Body Types
THE ECTOMORPH can be easily spotted in any weight room. They are often below the average weight for their height and have a skinny appearance. Ectomorphs tend to have very high metabolisms and often complain of relentless eating with little to no weight gain.
Common Ectomorph Characteristics Include:
-Small joints
-Skinny appearance
-Hyperactive
-Fast metabolism
-Can eat whatever they want
-Get full easily
-Small chest and buttocks
-Difficulty building muscle
-Difficulty gaining weight
-Low body fat
-Narrow frame (“pencil frame”)
Ectomorph Training Tips:
-Train heavier with repetitions
in the 5-10 range
-Take longer rest breaks (due to higher weights used)
-Do compound lifts
-Do not do cardio
Everyone recognizes the MESOMORPH. He is the high school jock that seemed to put on muscle just by looking at weights while also maintaining a very lean physique. The mesomorph is somewhat in between the ectomorph and the endomorph and as such, display qualities from both. He has a larger frame (bone structure) as the endomorph does, but a low body fat percentage as the ectomorph has. You could say this is the aspiring body type that everybody wants.
Common Mesomorph Characteristics Include:
-Symmetrical build
-Wide shoulders
-Small waist
-Low body fat
-Large musculature
-Seems to put on muscle easily
-Seems to burn fat easily
-Eats in moderation
Mesomorph Training Tips:
-Training in the 8-12 repetition rep range
-30-1 min rest periods between sets
-Enough cardio to stay lean but not a ton
The ENDOMORPH body type is the complete opposite of an ectomorph. This individual will usually be larger in appearance with heavier fat accumulation and little muscle definition. They find it hard to drop the weight even though they try several diets or workout programs.
Common Endomorph Characteristics Include:
-Large amount of fat accumulation
Often fatigue easily
-Insatiable appetite
-Try various diet and exercise programs to failure
-Cannot seem to drop weight
-Eat larger meals or several smaller sized meals
Low muscle definition due to adipose tissue
-Larger frame
Endomorphs Training Tips:
Train in the 15+ repetition range
-Take 30-45 second rest periods between sets
-Do as much cardio as possible!
-Do compound lifts to burn more calories
By: Saad Ali