More about the Ectomorph, Endomorph, Mesomorph

Have you noticed that some people are naturally stronger than others or that some tend to put on more fat quickly? Bodybuilders have known for some time that different body types will respond differently to both training and nutrition. It was American psychologist, William Sheldon, who spent his life observing the different variety in the human form. From his work many have discerned three different basic types of bodies: the ectomorph, the mesomorph in the endomorph.

Dr. Sheldon\’s theories were very popular through the 1950s and influence such theorists as Dr. Maslow, Huxley and Robert de Ropp. Today many scientists believe these theories are outdated and have found a description of the somatic types against the present-day paradigm. But, interestingly, these body types also are of significant assistance to fitness trainers and bodybuilders who must determine appropriate ways of helping individuals to gain muscle mass or lose weight.

The individual who has an ectomorphic physique is typically very thin with a slight build and small joints. Often these individuals have long thin limbs and the shoulders tend to be thinner as well. These people find it very hard to gain weight. They often have a very fast metabolism burns up calories very quickly and they must eat a huge amount of calories in order to gain and sometimes just to maintain their weight.

Typical traits of an individual who has an ectomorphic body shape are small and delicate bone structure with a flat chest, small shoulders and lean muscle mass. They have a linear physique which means that they appear longer than they really are because of the length of the limbs and the lack of muscle mass. These are not naturally powerful people and often have to work very hard to gain any amount of muscle strength.

Individuals who are ectomorph are naturally good runners, cyclists and distance athletes. When they do resistance training it should focus on full body workouts and should only training with weights twice a week to allow for maximum recovery. Ectomorph\’s require nutrition throughout the day and are more tolerant of carbohydrates. Those who are looking to build muscle should turn to protein shakes at the end of their workouts.

The mesomorph has an athletic body. The female is often hourglass shaped. They have a mature muscle mass, excellent posture and gained muscle very easily. The bones and muscles of the head are usually prominent and the arms and legs are developed and muscle with even a slight amount of exercise.

Individuals who have a mesomorphic physique often tan well. Others are often jealous of this body type. The men have a natural athletic appearance and don\’t have to work hard to maintain what they already have. This body type responds best to weight training and gains are usually seen very quickly, especially in beginners. The downside of this body type is that they usually gain fat more easily and must watch their calorie intake.

Individuals who have the mesomorph body can handle the highest volume of both cardiovascular and resistance training without as much risk of injury as an ectomorph or an endomorph. They should integrate moderate amounts of cardiovascular activity into any weight training program because of their increased risk of gaining fat. Their bodies respond well to a balanced nutritional plan that focuses on natural whole foods.

The endomorph believes that they gained weight just by looking at food. Their body is often rounded and goes soft quickly when they stop exercising. But many individuals have smaller hands and feet in the bones can be slightly larger. Unfortunately, they also have a naturally low metabolic rate.

Interestingly, while they do gain fat rather easily they also have the capacity to build muscle with very little effort as opposed to the ectomorph who doesn\’t gain fat but has a difficult time gaining muscle. In order to stay in shape and avoid any weight gain individuals who are endomorph should be strict with their exercise regimen and nutritional intake.

The endomorph will respond well by eating smaller servings throughout the day and eliminating all junk food from the diet. Daily aerobic exercise such as walking, biking or swimming will help these individuals to increase their metabolism and decrease their weight gain. Most body building professionals recommend that an endomorph lift weights three times a week and do cardiovascular activities three times a week. Once they are down to their desired body fat they can then incorporate more weight training and less cardiovascular training.

Individuals who are endomorphs struggle more at endurance activities and are much more suited to high-intensity cardiovascular activities. They are more sensitive to carbohydrates and should focus on a low carbohydrate diet with high protein. Unfortunately, they are prone to carbohydrate cravings and should integrate a significant amount of fiber to slow digestion and minimize the impact of carbohydrates on the blood sugar.

These descriptions should help an individual determine a general body type but be aware that most individuals are a combination of two different body types. It isn\’t uncommon to find you are a mesomorph but it is more common to find an individual who build muscle like mesomorph but puts on weight like an endomorph.

By having this information and identifying the type of body that you might have you can optimize your diet and training to achieve the goals you desire. Even now it may take more persistence even an ectomorph can bulk up and gain muscle mass. It may be more difficult but it can be done