Your Body Type - Ectomorph, Mesomorph or Endomorph?
When I first got into the muscle building scene I was overwhelmed by the amount of different training programs, bodybuilding supplements, diets, articles and information there was out there. There were so many conflicting diets and training programs available and I had no idea what I “should” be doing. The result of this was about 6 months in the gym with little gains and almost no motivation to workout anymore.
I was at a complete loss and about to throw in the towel and give up. Then a guy in the gym gave me a magazine and told me to read the article in there about body types. So I did and it opened my eyes up to the reason why I wasn’t making any gains in the gym.
I am a true ectomorph (classic hardgainer) and my bodyweight was 60.2kg (132.5lbs) when I first walked into a gym. I had no idea about body types back then. I assumed (like most beginners do) that the more I worked out the bigger I would get. Thinking that “more was better” I started following a program designed for an elite bodybuilder. This resulted in gains of about 1.7kg in 6 months.
After reading the body type article in that magazine I started to understand more about how my body type worked, my metabolism, and gaining weight. Being an ectomorph I need to focus on calorie intake, long rest periods, and minimum cardio. It was only then I started making some real gains and I’ve never looked back.
So it’s important to be able to identify and understand your body type. Different body types require different training methods and diet plans. So listed below are the 3 male body types: ectomorph, mesomorph and endomorph, along with their characteristics.
ECTOMORPH
An ectomorph is a typical skinny guy. Ecto’s have a light build with small joints and lean muscle. Usually ectomorph’s have long thin limbs with stringy muscles. Shoulders tend to be thin with little width.
Typical traits of an ectomorph:
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Ectomorphs find it very hard to gain weight. They have a fast metabolism which burns up calories very quickly. Ecto’s need a huge amount of calories in order to gain weight. Workouts should be short and intense focusing on big muscle groups. Supplements are definitely recommended. Ectomorphs should eat before bed to prevent muscle catabolism during the night. Generally, ectomorphs can lose fat very easily which makes cutting back to lean muscle easier for them.
MESOMORPH
A mesomorph has a large bone structure, large muscles and a naturally athletic physique. Mesomorphs are the best body type for bodybuilding. They find it quite easy to gain and lose weight. They are naturally strong which is the perfect platform for building muscle.
Typical traits on a Mesomorph:
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The mesomorph body type responds the best to weight training. Gains are usually seen very quickly, especially for beginners. The downside to mesomorphs is they gain fat more easily than ectomorphs. This means they must watch their calorie intake. Usually a combination of weight training and cardio works best for mesomorphs.
ENDOMORPH
The endomorph body type is solid and generally soft. Endomorphs gain fat very easily. Endo’s are usually of a shorter build with thick arms and legs. Muscles are strong, especially the upper legs. Endomorphs find they are naturally strong in leg exercises like the squat.
Typical traits of an Endomorph:
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When it comes to training endomorphs find it very easy to gain weight. Unfortunately, a large portion of this weight is fat not muscle. To keep fat gain to a minimum, endomorphs must always train cardio as well as weights. Usually supplements may not be needed as long as the person has a high protein intake in their diet.
A combination of body types.
These body types aren’t set in stone. In fact, most guys have a combination of two body types. These combinations are either ectomorph/mesomorph or mesomorph/endomorph. It is not uncommon to find a pure mesomorph that gains weight like an endomorph for example.
So which body type are you?
Given the information above you should be able to identify your body type. You may also want to optimize your diet and training to suit your body type.
One final point I want to mention is that no matter what your body type you can build a big, ripped, muscular physique. Even the skinniest of guys can bulk up. Yes, it’s harder but if you’re willing to put in the hard work it can be done. I have about the skinniest natural build possible and at the time of writing this article I have gained about 30kg (66lbs) of lean muscle mass.
Learn more:
Learn more about how to build lean muscle naturally on your body type by joining Muscle and Strength. Muscle and Strength has a huge community of Muscle and Fitness enthusiasts who can help you reach your goals!
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my body is a mixture of endo and meso i gain and lose very fast but just cant get rid of my ponch,i like to drink and i do also i stop drinking wen i desperately want to lose but start drinking again the ponc becomes flat but never gone comes back before i look at it pls help ,i find very difficult to give up drinking totally my age is 40/m life style Sadatry .
calm down with the drinking give it up. i gave up soda and once you do it for a while its easy to say no like a guy lifting for a month and a guy lifting for years its easier to give up for the guy lifting for the month because hes not losing much. hope that makes since in a way.
Head over to the forum and post your questions us there. There's plenty of guys over there that can help you stay motivated. Here's the link:
http://www.muscleandstrength.com/forum/
Hey Damien, my name is Jake and I was wondering if there was a way I could get in contact you or if just posting here is fine? I'm the same height and body type as you and you have had success in building muscle so I have a few questions I would like to ask you about diet, muscle fiber type, and how to gear workouts towards my body type. Thanks!
hi mate, thanks for writing this article iv been searching for some explanation like u gave on what type of body i have nd suppliments to use. I naturally have muscles but i dnt no theyr not big enough. Im nt sure if its due to my small stature or not. Pls i would like an advice from you on what suppliments to take to increase my body muscles and also give me some body flesh a im too skinny for my liking.
hello
i really like this website and im glad that im learning a lot from this site, my name is saoud al ahmad im 22 years old I've been working out for 1 year and 2 months, i was too fat a couple of years ago so i started working out till i became thin and my workout used to include aerobics, running and a little bit bodybuilding but i remember when i became thin i still had fat , and the kind of fat i used to have made my body look very ugly i don't really know how to explain it to you but what im trying to say is that my body wasn't tightened and that was 3 years ago and now as i told you its been 1 year and 2 months of training and im really serious about going to the gym every day and it became a hobby and i really love it when i exercise i became serious about bodybuilding and till this day i go to the gym .now my body is getting better and its looking good cause i have been training for over a year , my work out includes running everyday before i hit the weights i run 5 times a week because running had changed my body a lot and since i started running i began to see cuts in my body that i never saw before and i keep loosing fat,im really obsessed in running in all my life i never used steroids , im a natural bodybuilder, now the thing is that i always keep thinking about it is that if i ate 6-7meals a day as usual as im doing know and instead of ruining everyday before my workout i just run 2 to 3 times a week and the bodybuilding stays the same 5 or 6 times week so its only the running that im changing in my daily routine, by any chance is there a possibility that i would gain fat ? or would i still loose fat and gain more muscles
you should try HIIT every other morning. This will jumpstart your metabolism for the day. Also, make sure your eating a high protein diet. If you lifting weights, i would suggest also getting a casein before bed so your protein levels don't diminish throughout the night. Another thing I noticed, is AFTER you lift weights, go and do your cardio. This way, you burn all your energy during the workout, and all you body has left to burn during cardio is Fat. So try this and maybe you get some better results.
do not listen to what shane said, there IS something left after your energy is spent and its called your body. after your hour long workout your body is pumped full of catabolic hormones that will eat muscle, thats right i said EAT. unless you are supplementing with a protein based drink throughout your workout running after will only hurt you and possibly cause injury due to nutritional depletion. other than that everything else is sound advice though :)
Hi saoud,
I'm Andrew and I live in Jamaica. I've been trying to lose the fat in my upper body and around my abs for years. Finally I got serious about the gym last year November and I've seen much change. But this is due to running and now I'm thinking about cutting back at the gym and doing more aerobics too. I ask the same question as you.
you should stop working out so extensively due to the fact your body will wear and tear and by the time your 30 you'll feel 50. As for the weight loss, congrats :), and i with the regimine you were on (6 meal diet w/ cardio) did its job and fufilled the purpose of loosing weight. Now its a matter of working out concentrated muscle groups in order to get those "cuts" you want and more tonation. You would have no need to continue the 6 meal diet and iwould reccomend the 3/4 meal diet sine those added calories are no longer needed in your past extensive cardio workouts. your body has seemed to transformed into a more ectomorph shape since your training the last 3 years which i commend your persistance. As for the extra weight left over from the past 3 years; it may/may not subside but doing cardio will not help this problem (weights and concentrated machince workouts would work best). I do not believe any more fat will come with your exercise training bc you are past that point and ready to tone in and focus on different areas you would like to stress/work on; maybe just do light cardio once a week. Your muscles will strenthen than grow doing your new workouts and you DO need at least one day of rest/recouporation for your muscles to rebuilt in their bigger/stronger form. I would rec. doing this at least 2x a week. I am proud of you usuing no substances to get where you are today and the determination you took over the last 3 years. good luck, aloha
Cardio is good, but running 5 times a week is a bit much. Stick to about 3 times a week, and mix up what you do. Biking is beneficial too.
Saoid...I think it would be better to post your question over at the forum. We would love to help. Your question deserves a better answer then what I can provide here in the comments.
http://www.muscleandstrength.com/forum/
I’m 40 years and have been away from exercising for at least 15 years. I started back again about 5-6 weeks ago with some basic exercises and now I feel ready to get serious and committed to making a drastic change in my physique. I'm 5'10" & weight around 195-200 lbs. I'm an ectomorph body type so therefore a hard gainer. My goal is to gain some noticeable size while obtaining as much definition at the same time. I understand the ectomorph's diet should consist of 50:30:20 ratio (Carb/Protein/Fat), however since I want to gain muscle mass while at the same time getting lean, should I go for a 50:40:10 ratio?
Raul, bearing in mind that too little fat (under 15% or so of total calories) seriously inhibits testosterone production and given your stats and your goals, I'd recommend 35:45:25 with cardio three times a week. Best to ingest the bulk of your carbs pre and post workout (lower GI after workout). Cheers Steve.
Are body types meant for adults ? Im 16 years old and i think im still growing so i dont know what body type i am.
Chris...generally you can get a good gauge of your body type post-puberty. What is your height and weight?
i'm 15 years old, 5'11 tall and 10.5 stone, my shoulders aren't that broad but i am quite naturally muscular and strong. whats my body type??
Hi steve, very late reply but I'm turning 18 now and am 5' 10" and weigh around 11 stone 9/10 pounds.
this was great help with my coursework! yey thanks (:
I am certainly more of an ectomorph but when I weight trained as a young man, I gained surprisingly easy. But even after years of training seriously, my ectomorphic nature always surfaces and dominates when I stop training seriously or stop eating. Kind of stinks, you can change your body significantly but only to a point.
What I would have given to have been a pure mesomorph. But I ought to be thankful I was not an endomorph I suppose.
From personal experience, I can refute these 3 'body types' as quakery.
As a small child through to age 17, I was obese (reaching 113kgs with no muscle mass and a round, flabby body). My doctor at that time told me I had a typical endomorphic body.
From 17 I started a diet that saw me drop 43kgs in 7 months, leaving me with a very slender, thin frame (I'm 6' 3" tall) @ 70kgs. I stayed this way for nearly 2 1/2 years, and was considered by another GP to be a classic ectomorph.
In early 2000 I started properly working out, and from my wiry 70kgs I grew to 95kgs on 4 percent body fat in the space of 1 1/2 years, and had all the traits of a typical mesomorph.
another way of telling what type of frame size you have is wrapping your wrist at the thinnest point ( 1 half inch under your plam line with your middle finger and thumb. if tou can overlap you are thin. if you can just barely touch or touch you are medium framed, if you are cant touch you are large boned; hope this helped, bye
Hi Bbuilder,
Bodyfat levels can impact this approach. I am small boned...about 6.3" at the wrist. At 20% bodyfat I can't touch my middle finger and thumb.
dubious
that doesnt even make sence, what if someone had big hands? thats a poor example to show someone is big boned.
hiii my body comes under ecto and meso.... i m a small guy wid a a weight of 54 kgs. although i m a athlete but stil i want to gain some weight. i m neither skinny nor i m bulky.wat should i do to gain weight.
Hi Pankaj,
Gaining muscle comes down to pushing yourself in the weight room, and eating enough daily calories to gain weight. Beginners can gain up to 15 pounds of muscle during their first year of hard training, so I would make it a goal to add 2 pounds per month. You may need to eat 3200 to 3500 daily calories or more to achieve this goal. You also want to make sure to eat at least 30 to 40 grams of protein every 2.5 to 3 hours.
i want to gain my muscles last 3 years i m doing geam
i seem to be mainly a mesomorph, its kinda hard for me to lose or gain weight but thats cuz my eating habits aint to good. I just started lifting weights but before that i was already strong for my size(im 5'3")and only by doing wrestling and brazilian jiujitsu for a year i went from 16% body fat to 11% and i stayed at 122 lbs the whole time.My chest looks bulky as well and a friend thinks that I pop it out.Now im lifting weights but also doing some cardio cuz i wanna lose some of the last fat that ive got which has stored itself in the bottom of my abdomen( i use to be overweight when i was younger). Can anyone tell me how to lose that fat, i want to have a completely flat stomach.
Here is an article that will help:
http://www.muscleandstrength.com/articles/your-go-to-guide-for-cutting-f...
lot of abdominal excersices and cardio. ur body type is probably more endomorph than mesomorph if you have a tendency to gain fat.
I think im both an ectomorph and a mesomorph, but i would like to know for sure,, so I can follow the right path. is there anyway or anybody that can help me?
Hi Hmata,
I wouldn't be too concerned with your body type. In the end, if you train hard and eat good, you will make great progress and learn about your body in the process. M
what kind of training and diet do you recommend me to try first? i am 5'8'' and 175 lbs (but not solid muscle). i'am like a 17% body fat.... in the last message you finished with a M.. was there more you wanted to tell me and it got cut off?
I would suggest a workout like this:
http://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/3day-beginners-workout.html
Just train hard, pushing for more reps on every set, and add weight when you can perform the recommended number of reps for each set.
hi pal my name is kieran my body type is ectomoph im 21 years old my weight 153 pounds and started weights 3 weeks ago and would like some advice my weight program is chest biceps on monday,back on tuesday,wednesday day off,thursday shoulders triceps and traps,friday legs is this a good program for my body type? cheers for your help
Hi Kieran,
It's hard to just a program by looking at a training split. I would need to know what exercises and sets you are performing, and what your bodybuilding diet looks like.
well i only eat good foods like lean meats like chicken breasts beef etc. porridge eggs whole bread cans of tuna fish etc,protein powder.i did put on about 4 pound in the last month from weights but i get confused with the reps because im a beginner. i keep it at 5 to 6 meals a day! for chest i do bench press 4 sets of 12 10 8 6 dumbbell press 2 sets of 15 and dumbbell flys 2 sets of 15. biceps standing curls 3 sets 10 8 6 and preacher curl the same with the machine, back wide grip pull down close grip pull down 3 sets 12 10 8 and use the rowing machine 4 sets 12 10 8 6 bent over row 2 sets of 15 shoulders standing military press with dumbbells 3 sets 12 10 8 side lateral raises 12 10 8 bent over dumbbell flys 12 10 8 and the brad ford press 3 sets of 10 traps dumbbell shrugs 2 sets of 15, barbell shrugs 2 sets 15, triceps push down 3 sets 10 8 6 tricep extention 10 8 6. legs, squats 4 sets 12 10 8 6 calf raises 2 sets 15 lunges 2 sets of 15 lol dont go to a gym u so cant do many of the leg exercises bought a multigym and have a bench aswell with the free weights
Hi Kieran,
For diet it sounds like you're on the right track. You lifting program sounds good. Try to push yourself on every set, adding reps and weight when you can.
I think im ECTO!! but I have a big frame.... shoulders. Is this still ecto skinny as and always find it hard to put on any sort of mass, eating 5 meals a day.. Age 19 - 143 pounds - 6.2
I'm almost the same; I'm 19, 152 LBs, 6'2" as well. I'm not a hardcore lifter but once I started I gained 20 LBs over the most I had ever weighed before (over a few months, but I've lost a little since). I figure I'm something of a mix between ecto and meso, and while I don't know for sure about you I'd say that with your weight it sounds likely. I know a lot of 6'2" guys who weigh 120-130, so since you've got 20-30 LBs on them you don't sound like a pure ectomorph, but it depends on how much of your weight is muscle gain from lifting.
Hi, I am ecto too. About 66kg and 164 cm and 24 years of age. Would you consider me to be underweight? I have been shedding muscles lately, although the pace is rather gradual. My GP is unable to find a clinical explanation to it, so I am getting very worried as to what may be the cause.What would recommend I do to gain my lost muscles (looking dead skinny lately)
I must mention that I have been on roaccutane for four months now.
Hi Cho Cho,
Your weight looks normal for your height. What does your current diet look like? And how long have you been weight training?
Hello,
Thanks for responding to my email and allaying the fears in this respect. Well I do not do any weight-lifting unfortunately, although it is something I have been giving a lot of thought. I am contemplating taking creatine but I have heard rather discouraging accounts for the latter. What would you recommend for someone with my predicament in terms of taking the appropriate protein shakes?
My diet is totally healthy: a lot of greens, lean meat (specifically Mutton and chicken). For breakfast I take either Oats/ Cereal with full cream milk. Lunch: a cheese and egg sandwich, with juice and apple/fear/orange and dinner varies but I do have large portions of meat, esp Mutton. My carbohydrates intake is equally large comprising mainly white/brown rice. And I do not drink nor smoke.
I also feel impelled to mention that I have thin stripes (almost like tiger) on my lower buttocks as well and some parts of my thighs (the ones on the thighs just developed recently). I get the impression this could be a result of weight loss or am I wrong to assume that? How long do you think it would take to gain significant amount of weight? I wish to pick-up at least 72kg but I dont k now of whether that is feasible. My BMI index tells me I am on the borderline between under/overweight. I am also on Roaccutane, the acne-curing medication.
thanks. regard
Hi Chocho,
Whey protein is good first thing in the morning, and after lifting weights. Casein is great in between meals and right before bed. I suggest eating 3 whole foods meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner), and adding in shakes when and where they make the most sense. I would start with casein between major meals, and a simply whey drink right when you wake. This extra protein will help your battle to retain muscle mass, especially if you are training hard for progression of reps and weight.
The results you are experiencing could be stretch marks that have become more noticeable as you are losing weight, though it's hard to imagine that at your weight you would have them.
Hi guys, I just wandered in here for the first time. Great site!
And good on you, Damien, for writing this article but I'd disagree with one part of what you write. Body type has nothing to do with how much fat you have on board. It's an underlying feature that doesn't change no matter how fit and lean you become. So endomorphs (like me) aren't necessarily "soft" and "round", though we do put on weight most easily and if we don't exercise we do tend to put on fat.
Body type also doesn't have anything to do with height as I understand it. I'm pretty tall. What I am is "big-boned". And no, that's not a copout for "fat", it means I'm built broad and sort of massive, even when I'm at low body fat and peak fitness. Especially then.
Those pictures of body types are misleading because any body type will be doughy and soft if you sit around on the couch eating donuts, though it's true that ectomorphs tend not to look as fat as endos. Seems to me it would be best to illustrate the types with an apples-to-apples comparison of either all of the types with exercise, or all of the types without.
Here's a thought. Scientists say Homo sapiens interbred with Neanderthals a hundred-thousand years ago. So I'm thinking maybe endomorphs like me are really Neanderthals in disguise. I've been told I'm a Neanderthal before... :D
Thanks for the article, and I plan to look around here more!
Hi =] im 14 almost 15 and i weigh 80 kilograms i am a mesomorph but i want to become very very muscular but my parents dont let me do weight training so can somebody tell me and excercises that will make my dream come true ?? :) thanks
Hi Danny,
Wish I could help. Have to obey your parents!
The only way to gain muscle is to lift progressively heavier weights.
hi!!well you're exactly like me when i was your age(now i'm 18)I'm also a classic mesomorph and i also wanted to become very very muscular at your age but was unable to go to the gym.So i was only doing bodyweight exercises like:pushup,handstand pushup,chin up,dip and tone of different abs exercises(don't think that its too easy because these exercises are very challenging especially the dragonflag for the abs)...well if you are a mesomorph you are already slightly muscular(coz i was muscular at 15 with arm at 13inch with bulging bicep and big muscular legs at 80kg exactly while not doing any intense training)if you're a mesomorph then you will quickly get a good body not like the very very muscular you're saying but close to it and you will get strong...i started going to a gym 4months ago and i gain 3kg of muscle and loses about 6kg of fat and i can squat 150kg for 6 reps(pretty cool for a beginner)and most important i love doing exercise and never miss any work out days...becoming very very muscular is my goal but i know that it will take time 4year even if i have a fantastic ability to gain muscle...if it's your goal don't be discourage but never think it's easy...IT TAKES TIME!!!AND DON'T OVERTRAIN!!!EAT WELL!! and also you must read a lot on training, how to eat, what to eat, why??This is how you will get big...
I have an ectomorph body ( not very skinny, but reasonably thin built ), as in i was damn skinny when i was born and it stayed that way for the first 10 years of my life. I was very athletic and fast. I did not eat much. Then I went through a phase in which i stopped playing, became lazy and ate a lot of sugars and spicy stuff. I became grosely obese. Then I picked up a sport to lose weight, and started enjoying the fitness workouts and the playing time. I realized that I had not lost my speed or athletecism much, which was surprising. So I lost quite some weight, and decided to play at competetive levels. Now I am targeting an elite level. However, I have some stubborn fat in my lower leg and my upper leg. How should I thin my legs and some bit of my abdomen?