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No matter what body type you are, you can make the same gains, it just takes different time from person to person.
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TOPIC: How Can You Design A Workout According To Your Body Type?
The Question:
Some people are ectomorphs, mesomorphs or endomorphs. Some people are born with the shape of an hourglass, spoon, ruler or cone. With all of these different body types it would only make sense to design a workout for your natural body type needs.
How can you design a workout according to your body type? Be specific.
Which body types have the widest range of effective workouts?
Bonus Question: Which body types are you? Do you design a workout accordingly to your body type?
Show off your knowledge to the world!
The Winners:
New Prizes:
1st place - $75 in store credit.
2nd place - $50 in store credit.
To use your credit, e-mail Will @ will@bodybuilding.com for more info.
1st Place - ho_124
View This Author's BodySpace Here.
Introduction
Hate it or love it, specific body types are a reality that has a serious impact on your training regimen. They can be a useful tool, but for many people, it can actually be a tough barrier to overcome.
Take for example the proverbial "Skinny Sticks and Bones" guy who can't even gain an ounce of muscle no matter what training routine he is attempting. In this case, it takes serious dedication and hard work to overcome this obstacle.
Then, there are the people who seem to just be gifted, adding on muscle with greater ease despite eating burgers n fries everyday, and seemingly not to gain much fat. Yes there are body types that are empowering, allowing you to train with greater intensity, frequency, and all the while adding on muscle and strength easier.
As you might know the three main body types are the Ectomorph, Endomorph, and Mesomorph. However you should note that not everyone is JUST one body type. There are mixes of a few body types. For example you can be in-between an Ectomorph and Mesomorph, or an Endomorph and a Mesomorph. You have to look in the mirror and see what kind of body type you are, and this will help:
1. The Ectomorph:
This is a common body type which is characterized by a thin build with relatively little muscle and fat as well. Persons with this body type have a very tough time gaining any kind of weight, muscle or fat. Also, for most cases this body type is not able to take a high amount of athletic/training stress (i.e. Heavy amounts of weight training, cardio etc.).
The only real advantage to this body type is the minimal fat gain that one will experience while trying to put on muscle because for most cases this body type has a very high metabolism.
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2. The Endomorph:
This is the opposite of the Ectomorph, that is a body type which is more large and rounded body. Usually the fat levels are high but these people do carry quite a bit more muscle than the Ectomorphs.
The Endomorph usually has trouble losing weight, particularly fat. However they have an easier time gaining muscle as well as fat which is a downside. Most people in this type have a slow metabolism, hence their high body fat percentage.
3. The Mesomorph:
This is the best of both worlds. These people are very athletic and are characterized by a muscular frame with relatively low amounts of body fat. They don't have much trouble losing fat and at the same time they can gain muscle easily. They too like the Ectomorph have a higher metabolism that lets keep their fat levels in check.
Before I get into the workouts let me say this - It is possible to change your body type. However here's the catch: It takes tremendous amounts of work. For example an Ectomorph with consistent training and good meal planning can become a Mesomorph.
I'm sure you've seen it, the skinny freshman who leaves grade 12 as a muscle beast. Or more commonly the overweight and obese people who have achieved a fat loss resolution. So keep in mind, you're not "stuck" in your body type forever.
Workout Design
How Can You Design A Workout According To Your Body Type? Be Specific.
When designing a workout for your body type there are a few main points that you have to consider which I will list in each category. If you don't keep these things in mind, your workout regime may be counterproductive.
 Training For The Ectomorph:
This is probably the hardest training program to design. I don't want to discourage these people but there aren't a whole lot of things going your way if this is your body type, so yes you will have to be patient and train hard. So let's look at what we have to consider for the Ectomorph:
- Very hard pressed to gain weight, in this case muscle
- This body type is not "Tailored" for high frequency weight training
- This body type does not fare well in high intensity weight training
- Excessive intensity or frequency in weight training is likely to result in overtraining. In other words, it is much easier for this body type to develop the overtraining syndrome.
Looking at those points, it paints an ugly picture. To gain muscle, it's quite obvious that you must workout with intensity and frequency. But this body type is not good at handling any of those! Therefore these are a few key points you have to keep in mind when designing a workout:
1. The Key Is Starting Off Slowly:
The key to training an Ectomorph is starting off slowly as much of a pain as this seems. Trying to increase intensity and frequency faster won't work, you'll end up either being overtrained, burned out mentally, or frustrated.
As a matter of fact overtraining might even result in reduced muscle mass and strength. Plus each time you do not succeed it lowers your confidence about being able to gain some decent muscle. Also do not add more sets than necessary for your workout. Doing so will not increase gains. Each progressive set decreases in intensity since you get more fatigued, therefore
2. When Starting Off, Keep It Simple:
If you're starting off, then keep it simple. I can remember how many times I've said this but complicated programs don't mean they are "Good". If you over complicate things then you're more likely to make mistakes and try the wrong training methods.
3. Keep Workouts Under One Hour:
This helps an Ectomorph in two ways. First of all it prevents overtraining which is a very important factor. Training over one hour increases the chances of overtraining since it taxes the recovery systems so much and adds unnecessary stress to the body.
Secondly, 30-45 minute workouts are more intensive since more is being done in less time. For example if I had 20 sets to do, and I did them in 30 minutes as oppose to one hour, that 30 minute training session will be more intensive. This will in turn help better promote muscular hypertrophy.
4. Changing The Exercises:
Changing the exercises is another key point to increase hypertrophy. If you keep the same workout for over 2 months, it is likely your body will adapt to those exercises. In this case you will hit a plateau and all your hard work will be in vain because you won't be making nearly as much progress as when you initially started.
5. Consistency:
Keep a consistent schedule. This is probably one of the best things you can do to increase your likelihood of gaining more muscle. If you keep missing workouts, then you will never train your body to handle the stress of weights.
In essence, you won't ever be able to handle the higher intensities of more advanced and better programs. As well, if you keep missing workouts, you won't be training your recovery systems. This is important if you're trying to increase your workout frequency without overtraining.
6. Form, Form, Form:
Ok, this requires that you let ego go. Even if it means your curling 8 points to keep good form and technique. The thing is Ectomorphs are generally weak and have little muscle mass. Therefore, if you load up the weight and start curling and arching your back like a bridge, you're WAY more likely to get injuries and muscular problems down the road. Weaker muscles have a greater chance of getting injured, you should already know that.
Sample Program:
Here's a sample program to get you all started:
So here is what the program will help you do:
- Progressively increase your body's tolerance to weight training
- Progressively increase your body's recovery rate (Doing this will help you increase workout frequency)
- Initiate strength and muscle gains.
The program will consist of:
- 12 week plan which is divided into three stages
- Each stage increases in intensity and frequency
- Short 30-45 minute workouts. The longer the workout, the more likely overtraining will occur. Also shorter workouts promote muscular hypertrophy.
Weeks 1-4:
- Between each set rest a maximum of 1 minute. Try to shoot for 30-45 seconds if you can.
- The intensity in each set should be such that after each set your muscles feel quite fatigued. So on a scale of 1-10 (10 being failure) you should be at about 6-7.
- Do not go to failure each and EVERY set. However it is acceptable to perform till failure on a FEW occasionally sets. Ectomorphs aren't designed for real heavy training yet. Also do not try techniques like drop sets, rest pause training, eccentrics etc. This is an easy route to overtraining if your body isn't prepared for it.
Training Split:
- Monday - Legs, lower back
- Tuesday
- Wednesday
- Thursday - Shoulders, abdominals
- Friday
- Saturday - Chest, upper back
- Sunday
* Quick Note: You might be saying, where is the workout for the arms? I recently learned less than 5% of your muscle is in your arms. For the Ectomorph were trying to gain as much muscle as possible without increasing workout frequency too much.
Does it really make sense to add in another workout just for your arms, which has less than 5% of your total muscle?
If you're an Ectomorph trying to gain muscle, I'm assuming you're not a professional bodybuilder, therefore workouts for the arms aren't terribly important. Beside, your arms will be worked when you do chest, back, and shoulders. I've seen people with fantastic results who don't have a separate workout for their arms.
Monday - Legs, Lower Back
Thursday - Shoulders, Abdominals
Saturday - Chest, Upper Back
Weeks 5-6
- Like before try resting 30-45 seconds to try to keep workouts at 30-45 minutes.
- Intensity should be increased from the first stage. Now your muscles should be even more fatigued after each set. On scale of 1-10 your muscles should feel 7-8 or 7-9 (10 being failure).
- At this point you should be trying to go to failure on more sets than before. This will increase the intensity for more muscular hypertrophy. Just don't do it on every single set. Also if you do not feel your ready, then don't do them.
Training Split:
- Monday - Legs
- Tuesday
- Wednesday - Shoulders, Traps
- Thursday
- Friday - Lower Back, Abdominals
- Saturday - Chest, Upper Back
- Sunday
Monday - Legs, Lower Back
Wednesday - Shoulders, Traps
Friday - Lower Back, Abdominals
Saturday - Chest, Upper Back
Weeks 9-12:
- 30-45 second rests are a must
- 30-45 minute workouts are the standard
- At this point you will have been training for 2 months. Given you've been following the program CONSISTANTLY and training hard it is time to once again time to increase the intensity. Going to failure should be a regular thing 1-2 times per 3 sets. Just not every set.
- You can also start experimenting with techniques such as supersets, drop sets, rest pause training to increase intensity. But use these sparingly, never on every set. Even experienced weight lifters would overtrain if they used these techniques for every set. In the following workout I have included some possible techniques to use.
- Also because you've been training for 2 months and can take more weight lifting frequency and intensity, it's time to add in some arm workouts. The thing I said before about arm workouts it not being necessary is because someone with an Ectomorphic body type just starting to lift doesn't need to spend time on a separate workout for the arms which contains less than 5% of your total muscle mass.
As you get more experienced, arm workouts become more important to get muscular arms. Even so, I have met a select few who still insist they don't need to workout their arms (They just rely on back and chest workouts). If that doesn't work for you then don't do it, but if you don't include arms and get fantastic gains and you like it that way, then keep doing it.
Training Split:
- Monday - Legs, Lower Back
- Tuesday
- Wednesday - Chest, Triceps
- Thursday - Back, Biceps, Traps
- Friday
- Saturday - Shoulders, Abs, Wrists
- Sunday
Monday - Legs, Lower Back:
Wednesday - Chest, Triceps
Thursday - Back, Biceps, Traps
Saturday - Shoulders, Abs, Wrists
Training For The Endomorph:
Let me just say, if you're an Endomorph, weight training will be a lot easier. That is, if your main goal is weight training. First of all, Endomorphs have the ability to put on muscle fast, but this also comes at the expense of fat gain.
Secondly, they are also generally more suited to the stresses of weight lifting since it is anaerobic in nature. Endomorph's are not as well suited to aerobic activity since it requires more endurance.
Since many Endomorph's are carrying around extra weight in the form of fat, they have low endurance. Therefore they don't really have too many disadvantages going for them when talking about weight training. Even so there are a few things to keep in mind:
1. Endomorphs Can Start Off Weight Lifting At Higher Intensities
That's right, Endomorph's usually have decent muscle mass covered by fat, and their bodies are more suited for the strenuous weight training. Because of this, these types can usually start off at higher intensities without risking overtraining.
Just keep in mind that just because you have this advantage doesn't mean you can attempt the most grueling and advanced bodybuilding workout there is. Like everyone, you have to train your recovery systems and muscles to BETTER handle the stress weight lifting. But if your just beginning, you should start off slow. Just to get your muscles used to the weight lifting.
Once you notice your not as sore after your workouts, then increase the intensity and experiment a LITTLE bit with some techniques such as going to failure, drop sets, supersets, trisets, rest pause training etc. Just don't go overboard.
2. The Key To Achieving A Good Physique Is Dropping Fat And Preserving Muscle
Because this is a bodybuilding site, I will talk about training in terms of that. I'm assuming most people in this body type are wanting to lose fat and achieve a good physique. Well then the key is losing that fat while preserving as much muscle as possible. There are a few ways to do this
- HIIT or high intensity interval training is the best way to preserve as much muscle as possible. As you might know, cardiovascular activity is catabolic, meaning it burns muscle.
The thing with HIIT is that it is relatively short and high intensity, about 15 -20 minutes max. Therefore, very little muscle is burned. Also because it is high intensity, its burns more net calories than long 30-60 minute runs which a lot of people do when trying to lose fat.
HIIT Articles:
- To do HIIT you pick an exercise such as sprints. After you warm up you start off with doing 1 sprint for 20-30 seconds. This is followed by 1 minute of medium paced running. You repeat this until you have done 12-15 intervals or about 15-20 minutes worth of cardio.
- Lifting weights while doing muscle is actually a great way to burn more calories to hasten the time you are spending in weight loss. This helps in two ways. First off all it actually burns more calories than cardio, OVER a longer period of time (A couple days). This will help you get through your fat loss stage quicker.
The less time you are in the fat loss stage, the less muscle you will lose. Also it keeps your muscles working, so right when your finished you weight loss program, you can immediately begin a higher intensity weight lifting program without having to start off slowly.
Here is a way to fit in your HIIT cardio with your weight program:
- Monday - Legs, lower back
- Tuesday - Rest
- Wednesday - Chest, triceps - HIIT cardio after the workout or spaced a couple hours away from workout
- Thursday - Back, biceps, traps - HIIT after workout or spaced a couple of hours from workout
- Friday - Rest
- Saturday - Shoulders, abs, wrists - HIIT after workout or spaced a couple hours after workout
- Sunday - HIIT cardio
The goal here is HIIT at least 3-4 times per week as well as weight sessions. However there are a few main things you should consider:
Never do cardio before weights. This is a bad combo. The thing is cardio will use up your glycogen stores. Therefore when it comes time to workout, you will have limited energy resulting in a compromised workout. You might lose fat but your workouts will suffer a great deal.
Rather, if you have to do cardio and weights on the same day try spacing them out as far as possible. So, doing weights in the morning and cardio in the late afternoon or vice versa. Just allow for enough time to recover.
Another option is doing cardio right after weights. This has an advantage of burning more fat. The reason is because your glycogen stores are all used up, so therefore your body looks to your fat to burn as energy. Keep in mind though weights take a lot out of the body. So your cardio might suffer just a little bit.
The last thing you should never do is cardio and leg workouts on the same day. I've tried this and it does not work. You feel terribly wobbly, unbalanced, and your legs tire extremely fast. Try spacing cardio as far away from leg workouts as possible, because doing cardio on super sore legs sucks.
Training For The Mesomorph:
This is the best body type to be in. Most people in this category have been weight lifting for quite some time or are either involved in sports that require great physical exertion, not including the pure endurance sports such as marathon running.
Lets look at the advantages the Mesomorph's have:
- Their bodies are actually designed for the stress of weight lifting.
- They can handle high intensities very well.
- They can handle high frequency training well because they have good recovery systems, this is most likely because of the fact that they are advanced lifters or athletes.
- Their bodies are physically stronger and therefore less prone to injury. Because of this they can attempt advanced programs.
From here the only place to go is up, and to be honest, it would be pointless to have a sample workout schedule. First of all, there are millions of options and I don't want to limit your possibilities. The thing is you have to decide what kind of workout is best suited to you.
For example there are thousands of different kinds of workout programs you can attempt:
- High frequency training
- Hypertrophy specific training
- Max-OT training
- German Volume Training
- Mark Riptoe Program
- Vince Gironda 8x8
- Mike Mentzer Heavy Duty HIT Program
- S.A.I.S Mass Building Routine
- 3x3 Training
- Abbreviated Training:
- Bulgarian Training
- Dual Factor Hypertrophy Training (DFHT)
- Pendulum Training
These are just a few of the THOUSANDS of programs that exist out there. There are probably a few that you will just love and some that you will just hate. It's just a matter of finding the correct programs for YOU and tweaking them to suit your own needs.
Given all these kinds of workouts. There are still just a few things to keep in mind when choosing your workout program:
1. High Intensity Is A Must:
One article by Lee Labrada said if your not going to failure on every set, your not training hard enough. While I don't agree with this, it does have a point. The main thing you should get from this is, your muscles should be very tired after each set.
If you can do 2 more reps, then you're not pushing yourself. Unless otherwise specified by the training program, you should be going close, or at failure on nearly every set.
2. Weight Lifting Techniques Will Boost Your Progress:
Techniques such as drop sets, rest pause training, eccentrics, forced reps, burns, negatives, supersets, etc are very important. Most advanced trainees will use at least one or a couple of these techniques. They are great to boost intensity and overload your muscles to a greater extent. The more stress your muscles are under, the more they will become stronger and grow to respond to that extra stress.
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3. Changing Workout Styles, Reps, Exercises, And Speed Of Reps Is Essential:
Firstly changing your exercises is probably the most important of all. This ensures your body doesn't adapt to the exercises. If your body does adapt, it won't get as good of a workout from that exercise, and your progress plummets.
Changing the reps is second most important in two ways. First of all it prevents your body from adapting to a certain rep range and more importantly it works different muscle fibers. If all the different muscle fibers are worked, it provides greater muscular growth, rather than if you just worked one muscle fiber.
The speed of reps isn't really essential to change, but it will help you change your workout so your body is always being challenged and making progress. For example, some repetitions you can perform fast and others you can go fast up and slow down, or just the whole rep slow.
Experiment with different speeds to see which gives you good progress. Milos Sarcev is an advocate of this kind of training.
Lastly changing the workout style is an important point you should consider. For example if you just did hypertrophy specific training, you will get bored of that kind of training. Also your body can get used to it very easy if that's all you've been doing for a year. Different workout programs challenge and exert the body in different ways that will increase your progress and make your body more physically able.
Widest Range Of Effective Workouts
Which Body Types Have The Widest Range Of Effective Workouts?
This is obviously the Mesomorph. As I already said their body types are designed and conditioned for intensive weight training. Therefore they can attempt a wide variety of workouts. For example, someone in this body type can switch from high frequency training, to HST training, and then to Max-OT training without much trouble at all.
The Ectomorph also fares well when talking about the range of workouts they can attempt. They too have bodies more suited to intensive weight training since it is anaerobic, requiring limited endurance. However they could run into potential problems if attempting a workout that emphasizes endurance such as circuit training.
Therefore it narrows the types of workouts they can do just by a bit. Also, most Endomorphs are inactive, which is why they have such high fat levels. Because of this, these Endomorphs cannot attempt the most advanced training programs since they have not trained their bodies to handle that kind of exertion.
Limited Range Of Effective Workouts
Which Body Types Have The Most Limited Range Of Effective Workouts?
In dead last comes the Ectomorph which is the most painful of all the body types when talking about bodybuilding. They cannot handle the effects of intense weight lifting nearly as well as the Mesomorphs or Endomorphs. In this case they have to stick to the basic training programs.
Variation among these programs is slim since many of the programs out there are designed to be extremely intense to promote maximum muscle hypertrophy. Even some Mesomorphs have trouble handling these programs and even overtrain doing them.
If an Ectomorph even attempted some of the most advanced programs they would be murdered within a week or two. It's almost like telling an Ectomorph or in other words an over weight person to attempt a professional marathon runners program and see how they fare.
Bonus Question
Which Body Type Are You? Do You Design A Workout Accordingly To Your Body Type?
I'm a cross between an Ectomorph and a Mesomorph, and yes I do design a workout specifically for my body type, although it's NOT the ONLY thing I take into consideration. Because of my body type I know I can attempt some advanced programs, but I have to be careful as well not to go over the limit. I stay away from the extremely hardcore programs because I know I will overtrain on those programs.
For the most part I keep a high frequency 3-5 times a week and I also use a variety of techniques such as drop sets, supersets, burns, eccentrics etc. As well I like to go to failure since it gives my muscles a better workout, but I never do it on ever set.
Lastly I like incorporating cardio into my programs. One thing I did not mention is how Ectomorphs are geared more towards endurance sports, hence the reason why many long distance runners and cyclers are skinny. The cardio helps develop a more efficient respiratory system and heart. This helps me pump blood to my muscles faster, and make better use of oxygen to further assist in my workouts.
2nd Place - BurningHeart
View This Author's BodySpace Here.
Introduction
It's heard throughout the weightlifting community. "My bench is low, how do I increase it?" "I can leg press a lot but can't squat much." "I can't do pullups, how do I work my back?"
Sure the answer may lie with improper form or weak muscles, however more often than not the problem is simply having the wrong bodytype for the exercise.
Our bodies are magnificent specimens. We have the ability to transform our body from fat to lean, skinny to muscular, and anywhere in between. However there are genetic characteristics that make us better and worst at certain exercises than others. We must identify these characteristics and design a workout plan to utilize our strengths and suppress our weaknesses.
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You may be thinking, why suppress your weakness? Why not train it to become stronger? The answer is because we aren't talking about training muscles here. Your body is designed to function a certain way, and there's little getting around it.
So if you produce little progress with one exercise, substitute it with another. With enough experience you'll know which exercises produce the best results for you. And eventually you'll have a routine catered specifically for you, one that maximizes your gains with every exercise.
How do you design a routine that is specifically for your body type? That answer will be discussed in this article along with which body type has the widest and most limited range of workouts.
Part 1
How Can You Design A Workout According To Your Body Type? Be Specific.
To begin, identify what somatotype (bodytype) you are, untrained. This means what your body would look like without any training.
Are you naturally thin? Do you have a small bone structure, meaning small wrists, narrow shoulder width, and thin muscles? Is it hard to put on weight, both fat and muscle? If so then you are an ectomorph.
Are you naturally hefty? Do you have more of a round shape with thick joints? Is it easy to put on weight, both fat and muscle? If so then you are an endomorph.
Do you have a naturally athletic physique with an upright posture? Are you more of a rectangular shape with thick skin? Do you have moderate muscle definition even if you don't workout? If so then you are a mesomorph.
It's possible to be a combination of the above somatotypes. It is rare to find a person who is at a total extremity. To classify these body types, a scale of numbers are used that range from 1-7.
This scale uses three digits, each of which describes how prominent a certain body type is. For instance, a pure endomorph (hefty build) would be a 7-1-1. A pure mesomorph (athletic build) would be a 1-7-1. A pure ectomorph (thin build) would be a 1-1-7. A totally average person would be a 4-4-4.
Once you find out your bodytype, keep it in mind as we'll get back to it soon.
The next thing to do when designing a workout is to identify which bodyparts will be worked. Since you want to keep your muscles in proportion, you must include all fundamental muscles in your routine.
These are: biceps, calves, chest (major and minor), hamstrings, lats, middle back, quadriceps, shoulders (all three heads), traps, and triceps.
Now take each bodypart and consider which exercises are best done for your somatotype. Note these are listed as the most extreme body types under a general weightlifting principal. Chances are you are not a pure body type, in which case you want to stick towards the body type you fit most.
Biceps:
Endomorph - As an endomorph you will have to stay towards the barbell/dumbbell bicep exercises. Bodyweight exercises, such as chin-ups, would be too difficult to perform, resulting in sub-par bicep growth.
Mesomorph - As a mesomorph you will have the ability to lift your bodyweight for chin-ups, however depending on the shape you are in, your forearms may tire out before your biceps. For this reason it's good to work biceps with both chin-ups and barbell/dumbbell curls.
Ectomorph - Ectomorphs have an advantage when training biceps in the sense they are able to perform the widest range of exercises.
Chin-ups should be incorporated in the workout, and down the road weighted chin-ups. Bicep curls are also needed, and while ectomorphs won't be able to curl as much as a mesomorph, they are still crucial to gaining size and strength for the ectomorph.
Calves:
Endomorph - Endomorphs have naturally thick, strong calves, giving them an advantage in these exercises. Because their calves are naturally strong, it is best to focus on size to focus on definition. This means doing high rep calf raises, both standing and seated to work the gastrocnemius and soleus.
Mesomorph - As a mesomorph you'll have the perfect combination of muscle and bodyfat allowing your calves to be defined and muscular. While not as strong as an endomorph's calves, a mesomorph still has an advantage when working calves and should work them with moderate weight and moderate reps.
Ectomorph - As an ectomorph you'll have low bodyfat for the calf definition, thus you need to focus on building size and strength. This is done by doing both high weight/low rep and moderate weight/moderate rep calf raises.
Chest:
- Endomorph - As an endomorph you'll have a relatively weak chest compared to mesomorphs and even some ectomorphs. Having a high bodyfat means pushups and dips won't be efficient, so you'll want to stick towards chest pressing exercises, along with chest flyes.
- Mesomorph - As a mesomorph you have the ideal chest. Your chest is muscular, and your bodyweight is low enough to allow you to incorporate dips and pushups, and later with added weight, into your routine. Still you should not neglect pressing movements, as they also have a positive impact on your chest.
- Ectomorph - As an ectomorph your chest won't be strong, however your bodyweight is also low, allowing you to do pushups and dips. Ectomorphs naturally have long arms, making bench press a hard and inefficient exercise to do. You want to stay more towards dips and inclined pushups; however dumbbell flyes are also good to have in your routine. As you get stronger add weight to your dips and pushups.
Hamstrings:
- Endomorph - Being an endomorph does not have much effect on working your hamstrings. Your hamstrings should be somewhat strong, allowing you to complete leg curls without problem.
- Mesomorph - Similar to endomorphs your hamstrings should be moderately strong, and leg curls should be done to work your hamstrings.
- Ectomorph - As an ectomorph you'll have thin hamstrings, requiring you to lighten the weight some to focus more on higher reps for size.
Lats:
- Endomorph - As an endomorph you'll have to pass on working your lats with pullups, at least until you are able to shed enough weight to do a moderate range of pullups. For the time being do wide grip pulldowns to work your lats.
- Mesomorph - As a mesomorph you should focus on pullups, and later weighted pullups, for your lat development. Mesomorphs naturally have a strong, V-tapered back, giving them an advantage when doing pullups. If you are unable to do pullups at first, start with wide-grip pulldowns.
- Ectomorph - Depending on your strength/bodyweight ratio, you will either be able to start doing pullups from the beginning or have to work up to them by doing wide grip pulldowns. When you are able to do a set of pullups with adequate range of motion, move up to weighted pullups.
Middle Back:
- Endomorph - As an endomorph you'll first want to focus on back strength to prevent injury and to progress to more efficient exercises. Begin by doing high weighted seated cable rows. As your back strength progresses, move towards barbell/smith machine rows.
- Mesomorph - As a mesomorph you'll have decent size and strength in your back. Thus you want to do a combination of strength/size training for your middle back. Begin by doing seated cable rows and move to barbell/smith machine rows later in the routine.
- Ectomorph - As an ectomorph you'll have long limbs ideal for a full range of motion with seated cable rows. You also want to focus more on middle back size. This is achieved by doing high reps on seated cable rows, with the highest weight possible. As your back becomes stronger and accustomed to the weight load you may progress to barbell/smith machine rows, however you'll most likely want to stick with seated cable rows and work on size gains.
Quadriceps:
- Endomorph - As an endomorph you'll have a slight advantage with quadriceps growth over ectomorphs and even some mesomorphs. This is because of two reasons, first an endomorph's thighs are naturally muscular.
Second, endomorphs are usually short, meaning they use a lower range of motion during such exercises as squats and lunges. Endomorphs should stick with leg exercises such as squats and lunges while training for strength, meaning low reps and high weight.
- Mesomorph - As a mesomorph you'll naturally have somewhat muscular quadriceps, and much room for growth. You should stick with moderate weight for moderate reps to train towards maximizing your muscular quadricep size.
- Ectomorph - As an ectomorph you'll have a harder time training legs than mesomorphs and endomorphs. An ectomorph's legs are naturally thin, and you'll have to train legs with greater intensity in order to gain muscle. Nonetheless, ectomorphs are able to put on a noticeable size in their quadriceps in a short period of time.
Ideally you want to train towards both size and strength, but as an ectomorph size will most likely be your top priority. Thus train in the higher range of reps (12-15) with the maximum weight able to be done.
Shoulders:
- Endomorph - As an endomorph your shoulders will not be your strongest or most defined bodypart, therefore training in the moderate rep, moderate weight range would be best. It is important to train each head equally, meaning presses or front raises for the anterior head, side raises for the lateral head, and rear delt rows for the posterior head.
- Mesomorph - As a mesomorph your shoulders will be developed, and they'll be one of your easier bodyparts to grow. Be sure train each head equally to stay in proportion, meaning presses or front raises for the anterior head, side raises for the lateral head, and rear delt rows for the posterior head.
- Ectomorph - Ectomorphs naturally have thin, sloped shoulders, however with training they'll take great definition. Work each head by doing presses or front raises for the anterior head, side raises for the lateral head, and rear delt rows for the posterior head.
Trapezius:
- Endomorph - Everyone's trapezius muscles are small without training. As an endomorph they'll be hard to see because of your round figure, however with training you can change that. You'll want to stick with size training, meaning shrugs with moderate reps and moderate weight.
- Mesomorph - As a mesomorph your trapezius muscles will be slightly larger than endomorphs and ectomorphs, however they still need adequate training to grow. Do shrugs with moderate reps and weight to increase their size.
- Ectomorph - As an ectomorph your traps will be naturally thin, however you have an advantage in definition. With training, your traps will grow and be more apparent due to your slim body structure. Do shrugs with moderate reps and weight to train your traps.
Triceps:
- Endomorph - As an endomorph your triceps will be somewhat strong but less apparent because of your body structure. Therefore you want to train them more so for size, which would be doing higher reps with lower weight. Tricep dips will be inefficient at first because of the need to lift your bodyweight up. Begin with doing tricep extensions and close grip bench press to work all 3 heads.
- Mesomorph - As a mesomorph you'll want to stick with extensions and close grip bench at first. As your triceps become stronger then move to tricep and bench dips. Stay in the moderate rep and moderate weight range to work on size and strength, as they are equally important for a mesomorph's triceps.
- Ectomorph - As an ectomorph you'll have thin triceps, which is both good and bad. Your arms will look small at first, however with training your triceps will become greatly defined, even more than endomorphs and mesomorphs. And sometimes definition is more aesthetically pleasing than size. Train them in the high rep/low weight range with dips and extensions.
Now that you know which exercises need to be done to fit your body type, it's time to put them in a routine.
Exercises For Your Bodytype:
We divide the above workout into a 3-day split, meaning each bodypart will be directly worked once a week. Note most bodyparts will be indirectly worked as you do other exercises, for example when training chest, your triceps will be indirectly worked.
3 Day Split -- Routine for your Body Type
| Bodypart |
Monday |
Wednesday |
Friday |
| Biceps |
|
|
X |
| Calves |
|
X |
|
| Chest |
X |
|
|
| Hamstrings |
|
X |
|
| Lats |
X |
|
|
| Middle Back |
X |
|
|
| Quadriceps |
|
X |
|
| Shoulders |
|
|
X |
| Traps |
|
|
X |
| Triceps |
|
|
X |
|
Core Day |
Leg Day |
Upper Body Day |
Printable Logs:
Ectomorph:
Endomorph:
Mesomorph:
The days in the above routine are split to provide adequate rest for each bodypart before it is worked again.
For example chest, lats, and middle back are directly worked Monday. Besides these muscles being worked, your biceps, triceps, and shoulders are also being used. Therefore it wouldn't be optimal to train those bodyparts Wednesday, as your body can still be recovering from your Monday workout.
Instead, biceps, triceps, and shoulders are placed on Friday, where they get three days of rest. Since smaller muscles recover faster, they are placed on Friday, where they get two days of rest before Monday's workout comes around. It's always important to strategically place your workouts in a routine in order to maximize efficiency.
As for your diet, it will vary depending on your body type and goals. If you are an ectomorph or looking to gain size, visit this link.
If you are an endomorph or looking to lose bodyfat, visit this link.
If you are a mesomorph or just want to maintain your current weight while gaining strength, visit this link.
Part 2
Which Body Types Have The Widest Range Of Effective Workouts?
Now that you're familiar with each bodytype and their most efficient exercises, the question arises as to which bodytype has the widest range of effective workouts?
This is asking which bodytype has the most flexibility when working out while staying efficient. This bodytype would be ectomorphs.
Ectomorph:
Benefits
- Able to perform any exercise compared to an equally progressed endomorph or mesomorph due to a light bodyweight. (pullups, dips, pushups, chin-ups)
- Able to achieve the best definition because of the ease of losing fat, and the natural lean structure.
Disadvantages
- Hardest bodytype to gain muscle mass.
Review:
Ectomorphs may have a disadvantage in gaining muscle mass, yet with the right diet they can fairly overcome that obstacle. Ectomorphs' biggest advantage lies with the fact they are able to perform any exercise that an endomorph or even mesomorph couldn't do. This is because of their light frame, and strong pound-for-pound ratio.
Even though they may not be able to lift as much as an endomorph or mesomorph, they are still receiving the benefit of working out, which is isolated apart from other bodytypes.
For example they may only be able to curl 65 pounds as opposed to a mesomorph who curls 85, but the benefit of curling those 65 pounds is the same benefit as a mesomorph curling 85, all else equal.
Because of their versatility in workouts, ectomorphs have the widest range of effective workouts.
Part 3
Which Body Types Have The Most Limited Range Of Effective Workouts?
On the opposite end of the spectrum, endomorphs have the most limited range of effective workouts.
Endomorph:
Benefits
- Able to solely focus on strength gains at first since they are naturally big.
- Able to put on size quickly, shortening the time needed for muscular gains.
Disadvantages
- Unable to do some effective exercises such as pullups, dips, pushups, and chin-ups due to being heavier.
- May have difficulty when bulking, due to the fact they gain weight easily.
Review:
Endomorphs are able to achieve muscular size and strength gains in a short period of time, yet are unable to do some important bodyweight exercises, at least in the beginning of the routine.
Since endomorphs are limited in such exercises they can do, they have the most limited range of effective workouts.
Part 4 - Bonus Question
Which Body Types Are You? Do You Design A Workout Accordingly To Your Body Type?
According to the scale mentioned at the beginning of the article, I would rank about a 1-2-5... meaning I am not an endomorph at all, I am slightly a mesomorph, but I am greatly an ectomorph.
I have a naturally thin and tall build, yet not as thin or tall as extreme ectomorphs. I have a difficult time putting on weight, however not as difficult as I had when I was younger.
In my childhood and teens my metabolism was extremely high, meaning I could eat anything I wanted and not gain weight. As I entered my 20's, my metabolism slowed down a bit.
I do design my workouts according to my bodytype, an ectomorph. Because I am naturally slim and have a strong pound-for-pound ratio, I am able to do such exercises such as weighted pullups, dips, pushups, and chin-ups. I believe these exercises are imperative to gaining muscular strength.
While I design my workouts around my bodytype, I do consider other factors. I train four days a week for both size and strength. Some ectomorphs may be solely focused on size gains, however I prefer to mix things up such as training strength one week and size the next. This keeps my workouts refreshing and my body from adapting to a set routine.
However when bulking I tend to lean more towards gaining muscle size, since I am taking in an excess of calories which is ideal for gaining actual muscle size. Also my bulking season takes place in the fall-winter, meaning I do no cardio, allowing my body time to recover between workouts.
During the spring-summer I cut, meaning I do cardio every morning and weightlift at night. Because of the added stress on my muscles from cardio, I tend to stick towards gaining strength, which tears down my muscles less than size gaining. This prevents me from overtraining, and allows my body to become stronger rather than try to build muscle on a deficit of calories.
References:
- www.bodybuilding.com/fun/exercises.htm
- www.gainlose.com
- www.kheper.net
- www.uh.edu
3rd Place - ManInTheBox
View This Author's BodySpace Here.
Some people are ectomorphs, mesomorphs or endomorphs. Some people are born with the shape of an hourglass, spoon, ruler or cone. With all of these different body types it would only make sense to design a workout for your natural body type needs.
It may take years for you to come up with an effective workout for you. It is difficult to adjust your existing program to something that works perfect for you. There are so many things that you have to take into account such as height, weight, and most importantly, time. How can you design a workout according to your body type? Let's take a look!
Workout Design
How Can You Design A Workout According To Your Body Type? Be Specific.
Some notice gains the moment that they workout, and for some it may take months, even years. There are mistakes that people make when they enter a workout program. First of all, let's take a look at what kinds of body types there are.
The Mesomorph:
The mesomorph is the gifted body type amongst bodybuilders. This body type is characterized by broad shoulders, small waist, thick skin, hard body, strong posture, and the readiness to gain muscle and lose body fat. We all know those guys who can go to the gym, use bad form, eat like crap, and make gains. The mesomorph has excellent potential for bodybuilding, and is usually naturally very strong. What kind of workout would be good for a mesomorph?
If you are a mesomorph, you are lucky enough to be allowed to have fun with many workout variations and notice excellent results. Let's take a look at an excellent workout for the mesomorph, and why we choose certain exercises and rep ranges.
Monday - Chest
Tuesday - Quads & Hamstrings
- Barbell Full Squats 4 sets of 8 reps
- Leg Press 3 sets of 12 reps
- Straight Legged Deadlift 3 sets of 12 reps
- Leg Curls 3 sets of 15 reps
- Leg Extensions 3 sets of 15 reps
 Click Here For A Printable Log Of Tuesday.
Once again, this is nothing too new. These are great mass building and shaping exercises. Starting out with the barbell full squat will activate your entire leg region, incorporating your quads, hamstrings, and gluteus maximus. Second, after four sets of heavy squatting, doing leg press will help greatly due to the reduction of balance. Third, straight legged deadlifts will give you a great stretch and incorporate your hamstrings.
After everything, you will finish your workout with high reps on leg curls and leg extensions to leave with a great pump in your legs.
Wednesday - Biceps & Triceps
Thursday - Shoulders & Traps
Friday - Back
- Wide Grip Pull Downs 3 sets of 12 reps
- Bent Over T-Bar Rows 4 sets of 8 reps
- Barbell Rack Pulls 4 sets of 4 reps
- Seated V-Bar Cable Rows 3 sets of 12 reps
Click Here For A Printable Log Of Friday.
This is a great back workout. We incorporate major mass building exercises such as rack pulls and t-bar rows, with shaping exercises such as v-bar rows and lateral pulldowns. This should not be a very long workout, because we will be doing heavy weight and numerous sets. Be prepared to leave with a pump and feel the DOMS!
Mesomorph Notes:
In these workouts, I did not list any cardio, cardio for a mesomorph is often optional, and should be supplemented as need be. It's important to remember though that cardio helps with total body health and will help your performance in the gym, as you will have greater endurance.
I also did not list any direct abdominal work, here again, this is something that you may add in as you want. Keep up with good nutrition and supplement as need be, and you will see enormous gains!
The Ectomorph:
The ectomorph is the next body type that we will take a look at. The ectomorph is characterized as being very thin, being able to eat whatever they want whenever they want without gaining, a delicate build, flat chest, young appearance, tall, stoop shouldered, and generally weak.
The ectomorph is a hard gainer, which means it takes more than just walking in the gym and doing dumbbell curls to put on mass. Along with a very high calorie diet, the ectomorph can make massive gains! Let's take a look at an appropriate workout split for the hard gainer.
Monday - Chest/Triceps
Wednesday - Legs/ Shoulders
Friday - Back/Biceps
Ectomorph Notes
A few things to take into consideration are that I did not list any cardio work, or abdominal work. For a hard gainer, you do not want to expend a lot of extra calories doing exercises that will not build a lot of muscle. Doing cardio will also be detrimental because you will be burning more calories, which you need to build muscle. If you choose to do any cardio, it should be high resistant training, hill runs, or biking. Eat a lot, rest a lot, and grow a lot!
The Endomorph:
Different than the other two, the endomorph has a much different training need than the others. Characteristics of an endomorph include being naturally strong, overweight, mature appearance, broad shouldered, soft skinned, gains muscle easily, loses fat slowly, and possesses a "round" body.
| RELATED ARTICLE |
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Bulking For Endomorphs!
When a bodybuilder eats a hypercaloric diet, their goal is not just to gain weight, which could be both fat and lean mass, but rather to gain LEAN MASS. The strategies outlined here will help endomorphs gain lean mass, not fat mass.
[ Click here to learn more. ] |
|
We are going to emphasize new training techniques than seen before, such as cardio and endurance training. Let's take a look at what an endomorph's workout should look like!
Monday - Compound Lifting Day
- *15 minutes of cardio prior to workout
- Barbell Bench Press 4 sets of 8 reps
- Barbell Full Squat 4 sets of 8 reps
- Barbell Deadlift 4 sets of 8 reps
- *15 minutes of cardio after workout
Click Here For A Printable Log Of Monday.
The objective of this workout is to take advantage of endomorph's natural ability to put on muscle and strength. By doing these compound lifts with high weight and medium reps, strength will be through the roof and will enable the endomorph to make great gains.
I also am instructing cardio for these workouts, if you are an endomorph naturally, or are looking to lose weight, you want to try to remain lean and keep your metabolism revved with cardio!
Tuesday - Isolation Day
Wednesday - Cardio & Explosive Training
- *15 minutes of cardio prior to workout
- Power Cleans - 1 set of 10 - 1 set of 8 - 2 sets of 5
- Snatch 1 set of 10 - 1 set of 8 - 2 sets of 5
- *20 minutes of cardio after workout
Click Here For A Printable Log Of Wednesday.
Today is similar to Monday, utilizing the natural strength of an endomorph and the ability to gain strength easily, we will do some heavy compound explosive lifts. These will put on strength and muscle, and get our hearts racing!
Thursday - Off Day (Optional Cardio)
Today will be an off day to allow our bodies to recover and repair. If you are feeling up to it, optional cardio for between 15 and 30 minutes is allowed.
Friday - Compound Lifting Day
Endomorph Notes:
Our workouts for endomorphs are considerably different than the meso or ectomorph workouts. The objective in these workouts is to use the entire body and get the heart pumping as much as possible. Also, using compound Olympic lifts will pack on lean muscle and increase strength dramatically.
Once again, no direct abdominal work was listed, because we are looking to keep our body fat down, and depending on wear an endomorph may be in his or her training, abdominal work may not be beneficial.
No Matter What Body Type You Are, Follow These Guidelines:
Always stretch and warm up before your workout, you want to have your body warm and loose before going heavy. Drink water during your workout, hydration is very important for optimal performance. Keep rest between sets relatively short, between 1-3 minutes, never longer. Longer rest is for heavy sets during squats, dead lift, etc. After your workout, consume a protein shake and simple carbohydrates from fruit or dextrose. Nutrition is very important to achieve the body that you want!
Widest Range Of Effective Workouts
Which Body Types Have The Widest Range Of Effective Workouts?
When we take a look at each body type and the potential each one possesses, |
