Your Guide to Ectomorph Body Type, Diet

1. Your Guide to Ectomorph Body Type, Diet, and Workout Routine

3. What Is an Ectomorph? The ectomorph is one of the three most commonly found body types (also known as somatotypes), marked by a “thin frame” and trouble in building muscle mass as well as fat. People belonging to the ectomorph body type are usually lean, skinny, and also have a high metabolic rate.

4. Ectomorphs can actually put on some weight when exposed to a constant stream of unhealthy diets and a sedentary way of life. However, that fat will probably consist of belly fat while their legs and arms will still remain unusually thin.

5. Characteristics of the Ectomorph Body: • Flat chest • Small bone structure and delicate frame • Classic hard gainer • Small shoulders • Fast metabolism • Lean muscle mass • Naturally thin (1) • Finds it hard to gain weight

6. Several studies have revealed, that during strength training, an ectomorph body produces low amounts of myogenin which is a part of a huge family of proteins, which is related by sequence homology i.e. the helix-loop-helix (HLH) proteins (2). It is crucial for functional skeletal muscle’s development. This limits, ectomorph’s capacity to build muscle mass.

7. Moreover, apart from the low muscle mass, the myogenin deficiency also restrains the energy reserves to the muscles, and doesn’t let an ectomorph train hard and intensive enough. Therefore, there isn’t sufficient stimulus for the muscles to grow. However, there are perks of being an ectomorph, such as eating more liberally, including fast food.

8. Owing to their fast metabolism, most of the weight ectomorphs gain is lean muscle instead of fat. Plus, it is easy to achieve a shredded and fit body for an ectomorph, and they only have to put in very small effort to create a visible six-pack. Most professional models are from this somatotype.

9. Dangerous Bodybuilding Mistakes Ectomorphs Make: Let's take a look at some of the most mistakes committed by those seeking an ectomorph transformation:  • Not introducing enough diversity in their ectomorph workout routines. • Always seeking the perfect workout. • Not consuming enough food. • Not getting enough sleep.

10. Believing that taking supplements is the magic trick to get insane muscle gains. • Training to failure. • Overtraining themselves. • Constantly, ignoring progressive overload. • Thinking that they must train, themselves, for the pump. • Not having a commitment and a goal. • Doing isolation exercises and using machines.

11. Ectomorph Diet and Metabolism : Ectomorphs have a fast metabolism, which makes it easy to get lean, and eat without gaining weight. But with age, the metabolism slows down, primarily because of low muscle mass, which can end up in an unhealthy increase in body fat. The best diet for an ectomorph is higher in calories and carbohydrates. Approx. 50-60% calories should come from the carbohydrates, 25% from protein, and 25% from fat.