Body Types: Ectomorph

It is possible to build muscle, but only with good carbs and heavy lifting.

– ADVICE OF ADJUSTMENT:Deadlifts and other compound lifts are keys to successful muscle building for an ectomorph.

Lean is good, but more muscle is better. However, extra hours of exercise in the gym may not give satisfactory results.

What is happening?

Studies reveal that some people do not respond well to strength training. Successive tests carried out on the group indicated on page 20 indicated that there was no improvement in the regulation of myogenin, a vital gene for promoting muscle metabolism, of the worst “responders”, while other people subjected to the same training program experienced improved levels of up to 65 percent. This, however, should not disappoint you. Not everyone responds the same way to different training routines, and by adjusting the intensity, frequency, or volume of training, poor responders will achieve superior results.

Big mistakes you’re making

You are already thin and using the treadmill would not make sense. Long, slow workouts will get you nowhere. Also, too many bicep curls and other isolation movements in your weight training offer only minimal results. You need to focus more on compound movements like the bench press, deadlift, and squat, which work more muscle while providing a hormonal boost to build muscle. Isolation movements are still beneficial, although they should complement your main workout. You should spend around 80 percent of your training working on your major muscle groups.

To do

Four series of movements composed of approximately 8 to 12 repetitions. However, efficient muscle development does not require exhausting hours in the gym. It’s a waste to work out 5 days a week, as this only speeds up your metabolism too much, making it harder to build muscle. Aim to do 3 quality sessions per week, keep your post-warmup training period to a maximum of 45 minutes.

changing your diet

The good news is that you don’t need to be strict with carbs, as blood glucose spikes are what you’ll need for your muscles to absorb protein efficiently. Eat brown rice and other foods rich in complex proteins, maintaining at least 2 grams for every pound of body weight. Compared to mesomorphs, ectomorphs must strictly follow adequate protein intake, as exceeding the limit will increase their metabolism rate and slow down muscle growth.

Additional food for thought

Proper nutrition proves to be just as important for smart ectomorph training when it comes to building muscle tissue. More than endomorphs and mesomorphs, adequate intake of supplements is essential. Carbohydrate and protein shakes are most advantageous when taken before, during, and after training sessions.

smart moves

Ectomorphs should treat the deadlift as their best friend. If you have long arms, this will be easy and will involve your entire body, so expect to pack on the mass. However, while taller guys could still benefit greatly from squats due to their build, it will be more difficult particularly when going below parallel due to their long limbs. If you’re tall and have long arms, leg presses would be a good alternative.