorph needs to limit outside activities other than weight training. In order to build muscle, almost all energies should be put toward weight training exercises using low reps and heavy weight. You will also need to rest more due to the heavy strain. Workouts should be spaced about forty-eight (48) to seventy-two (72) hours apart.

Concentrate on compound movements such as the deadlift, squats, and reverse grip lat pulldowns and incline bench presses. The idea here is to build mass by working several major muscle groups at once, allow plenty of recovery time and worry about the definition later.