Features of strength training for ectomorphs

Author: Timko Ilya - master of the whole project and fitness trainer.
2013-11-19

Ectomorphs are those types of people who eat everything but remain quite slim. They have a small muscle volume and almost no subcutaneous fat. They typically have narrow shoulders, narrow hips, and so on. This is mainly due to two factors:

1. Long and thin bones. The thinner the bones, the more challenging it is for the muscles to grow. The thickness of the bone to which the muscle is attached and the thickness of the tendon directly influence muscle growth.

2. High metabolic rate. This allows them to eat anything without the risk of gaining weight. However, on the flip side, it makes gaining mass quite a challenging task. Not only is fat harder to gain, but muscle growth is also slower.

In fact, there aren't many pure (100%) ectomorphs—perhaps around 15%. Most often, mixed body types can be observed (ectomorphs, mesomorphs, and endomorphs). However, those pure ectomorphs do exist and are keen on building muscle as well). Now, let's move on to training specifics.

You should train 1-2 muscle groups per workout. Ectomorph muscles tend to respond sluggishly to physical loads. Therefore, it’s best not to scatter your efforts over your entire body in one workout. Instead, focus on specific parts.

You should train quite frequently. About 3-5 times a week. This is due to two reasons. First, as mentioned earlier, ectomorphs have a rapid metabolism, allowing them to recover faster. Secondly, by training 1-2 muscle groups, you can easily fit in 5 workouts per week. An example of such an exercise complex can be found here.

There should be more basic exercises. It is the basic exercises that can stimulate your muscles to grow. You can perform one isolating exercise, but only after you’ve done 2 basic exercises for that muscle group.

Sports nutrition is essential. Ectomorphs are best suited to gainers, as they are specifically designed for weight gain. Additionally, it is important to take it continuously rather than in bursts (one month on, one month off) until you reach your desired weight.

Workouts should be short. Ideally, about an hour. If you are training 2 muscle groups primarily with basic exercises, then one hour is usually sufficient.

The number of repetitions should be 8-15. This is the range that best promotes muscle mass growth.

There should be few sets. About 2-3 working sets. But all of them should be to failure, or close to it.

Thus, ectomorph workouts should consist of a short, pure strength training focused on 1-2 muscle groups. No unnecessary sets (5-6) and no extra exercises. Just 2-3 working sets and 2-3 basic exercises for each muscle group.

You should consume at least 15% more calories than you expend. Moreover, try to eat not only protein-rich foods but also include carbohydrate-rich foods and even fats.

All of the above applies equally to both men and women. The only difference is that under similar conditions, women find it slightly easier to gain weight due to estrogen stimulating this process.