Ectomorph, Mesomorph or Endomorph Body Types
I have now been weight training for over six years and it is only recently whilst trying ‘The Colorado Experiment’ that I am seeing significant results. As a ‘hard gainer’ I have undertaken many different routines with little success. I have tried different diets and new innovative supplements all to no avail.
After many failures it is hard to keep motivated! Finding a routine that actually works has been a major breakthrough for me. But what makes the ‘Colorado Experiment’ different, why does it work on me when everything else fails?
To find the answer to these questions we firstly need to look at the different human body structures.
I am an ectomorph and my bodyweight throughout my adult life has always remained around 60kg. I need to focus on high quality calorie intake, long rest periods, and minimum cardio. A routine designed by a person who has a different body structure will not have the same results on my body type.
Whether you are trying to gain muscle mass or loose fat, it is important to know which body structure category you fit into and then build your diet based on this information. The routine used in the ‘Colorado Experiment’ will work for every body type but the results will vary drastically from on category to the next. A person who gains muscle easily will see the bigger results. Irrespective of this it still works on a hard gainer like me. That is because it focuses on the main exercise that releases the most testosterone, i.e. bench press, leg press (squats or the most important exercise to undertake) etc. The findings also prove that it is quality, not quantity that is important, i.e. full and complete motion and 5 second positive movement and 5 second negative movement.
The Three Different Body Types/Structures
The Ectomorph:
An ectomorph is a typical skinny guy. Ectomorphs have a very light build with small joints and lean muscle mass. Usually ectomorph’s have long thin limbs with stringy muscles and their shoulders tend to be thin with little width to them.
Typical traits of an ectomorph: Small “delicate” frame and bone structure, classic “hard gainer”, a flat chest, small shoulders, thin build, lean muscle mass, finds it hard to gain any weight including fat, has a fast metabolism.
Ectomorphs find it very difficult to gain weight. They all have fast metabolisms which burn up calories quickly. Therefore Ectomorphs require a massive amount of calories to help gain weight. Workouts should be short and intense focusing on big muscle groups and supplements such as creatine and protein shakes are definitely recommended.
Ectomorphs should also try to eat a meal before bed to prevent muscle catabolism during the night. This body type can also lose fat very easily which makes cutting back to lean muscle easy for them, if only I could bottle this feature, I would make millions!
The Mesomorph:
A mesomorph body type has a large bone structure, large muscles and a naturally athletic physique (lucky people). Mesomorphs are the best body type for bodybuilding. They find it quite easy to gain and lose weight and they are naturally strong which is the perfect platform for building muscle.
Typical traits on a Mesomorph: Athletic, hard body with well defined muscles, rectangular shaped body, strong, gains muscle easily, gains fat more easily than ectomorphs.
The mesomorph body type responds the best to weight training. Gains are usually seen very quickly, especially for beginners. One of the few downsides to being a mesomorphs is that they gain fat more easily than ectomorphs. Therefore they need to keep a close eye on what they eat. Usually a combination of weight training and cardio works best for mesomorphs.
The Endomorph:
The endomorph body type is solid yet generally quite soft. Endomorphs gain fat very easily. Endomorphs are usually of a shorter build with thick arms and legs. Muscles are naturally strong; especially the upper legs and they are strong in leg exercises like the squat.
Typical traits of an Endomorph: Soft and round body, gains muscle and fat very easily, is generally short and “stocky”, round physique, finds it hard to lose fat and has a slow metabolism.
Endomorphs find it very easy to gain weight but a large portion of this weight is fat and not muscle. To keep fat gain to a minimum, endomorphs must emphasize the cardio part as well as weights. Supplements can still be used but are not essential just so long as this body type has a high protein intake in their diet.
A combination of Body Types is Possible
These body types are not black and white. Most people have a combination of two body types. These combinations are either ectomorph and mesomorph or mesomorph and endomorph. It is not uncommon to find a pure mesomorph that gains weight like an endomorph for example.
A Final Word
It’s important if you are not the ideal body building type of a mesomorph not to let this fact depress you or hold you back from weight training. We are what we are and we just need to make the best of what we are born with. Even if you are a hard gainer like me it is still possible to build a ripped and muscular physique. If the ‘Colorado Experiment’ works on me, it will work on anyone! If you are the same body type as me don’t put too much emphasis on your diet just make certain you take in lots of complex carbs, plenty of protein and take the best supplements.
Similar Posts:
If you enjoyed this post, please consider to leave a comment or subscribe to the feed and get future articles delivered to your feed reader.
Well that explains why i have a fat ass, thanks!
P.S.
I’ll be trying that Colorado Routine,sounds interesting.
@Mr Muscles:
Great.. Make sure you let everyone know your results. Especially is you loose the ‘fat ass’!!