What are you? Are you an ectomorph, endomorph or mesomorph?
Here is the thing, your body type influences how you respond to diet and training. If you are let’s say an ectomorph. You may have noticed that you don’t gain weight easily.
Wait! I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s first look at the differences between human body types.
How to Determine Your Body Type?
Look at the following pictures.
Endomorph
Ectomorph
Mesomorph
Which one closely resembles you?
Some of you can tell easily and some need more help. If that’s you, don’t worry, we got you covered.
Everything you Need to Know About your Body Type
Going back to a previous article, we learned that your genes or body type cannot keep you from becoming a bodybuilder, why? Genetics cannot prevent you from adding weight or muscle.
That said.
The importance of knowing your body type is that it can help you break free from your genetic predispositions.
Mesomorph?
Is your chest well-defined? Are your shoulders larger and broader than your waistline? Are your thighs and calves all toned and defined?
If the answer is yes, you are a mesomorph.
Mesomorphs have one major advantage; they gain muscles easily. That’s why people with this body type dominate sports like martial arts, swimming and bodybuilding. In other words, they are predisposed to build muscle and not store fat.
The bad news is, mesomorphs are not as flexible as endomorphs or ectomorphs. It is also true that mesomorphs develop body fat more quickly.
Signs You Are a Mesomorph
Try this, grip your wrist between your thumb and middle finger. If the two fingers barely touch, you might be a mesomorph.
Signs to look for
- Females have a defined hourglass figure.
- Mesomorphs are naturally strong and muscular.
- Broad square shoulders that are roughly the same width as your hips.
- Your shoulders may also be wider than your hips.
- You lose fat and gain muscles easily.
Summed up. If you are naturally lean, tall and strong, you’re probably a mesomorph.
Mesomorph Workout Guide and Diet
- If you lift too hard, muscle growth may be slowed down or hindered by natural catabolism in your muscle tissues. To avoid that, keep your lifting sessions short to preserve muscle.
- To maximize gains, limit your total sets per movement to no less than six.
- If you stay inactive for too long, you will gain fat. To avoid that, include cardio exercises such as walking or swimming in your routine.
If you are a mesomorph, you should always remember that your body responds very well to healthy foods and very badly to junk. That’s because you have a moderate tolerance for carbohydrates. We recommend you use the 30/30/40 diet, where 30% healthy fats, 30% lean proteins and 40% complex carbohydrates.
It’s okay to eat junk or your favorite foods, just don’t overdo it.
Endomorph
You’ve tried crazy diets; you’ve run marathons but you still feel like the fat guy in the room. There is nothing wrong with you, it’s just that, just like Chris Pratt, Lee Priest, and many other bodybuilders, you are an endomorph.
Endomorphs tend to build large fat deposits in the midsection, some may see this as a disadvantage but as they say, “work with what you’ve got”.
As an endomorph, I have found that the easiest way to keep hunger at bay and stay healthy is to consume healthy vegetables, also, your diet should be balanced. We recommend minimum carbohydrate and lots of proteins.
Signs you are an Endomorph
If you have short limbs, gain weight easily and lose it slowly, or if your body stores fat often in the belly or waist area. You are an endomorph. The good news is with the right diet and exercise, you can change your genetic composition.
Endomorph Workout Guide and Diet
By now, I’m sure you’ve gathered that endomorphs require more discipline when it comes to working out and diet. Remember, you gain fat or mass quickly.
What we recommend
- Focus on isolation exercises to strengthen and improve the appearance of your target muscles.
- Work multiple muscle groups at the same time (compound exercises).
- Incorporate HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) twice or thrice every week for no less than 30 minutes.
- To keep fat at bay, combine cardio with weightlifting. Doing that will also improve your metabolism.
If you are an endomorph, your body quickly converts high carb foods to sugar in the bloodstream. Because of that, it is highly likely that your body will store more fat than it burns for energy. That’s why many endomorphs have a higher body fat percentage.
For that reason, you should.
- Limit carbohydrate intake.
- Eat frequent healthy meals to prevent hunger and control your caloric intake (small healthy meals).
- Eat more fruits and vegetables.
- On days you’re not lifting or working out, eat less.
Ectomorph
Can ectomorphs build muscles?
Light build, lean muscles, and small joints. That describes an ectomorph (a typical skinny guy). If you fall into this category, it means that you have one major setback, it is very hard for you to gain weight and muscle. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t.
Ectomorphs can grow, but it takes lots of work and lots of food.
Ectomorph Workout Guide and Diet
You have a fast metabolism, that’s why you can get away with eating whatever you want and not gain weight. The bad news is. As you get older your metabolism slows down due to low muscle mass and that will result in unhealthy weight gain.
What we recommend
- A minimum amount of cardio you can get away with to keep your cardiovascular system healthy.
- Heavy compound movements and minimal isolation movements per muscle group (strength training).
For bodybuilders, your diet should be heavy on carbohydrates and proteins, we also recommend you eat five to 6 times every day.
Final word
The truth is, no one on the planet is 100% ectomorph, endomorph or 100%mesomorph, we all have some characteristics of all these different somatotypes. What differentiates us is the dominant gene.
You can’t change your genes completely, but your environment, diet, medicine intake, stress, and exercise can have some positive or negative effects on your genes.
Conclusion
I started lifting back in high-school. In that time, I have realized that body type doesn’t matter, in fact, I figured out my body type ten years into bodybuilding. My body and what other people think of it didn’t hold me back, why let yours?
Always remember that no matter your body type, if you work hard enough and have clear goals and realistic expectations you will reach success.
You have the time, you have the energy, use it when you can. Don’t wait or give up because someone said something like you don’t have what it takes. Prove them wrong. Get this full guide today, and remember it is up to you to reach your goals, don’t mess it up!
In the words of Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson “winners find a way; losers find an excuse”.