We all know someone who merely has to look at a dumbbell to start putting on muscle, while others find it almost impossible to add significant bulk but equally don’t tend to add much fat – even when their lifestyle and diet don’t seem all that healthy.

1. Ectomorph, Endomorph And
Mesomorph: How To Train For Your
Body Type

3. We all know someone who merely has to look at
a dumbbell to start putting on muscle, while
others find it almost impossible to add
significant bulk but equally don’t tend to add
much fat – even when their lifestyle and diet
don’t seem all that healthy.

4. While humans rarely fit exactly into one body
type category, your type can still play a
significant role in how easy you find it to put on
and maintain muscle, or indeed lose fat. Yet it’s
fair to say most people probably don’t consider
it much when mapping out a training plan.

5. There are three broad body types into which we
all fall to some extent: ectomorph, endomorph
and mesomorph. Ectomorphs are naturally lean
and rangy, and struggle to add mass in the gym,
but they don’t add fat quickly when they’re not
training much. Endomorphs are the opposite.
They add muscle easily, but they also have a
natural pear shape and higher levels of body fat,
and often find it harder to avoid unwanted
weight gain.

6. Somewhere in the middle of those two types are
mesomorphs, who have an athletic build, a high
metabolism, and add muscle easily. Going by a
set of totally arbitrary aesthetic standards
mesomorphs seem to be the big winners when
it comes to genetics, but it’s worth reiterating
that very few people fall perfectly into one of
these categories – almost all of us are a mix of a
couple of them.

7. Although there are three clear body types, it’s
important to be aware that these aren’t set in
stone.
“The three body types exist but probably never
in their pure form,” says Professor Lars
McNaughton from Edge Hill University.
“We all have some aspects of endomorphy,
mesomorphy and ectomorphy.”

8. HOW TO TRAIN FOR YOUR BODY TYPE
While individuals who are exclusively one body
type are extremely rare, you probably have
some idea of where you fall within the Heath-
Carter system. And while there’s no one true
fitness goal everyone should be striving towards,
some goals will be harder to achieve for bodies
that lean towards certain types. Here’s what you
may need to take into account if you’re
predominantly one body type.

9. Ectomorphs
Naturally skinny types will find it harder to add
muscle, so if that’s you, you’ll need to follow the
fundamentals of building muscle to the letter.
“Ectomorphs need to increase their calorie
intake, trying to get it from healthier foods, with
an emphasis on protein in the diet,” says
exercise physiologist Tom Cowan(opens in new
tab).

10. “If you’re an ectomorph you should consume
protein regularly – every three to four hours.
Your intake either side of a workout is
particularly important, so maybe a protein
shake before strength training and then one
within an hour or so after.

11. There is also research to suggest that consuming
protein before bed can help to increase muscle
protein synthesis rates overnight, and limit the
duration of the fasting period when you are
asleep.
“Combine that with hypertrophy strength
training – eight to 12 reps of an exercise,
multiple sets – to promote muscle growth.”