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Features of strength training for endomorphs

Author: Timko Ilya - master of the whole project and fitness trainer.
2013-11-26

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In short, endomorphs are people prone to being overweight. Usually, they have short limbs and thick bones. Broad shoulders, chest, and pelvis. In short, everything is wide. This body type is also referred to as stocky.

Additionally, in most cases, they have a reduced metabolic rate. That is, every extra calorie is immediately stored in the body as fat.

The above characteristics determine the fact that endomorphs can gain not only muscle (due to their thick bones) but also fat (due to a slow metabolism) quite easily.

Therefore, unlike ectomorphs, they do not have the problem of building muscle. Endomorphs inherently have a fairly large muscle mass. But it is hidden under a layer of fat. Hence, the main goal of the training process for endomorphs is to reduce excess fat and maintain muscle.

Principles of Building a Training Process

1. Trainings should be intense. This is the most important rule. Your pulse will tell you how intensely you are training. It should be around 120 - 150 beats per minute on average during a workout. To achieve such intensity, super set workouts or circuit training methods will work well.

2. All muscles should be trained in one session. That is, the entire body. There is no point in targeting just 1 or 2 muscle groups. This will inevitably reduce the intensity of the workout. And, consequently, its effectiveness.

3. The number of repetitions should be high. About 15 - 20. There is no point in chasing weights at the expense of repetitions. You should clearly understand that you are not growing muscles; you are getting rid of fat.

4. It is necessary to combine strength training in the gym with aerobic exercises. In principle, you can manage with just the gym, but the combination will be more effective. Group classes, cardio machines, or simple running are good choices for aerobic training.

5. The number of workouts should preferably be 4 - 5 times a week. Moreover, the sessions should not be long. On average 1.00 - 1.20. This will be much more effective than 2 - 3 times a week for 2 hours.

6. Try to do more basic exercises. You will expend much more energy on them than on isolated exercises. Accordingly, your heart rate will also rise higher.

7. Don’t get stuck on one exercise. Remember that you should try to engage your whole body in each workout. So, 3 sets will be quite enough. A maximum of 4. The more muscles you engage in a workout, the better.

Everything about nutrition is described in detail in the article 5 principles of nutrition for weight loss. So I won't repeat myself.

So, let's summarize everything mentioned above. Workouts for endomorphs should be high-intensity with a lot of repetitions and light weights. Ideally, they should consist of at least half basic exercises and take place no less than 3 times a week. The circuit training method is better suited for fat burning, but it is also more complex. Super sets are easier but somewhat less effective.

At the end, I provide you with a few ready-made workout plans for endomorphs: