How Can You Design A Workout According To Your Body Type?

Our forum members want to give you a competitive edge regardless of your body type. Get comprehensive details about Ectomorphs, Endomorphs, Mesomorphs, how to design and use an effective program and much more! Sample programs included.

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:

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  2. BurningHeart View Profile
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1st Place - ho_124

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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 and 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 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 high metabolism.

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 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 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 keeps 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 regimen 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 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 opposed 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 eight 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 percent 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 percent 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

  • Barbell squats - 3 sets x 8-12 reps
  • Leg press - 3 sets x 8-12 reps
  • Dumbbell lunges 2 sets x 8-12 reps
  • Single legged calf raises 2 sets x 8-12 reps
  • Good mornings 2 sets x 8-12 reps
  • Back extensions 2 sets x 8-12 reps

Click Here For A Printable Log Of Monday.

Thursday - Shoulders, Abdominals

  • Shoulder press 3 sets x 8-12 reps
  • Lateral raises 2 sets x 8-12 reps
  • Bent over lateral raises 2 sets x 8-12 reps
  • Weighted decline crunch 3 sets x 12 reps
  • Decline reverse crunch 3 sets x 12 reps
  • Plate/dumbbell twist 3 sets x 12-15 reps

Click Here For A Printable Log Of Thursday.

Saturday - Chest, Upper Back

  • Barbell bench press 3 sets x 8-12 reps
  • Dips 2 sets x At least 6 - Get assistance if needed
  • Cable crossover 2 sets x 8-12 reps
  • Chin ups 2 sets x 6-12 reps (If you cannot do these then switch to bent over two arm long bar row 2 sets x 8-12 reps)
  • One arm dumbbell rows 3 sets x 8-12 reps
  • Seated row 2 sets x 8-12 reps
  • Behind the back shrugs 3 sets x 8-12 reps

Click Here For A Printable Log Of Saturday.

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

  • Wide legged barbell squats - 3 sets x 8-12 reps
  • Deadlifts - 3 sets x 8-12 reps (Use lighter weight to get the motion and technique correct first)
  • Dumbbell lunges 2 sets x 8-12 reps
  • Single legged calf raises 3 sets x 8-12 reps
  • Seated calf raises 2-3 sets x 8-12 reps

Click Here For A Printable Log Of Monday.

Wednesday - Shoulders, Traps

  • Arnold dumbbell bench press 3 sets x 8-12 reps
  • Standing low pulley lateral (Deltoid) raise 3 sets x 8-12 reps
  • External rotation 3 sets x 8-12 reps
  • Dumbbell shrug 3 sets x 12 reps
  • Barbell upright row 2 sets x 12 reps

Click Here For A Printable Log Of Wednesday.

Friday - Lower Back, Abdominals

  • Stiff legged dumbbell deadlift 4 sets x 12 reps
  • Cable crunch 3 sets x 12 reps
  • Flat bench lying leg raise 3 sets x 12 reps
  • Dumbbell side bends 3 sets x 12 reps

Click Here For A Printable Log Of Friday.

Saturday - Chest, Upper Back

  • Incline dumbbell bench press 3 sets x 8-12 reps
  • Dumbbell flyes 3 sets x 8-12 reps
  • Wide grip pushups (With plate on back if needed) 3 sets x 8-12 reps
  • Narrow grip chin ups 3 sets x At least 6 - Get assistance if needed
  • Wide grip lat pull down 3 sets x 8-12 reps
  • Bent over dumbbell row OR incline bench pull 3 sets x 8-12 reps

Click Here For A Printable Log Of Saturday.

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 CONSISTENTLY 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 weightlifters 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 weightlifting 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 percent 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:

  • Narrow stance barbell squats 3 sets x 8-12 reps
  • Hack squats or lunges 3 sets x 8-12 reps
  • Barbell deadlifts 3 sets x 8-12 reps
  • One legged calf raises 3 sets x 8-12 reps
  • Calf raises on calf raise machine or leg press machine 3 sets x 8-12 reps
  • Good mornings 3 sets x 8-12 reps

Click Here For A Printable Log Of Monday.

Wednesday - Chest, Triceps

  • Wide grip bench press 3 sets x 8-12 reps
  • Incline dumbbell flyes 3 sets x 8-12 reps
  • Cable crossover 2-3 sets x 8-12 reps (Drop sets on the last 2 sets are optional)
  • Close grip bench press 3 sets x 8-12 reps
  • Skull crushers OR parallel dips 2-3 sets x 8-12 reps
  • Single arm reverse grip pushdowns 2-3 sets x 8-12 reps (Drop sets on the last two sets are optional)

Click Here For A Printable Log Of Wednesday.

Thursday - Back, Biceps, Traps

  • Wide grip chin ups 3 sets x 6-12 reps
  • One arm dumbbell rows 3 sets x 8-12 reps
  • Wide grip seated row (Done with lat pull down bar) 3 sets x 8-12 reps (Drop sets on the last two sets are optional)
  • EZ bar close grip bicep curls 3 sets x 8-12 reps
  • Incline inner biceps curl 3 sets x 8-12 reps
  • Cable hammer curls with rope attachment 2-3 sets x 8-12 reps (Drop sets on the last two sets are optional)

Click Here For A Printable Log Of Thursday.

Saturday - Shoulders, Abs, Wrists

Triset for all heads of shoulder

  • Barbell military press 3 sets x 8-12 reps
  • Lateral raises 3 sets x 8-12 reps
  • Lying Rear Delt Row 3 sets x 8-12 reps
  • Weighted sit ups 3 sets x 12 reps
  • Knee / Hip Raise On Parallel Bars 3 sets x 12 reps (Use weight if needed)
  • Russian twist 3 sets x 12 reps (Use weight if needed)

Superset For Wrists

  • Wrist roller 3 sets x 12 reps
  • Standing palms up barbell behind the back wrist curl 3 sets x 12 reps

Click Here For A Printable Log Of Saturday.

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, 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.

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 you're finished you weight loss program, you can immediately begin a higher intensity weightlifting 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 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:

  1. Their bodies are actually designed for the stress of weightlifting.
  2. They can handle high intensities well.
  3. They can handle high frequency training well because they have good recovery systems, this is most likely because they are advanced lifters or athletes.
  4. 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 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.

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.

Last, 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 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 toward 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 pull-ups, 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 worse at certain exercises than others. We must identify these characteristics and design a workout plan to utilize our strengths and suppress our weaknesses.

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 body parts 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 toward the body type you fit most.

Biceps:

  • Endomorph - As an endomorph you will have to stay toward 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 since 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 push-ups and dips won't be efficient, so you'll want to stick toward 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 push-ups, 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 push-ups 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 push-ups; however dumbbell flyes are also good to have in your routine. As you get stronger add weight to your dips and push-ups.

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 pull-ups, at least until you are able to shed enough weight to do a moderate range of pull-ups. For the time being do wide grip pull-downs to work your lats.
  • Mesomorph - As a mesomorph you should focus on pull-ups, and later weighted pull-ups, for your lat development. Mesomorphs naturally have a strong, V-tapered back, giving them an advantage when doing pull-ups. If you are unable to do pull0ups at first, start with wide-grip pull-downs.
  • Ectomorph - Depending on your strength/bodyweight ratio, you will either be able to start doing pull-ups from the beginning or have to work up to them by doing wide grip pull-downs. When you are able to do a set of pull-ups with adequate range of motion, move up to weighted pull-ups.

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 toward 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:


Endomorph

  • Biceps - Curls (8-12 reps)
  • Calves - Calf Raises (15-20 reps)
  • Chest - Flat/Incline Bench (8-12 reps)
  • Hamstrings - Leg Curls (6-10 reps)
  • Lats - Wide Grip Pulldowns (6-10 reps)
  • Middle Back - Seated Cable Rows (6-10 reps)
  • Quadriceps - Squats/Lunges (6-10 reps)
  • Shoulders - Front/Side Raises & Rear Delt Rows (8-12 reps)
  • Traps - Barbell/Dumbbell Shrugs (8-12 reps)
  • Triceps - Tricep Extension/CLose Grip Bench (12-15 reps)

Mesomorph

  • Biceps - Curls/Chin-ups (8-12 reps)
  • Calves - Calf Raises (8-12 reps)
  • Chest - Flat/Incline Bench (8-12 reps)
  • Hamstrings - Leg Curls (6-10 reps)
  • Lats - Pullups (6-10 reps)
  • Middle Back - Seated Cable Rows/Barbell Rows (6-10 reps)
  • Quadriceps - Squats/Lunges (8-12 reps)
  • Shoulders - Front/Side Raises & Rear Delt Rows (8-12 reps)
  • Traps - Barbell/Dumbbell Shrugs (8-12 reps)
  • Triceps - Tricep Extension/CLose Grip Bench (8-12 reps)

Ectomorph

  • Biceps - Curls/Chin-ups (8-12 reps)
  • Calves - Calf Raises (6-10 reps)
  • Chest - Flat/Incline Pushups (8-12 reps)
  • Hamstrings - Leg Curls (8-12 reps)
  • Lats - Pullups (6-10 reps)
  • Middle Back - Seated Cable Rows (6-10 reps)
  • Quadriceps - Squats/Lunges (6-10 reps)
  • Shoulders - Front/Side Raises & Rear Delt Rows (8-12 reps)
  • Traps - Barbell/Dumbbell Shrugs (8-12 reps)
  • Triceps - Tricep Extension/CLose Grip Bench (12-15 reps)

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

Monday

  • Chest
  • Lats
  • Middle Back

Wednesday

  • Calves
  • Hamstrings
  • Quadriceps

Friday

  • Biceps
  • Shoulders
  • Traps

Printable Logs:

Ectomorph:

Click Here For A Printable Log Of Monday.
Click Here For A Printable Log Of Wednesday.
Click Here For A Printable Log Of Friday.

Endomorph:

Click Here For A Printable Log Of Monday.
Click Here For A Printable Log Of Wednesday.
Click Here For A Printable Log Of Friday.

Mesomorph:

Click Here For A Printable Log Of Monday.
Click Here For A Printable Log Of Wednesday.
Click Here For A Printable Log Of Friday.

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. (pull-ups, dips, push-ups, 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 pull-ups, dips, push-ups, 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 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 pull-ups, dips, push-ups, 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 toward 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 toward 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:

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 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

  • Dumbbell Bench Press 4 sets of 8 reps
  • Incline Dumbbell Bench Press 3 sets of 12 reps
  • Decline Barbell Bench Press 3 sets of 6 reps
  • Flat Dumbbell Bench Flyes 3 sets of 15 reps

Click Here For A Printable Log Of Monday.

This is a relatively basic chest workout, but for a mesomorph, it will give you a great pump, and an excellent blast for your chest. I choose dumbbell exercises for a great stretch, allowing a much better range of motion and a greater allowance of blood to rush into your chest. On decline barbell bench, we will focus on gaining strength here, and finishing our workout with high reps on dumbbell flyes, to leave with a great pump in our chests.

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

  • Barbell Curls 3 sets of 8 reps
  • Dumbbell Extensions 3 sets of 8 reps
  • Dumbbell Hammer Curls 3 sets of 12 reps
  • Cable Triceps Pushdown 3 sets of 20 reps
  • Cable Curls With Straight Bar 2 sets of 15 reps
  • Parallel Bar Dips 2 sets to failure

Click Here For A Printable Log Of Wednesday.

This is everyone's favorite workout day, usually. Combining biceps with your triceps will give you an unbelievable pump in your arms! A quick look at these exercises will show you that it doesn't take too much technology to blow your arms up! I like to start out with my heaviest exercises such as barbell curls, and finish off with "pumping" exercises such as cable curls to leave the gym with a pump as always!

Thursday - Shoulders & Traps

  • Barbell Military Press 4 sets of 8 reps
  • Dumbbell Military Press 3 sets of 12 reps
  • Barbell Upright Rows 3 sets of 8 reps
  • Lateral Dumbbell Raises 3 sets of 15 reps
  • Front Plate Raises 3 sets of 8-12 reps
  • Barbell Shrugs 4 sets of 6 reps

Click Here For A Printable Log Of Thursday.

A lot of basic exercises, and a lot of huge gains. Starting with the barbell military press will begin to burst your shoulders out, and accessorizing as your workout goes with lateral and front raises will add a great pump. Finishing with heavy barbell shrugs will blow up your traps and send a pump through your entire deltoid region!

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 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 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

  • Dumbbell Bench Press 4 sets of 6 reps
  • Incline Dumbbell Bench Press 3 sets of 8 reps
  • Decline Barbell Bench Press 4 sets of 8 reps
  • Dumbbell Extensions 3 sets of 10 reps
  • Parallel Bar Dips 3 sets to failure

Click Here For A Printable Log Of Monday.

The focus on this workout is to activate the muscles, and do low reps to build the most muscle as possible. Doing mass building exercises for the chest and triceps will help put the most muscle on in the least amount of time!

Wednesday - Legs/ Shoulders

  • Barbell Full Squat 4 sets of 6 reps
  • Dumbbell Lunges 3 sets of 10 reps
  • Lying Leg Curls 3 sets of 12 reps
  • Barbell Military Press 4 sets of 8 reps
  • Dumbbell Lateral Raises 3 sets of 12 reps
  • Barbell Upright Rows 3 sets of 8 reps

Click Here For A Printable Log Of Wednesday.

Today's workout is going to be a tough one. We are going to do heavy squats, and accessorize with some dumbbell lunges. After, we will finish our hamstrings off with lying leg curls. Afterward, we will hit our shoulders hard, starting with barbell military presses, going to lateral raises, then finishing with heavy upright rows.

Friday - Back/Biceps

  • Barbell Deadlift 2 sets of 10 reps - 1 set of 8 reps - 3 sets of 5 reps
  • Lat Pull downs 3 sets of 10 reps
  • Bent Over Barbell Rows 4 sets of 8 reps
  • Barbell Curls 3 sets of 8 reps
  • Hammer Dumbbell Curls 3 sets of 10 reps

Click Here For A Printable Log Of Friday.

Here is our final workout of the week. This workout will be efficient for stimulating our back muscles, and utilizing the deadlift for massive gains. We will also finish our workout with some bicep work. The key today is to stimulate, and not obliterate our muscles.

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.

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

  • *15 minutes cardio prior to workout
  • Lat Pull Downs 3 sets of 15 reps
  • V-Bar Pull Downs 3 sets of 12 reps
  • Barbell Curls 3 sets of 12 reps
  • Barbell Military Press 3 sets of 12 reps
  • Barbell Shrugs 3 sets of 12 reps

Click Here For A Printable Log Of Tuesday.

Today's workout is just as I listed it, an isolation day. We will work our back muscles, biceps, shoulders and traps. This will be a quick workout with energy to spare. We will start the workout with some light cardio to get our heart rates up, and then burst into a powerful back/bicep/shoulder workout.

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

  • Dumbbell Bench Press 4 sets of 12 reps
  • Close Grip Bench Press 4 sets of 12 reps
  • Barbell Full Squat 4 sets of 8 reps
  • Bent Over Barbell Rows 4 sets of 8 reps

Click Here For A Printable Log Of Friday.

Today is similar to Monday again, only we will use dumbbells instead of a barbell for bench press. We will also work our triceps, legs and back again. Utilizing lower reps and high weight to pack on strength and lean muscle.

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 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 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, there are different things that we can look at to judge which body type has the widest range of effective workouts.

Ability To Put On Mass:

For this one, the endomorph wins. Endomorphs gain muscle readily and rarely need a lot of searching to find a workout that will slap on pounds of muscle. The downfall here is that endomorphs do have to concern themselves with the gaining of unwanted fat.

Ability To Shape And Gain Muscle:

For this one, the mesomorph wins. Mesomorphs are gifted with the ability to gain muscle quickly and lose fat very quickly as well. Mesomorphs often can use a crappy program and still put on mass readily. For this mesomorphs win.

Ability To Stay Lean:

Lastly, the ectomorph wins. Ectomorphs have the ability to stay lean while eating a lot. This is a good and bad thing. Although, the ectomorph can gain mass over time. The ability to stay lean is a gift and should be embraced.

Limited Range Of Effective Workouts

Which Body Types Have The Most Limited Range Of Effective Workouts?

This question also takes the approach of looking at each body type and which body types excel in other areas.

The overall question is difficult to answer, but I would say the endomorph is the one body type that has to be careful. The structure of workouts must keep their metabolism raised, and be careful not to pig out during dinner time.

Every body type has their downfall though. This is a matter of opinion, really. As an ectomorph, I have had to go through a lot of different workouts trying to gain mass as well. After hard work, a good diet, and lots of rest, you can make the gains you want!

Bonus Question

Which Body Types Are You? Do You Design A Workout Accordingly To Your Body Type?

I would say that I am a cross between a meso and ectomorph. I have always had relatively broad shoulders and a small waist. I also have the ability to stay relatively lean, while packing on a lot of mass.

I don't pay much attention to what kind of body type I am though. I feel that I can achieve whatever appearance I strive to possess. I started out at a skinny 130 pounds, and I have somehow managed to build myself up to a 205-pound bodybuilder.

I have most certainly designed my workouts accordingly though. When I began bodybuilding, I focused most on gaining strength using low reps and several sets. I am still on the same journey as we speak, trying to get stronger and bigger. You have to keep in mind that your body is not made in the gym, yet in the kitchen. What you put in your body is what is shown on the outside.

A sample of my current workout looks like this:

Monday - Chest & Biceps:

  • Barbell Bench Press (Half reps, I bring the bar to my chest and push half way up, and bring the bar back down, and repeat.) 2 sets of 10 reps - 2 sets of 8 reps
  • Dumbbell Flat Bench Press - 4 sets of 8 reps
  • Incline Dumbbell Flyes - 3 sets of 12 reps
  • Decline Dumbbell Flyes - 3 sets of 12 reps
  • Barbell Curls - 4 sets of 8 reps
  • Concentration Curls - 3 sets of 12 reps
    *Superset With*
    Reverse Barbell Curls - 3 sets of 12 reps

Click Here For A Printable Log Of Monday.

Wednesday - Legs & Back:

  • Barbell Full Squat 2 sets of 12 reps - 2 sets of 8 reps
  • Machine Hack Squats 3 sets of 12 reps
  • Straight Legged Deadlift 3 sets of 12 reps
  • Lat Pull Downs 3 sets of 15 reps
  • One Arm Dumbbell Rows 4 sets of 8 reps
  • V-Bar Seated Rows 3 sets of 10 reps

Click Here For A Printable Log Of Wednesday.

Friday - Shoulders, Triceps, & Traps:

  • Seated Barbell Military Press 1 set of 10 reps - 3 sets of 8 reps
  • Cable or Barbell Upright Rows 3 sets of 12 reps
  • Rear Delt Machine Flyes 3 sets of 15 reps
  • Parallel Bar Dips 3 sets to failure
  • Straight Bar Pushdowns 3 sets of 20 reps
  • Barbell Shrugs 4 sets of 6 reps

Click Here For A Printable Log Of Friday.

Overview Of My Workout

My workout is done accordingly. Right now I am only able to workout three times a week, but come summer, I plan on starting at least four days a week. I consider my workouts somewhat advanced, and tough.

I like to keep my workouts around the hour mark, sometimes a little over. I always stretch for at least 10 minutes before my workouts, to make sure I avoid injury. Also, I don't know how anyone couldn't stretch before working out. I could never do a full squat with a couple of hundred pounds on my back without stretching. Stretching has many benefits and should certainly be utilized to your advantage!

Remember ...

Always remember that you do not grow in the gym, you grow when you are at home and relaxing! No matter what body type you are, you can make the same gains, it just takes different time from person to person. Never give up. Don't give into temptations at the buffet. Work hard and be patient!

BKevin89@aol.com
Kevin B.

3rd Place - Blink41

View This Author's BodySpace Here.

Introduction

Genetics is the primary factor that affects bodybuilders. Some people are born with a gift where others are born with a huge disadvantage. As far as genetics are concerned, everyone falls under one in three categories. Some are born as mesomorphs, and they possess a huge advantage over the other two body types.

Mesomorphs are naturally born strong and lean. Endomorphs are born fat and round, and ectomorphs are born small and fragile. As you can see, unless you are a mesomorph, time and dedication is required in order to make up for the lack of good genetics. However, just because you are born without the bodybuilder's gift, it does not mean you are toast.

All you need to do is alter your workout split, have proper nutrition and you too can also experience the same results as the mesomorphs experience. But the most important thing is to not let anything unmotivate you before you even get started.

Designing A Workout

How Can You Design A Workout According To Your Body Type? Be Specific.

Unfortunately, all people are not created equal, as far as body type is concerned at least. Some of us may be fat, some of us may be skinny and some of us are born with a genetic advantage over others.

In the bodybuilding world, we have names for these individual body types. Usually, nobody is a full ectomorph or a full mesomorph, but a mixture of the two. In this article, you will learn the best workouts and additional information about these different body types.

First of all, you need to know which body type you have?

Ectomorph:

  • Hard Gainer
  • Naturally Skinny
  • Small Bones
  • Small Frame
  • Long fingers
  • Long Legs
  • Delicate Build
  • Narrow Hips and Pelvis
  • Less Fat
  • Flat Chest
  • Small Neck
  • Small Calves
  • Thin Hair
  • Tom Hanks or Courtney Cox

Endomorph:

  • Gain Weight Easily
  • Round Shape
  • Soft Body
  • Hourglass Figure
  • High Fat Storage
  • Difficulty Losing weight
  • Weight usually settles in midsection for men
  • Weight usually settles on thigh and buttocks for females
  • Lower body typically bigger than upper
  • Short Arms and Limbs
  • Short Leg
  • Robin Williams or Oprah Winfrey

Mesomorph:

  • Hard Body
  • Gains muscle easily
  • Difficulty gaining fat
  • Wide Frame
  • Athletic
  • Lean
  • Muscular
  • Rectangular Shape
  • Thick Bones
  • Well Defined Chest and Shoulders
  • Defined lower body
  • Full of energy
  • Sylvester Stallone or Demi Moore

As I said before, most people are of mixed body type. For instance, if you gain fat easily but you gain muscle easily as well, you are probably endo-meso. If you have a hard time gaining much fat but you have a pretty easy time gaining muscle, you are probably an ecto-meso.

The first step toward creating an effective workout regimen according to your body type would be to first know what body type you are.

Workout Routine For Ectomorphs:

  • Monday: Chest / Tricep
  • Tuesday: Back / Biceps
  • Wednesday: Cardio
  • Thursday: Rest
  • Friday: Shoulder / Traps
  • Saturday: Thigh / Calves / Abs
  • Sunday: Cardio

Since ectomorphs generally have a high metabolism, they don't need to worry too much about cardio on the bulking phase because they probably won't put on much weight. Ectomorphs should focus more on building additional muscle mass by maximum hypotrophy. Therefore there routine are as follows

Chest / Triceps Days:

  • 1 Set of Warm Up on bench followed by 3 sets of 12, 8, 8 flat bench press
  • 3 Sets of 12, 10, 8 dumbbell chest flyes
  • 2 Sets of 12, 8, 8 incline dumbbell press
  • 2 Sets of 10, 8 Weighted Dips
  • 3 Sets of 12, 8, 8 Skull crusher
  • 2 Sets of 10, 8 Overhead Tricep Extension

Click Here For A Printable Log Of Chest / Triceps Days.

Back / Bicep Days:

  • 1 Set of Warm Up on pull ups followed by 3 sets of 12, 8, 7 lat pull-down
  • 3 Sets of 12, 8, 8 low row
  • 2 Sets of 12, 8 high row
  • 2 Sets of 10, 6 Barbell pullovers
  • 3 Sets of 12, 8, 6 Deadlifts
  • 2 Sets of 10 each hand, 8 each hand Alternating Dumbbell Curls

Click Here For A Printable Log Of Back / Bicep Days.

Shoulder / Traps Days:

  • 1 Set of Warm Up on Dumbbell Military Presses followed by 3 Sets of 12, 8, 8 Barbell Military Presses
  • 3 Sets of 12, 8, 8 Dumbbell lateral raises
  • 2 Sets of 12 ,8 Dumbbell front raises
  • 3 Sets of 12, 8, 8 Posterior flyes (Machine or dumbbells)
  • 2 Sets of 10, 8 Dumbbell Arnold Presses
  • 3 Sets of 12, 8, 8 Heavy dumbbell Shrugs
  • 2 Sets of 12, 8 Heavy Behind the back barbell shrugs

Click Here For A Printable Log Of Shoulder / Traps Days.

Thigh / Calves / Abs Days:

  • 1 Set of Warm up on Full Squats followed by 3 Sets of 12, 10, 8 Barbell full squats
  • 3 Sets of 12, 12, 8 Hamstring Curls
  • 3 Sets of 12, 8, 8 Heavy Calf raises
  • 2 Sets of 8, 8 Heavy Squats on the leg press machine
  • 2 Sets of 12, 8 leg extensions
  • 2 Sets of 50, 50 crunches or as much as you can do
  • 2 Sets of hanging leg raises (As much as you can do)

Click Here For A Printable Log Of Thigh / Calves / Abs Days.

Since we are not really focusing on intensity, use a 45-second to 1-minute rest period. This will ensure that your muscles have sufficient time to recover so you can do heavy weight next set. Usually, a workout session should take no more than 1 hour, anything more than that means that you are not trying hard enough.

For Cardio Days, run the treadmill or any other cardio machine for about 30-40 minutes on medium intensity. Be sure to stay hydrated and drinks lots of fluids throughout the day.

Workout Routine For Endomorphs:

  • Monday: Chest / Tricep
  • Tuesday: Back / Biceps/ Cardio
  • Wednesday: Cardio/ Abs
  • Thursday: Rest
  • Friday: Shoulder / Traps / Cardio
  • Saturday: Thigh / Calves / Abs
  • Sunday: Cardio

Since Endomorphs are already pretty big and strong, they don't need to focus on maximum hypotrophy. Instead, try achieving hypotrophy/endurance/strength during the workout sessions. Endomorphs should also try to focus more on cardio while bulking and especially cutting because they will put on weight easily during the bulking phase.

Chest / Triceps Days:

  • 1 Set of Warm Up on bench followed by 3 sets of 15, 12, 10 flat bench press
  • 3 Sets of 15, 12, 10 dumbbell chest flyes
  • 3 Sets of 12, 12, 8 incline dumbbell press
  • 2 Sets of 12, 10 Weighted / Assisted Dips
  • 3 Sets of 14, 12, 10 Skull crusher
  • 2 Sets of 12, 8 Overhead Tricep Extension

Click Here For A Printable Log Of Chest / Triceps Days.

Back / Bicep Days:

  • 1 Set of Warm Up on pull ups followed by 3 sets of 15, 12, 8 lat pull-down
  • 3 Sets of 14, 12, 10 low row
  • 2 Sets of 12, 10 high row
  • 2 Sets of 12, 8 Barbell pullovers
  • 3 Sets of 12, 8, 6 Deadlifts
  • 2 Sets of 12 each hand, 8-10 each hand Alternating Dumbbell Curls

Click Here For A Printable Log Of Back / Bicep Days.

Shoulder / Traps Days:

  • 1 Set of Warm Up on Dumbbell Military Presses followed by 3 Sets of 12, 12, 8 Barbell Military Presses
  • 3 Sets of 14, 12, 10 Dumbbell lateral raises
  • 2 Sets of 12 ,10 Dumbbell front raises
  • 3 Sets of 15, 12, 8 Posterior flyes (Machine or dumbbells)
  • 2 Sets of 12, 10 Dumbbell Arnold Presses
  • 3 Sets of 12, 10, 10 Heavy dumbbell Shrugs
  • 2 Sets of 12, 10 Heavy Behind the back barbell shrugs

Click Here For A Printable Log Of Shoulder / Traps Days.

Thigh / Calves / Abs Days:

  • 1 Set of Warm up on Full Squats followed by 3 Sets of 14, 12, 10 Barbell full squats
  • 3 Sets of 14, 12, 8 Hamstring Curls
  • 3 Sets of 12, 8, 8 Heavy Calf raises
  • 2 Sets of 8, 8 Heavy Squats on the leg press machine
  • 2 Sets of 12, 8 leg extensions
  • 2 Sets of 50, 50 crunches or as much as you can do
  • 2 Sets of hanging leg raises (As much as you can do)

Click Here For A Printable Log Of Thigh / Calves / Abs Days.

Intensity becomes more of an issue for endomorphs because they want to have maximum fat burn during their workout sessions. Keep rest periods between 30-45 seconds to maintain a high rate level. Be sure to know your body's limit as you do not want to hurt yourself. Stop if you have to but always keep an intense mindset.

For cardio days, try to run the treadmill for 45 minutes to one hour at medium intensity. You can also try to run 30-45 minutes at medium-high intensity if you want as well. Maintain proper hydration and always remember to be safe. If you can't run for that long, gradually ease you way into it by first starting slow and then progressing. Start off with only 10 minutes for the first few cardio sessions and then go up to 15 minutes. Note: Cardio is nonstop

Workout Routine For Mesomorphs:

  • Monday: Chest / Tricep
  • Tuesday: Back / Biceps
  • Wednesday: Cardio
  • Thursday: Rest
  • Friday: Shoulder / Traps
  • Saturday: Thigh / Calves / Abs
  • Sunday: Cardio

Chest / Triceps Days:

  • 1 Set of Warm Up on bench followed by 3 sets of 12, 8, 8 flat bench press
  • 3 Sets of 12, 10, 8 dumbbell chest flyes
  • 2 Sets of 12, 8, 8 incline dumbbell press
  • 2 Sets of 10, 8 Weighted Dips
  • 3 Sets of 12, 8, 8 Skull crusher
  • 2 Sets of 10, 8 Overhead Tricep Extension

Click Here For A Printable Log Of Chest / Triceps Days.

Back / Bicep Days:

  • 1 Set of Warm Up on pull ups followed by 3 sets of 12, 8, 7 lat pull-down
  • 3 Sets of 12, 8, 8 low row
  • 2 Sets of 12, 8 high row
  • 2 Sets of 10, 6 Barbell pullovers
  • 3 Sets of 12, 8, 6 Deadlifts
  • 2 Sets of 10 each hand, 8 each hand Alternating Dumbbell Curls

Click Here For A Printable Log Of Back / Bicep Days.

Shoulder / Traps Days:

  • 1 Set of Warm Up on Dumbbell Military Presses followed by 3 Sets of 12, 8, 8 Barbell Military Presses
  • 3 Sets of 12, 8, 8 Dumbbell lateral raises
  • 2 Sets of 12 ,8 Dumbbell front raises
  • 3 Sets of 12, 8, 8 Posterior flyes (Machine or dumbbells)
  • 2 Sets of 10, 8 Dumbbell Arnold Presses
  • 3 Sets of 12, 8, 8 Heavy dumbbell Shrugs
  • 2 Sets of 12, 8 Heavy Behind the back barbell shrugs

Click Here For A Printable Log Of Shoulder / Traps Days.

Thigh / Calves / Abs Days:

  • 1 Set of Warm up on Full Squats followed by 3 Sets of 12, 10, 8 Barbell full squats
  • 3 Sets of 12, 12, 8 Hamstring Curls
  • 3 Sets of 12, 8, 8 Heavy Calf raises
  • 2 Sets of 8, 8 Heavy Squats on the leg press machine
  • 2 Sets of 12, 8 leg extensions
  • 2 Sets of 50, 50 crunches or as much as you can do
  • 2 Sets of hanging leg raises (As much as you can do)

Click Here For A Printable Log Of Thigh / Calves / Abs Days.

Mesomorphs pretty much have it all. They can't gain fat and easily gain muscle. With proper nutrition and exercise, they all could be participants in the Mr. Universe contest. Be sure to focus on strict form and really squeeze the muscle you are targeting for dramatic results. Execute each repetition slowly so you can feel the burn.

Cardio should be done at 30-40 minutes sessions at medium-high intensity. Stay hydrated and be safe:

The Importance Of Proper Form

I cannot stress the importance of proper form. My friend can bench 285 for reps and he has virtually no chest. Meanwhile, another friend of mine can only bench 155 and he has a huge chest. They both weigh almost the same as well.

The reason for this is because the guy benching 155 uses strict form, squeezing the chest on each and every repetition. The guy benching 285 for reps bounces the weight from his chest and explodes, using his triceps, shoulders and even lats. Poor form can also hurt your body physically, sending you to the hospital.

Widest Range Of Effective Workouts

Which Body Types Have The Widest Range Of Effective Workouts?

Mesomorphs would have the best the body type with the widest range of effective workouts. It's simply the fact that they have so much slack. They are able to gain lean muscle mass upon any types of training. In addition, they are also able to lose unwanted fat just as easily.

Although endomorphs can gain weight easily, however, the weight they are putting on is not lean. On the other hand, ectomorphs can stay lean, but the downfall is that they cannot gain muscle mass very easily. If you think about it, mesomorphs pretty much get the best of both worlds, thus being the body types with the widest range of effective workouts.

There are no strict specific routines that mesomorphs are required to do, as a matter of fact they can do any type of workout and still be effective. They aren't required like how endomorphs and ectomorphs are in order to have an effective workout.

Ectomorphs would most likely have to do compound exercises in order to gain more muscle mass. Endomorphs would have to stick to isolation exercises in order to tone up their body. Mesomorphs are not forced to do either one, they can simply do anything they want and have no consequences.

Sure, they can try to stick to a specific type of workout to better improve and be more effective, but that is really do extra work. Pretty much any type of workout for mesomorphs would be considered effective.

Limited Range Of Effective Workouts

Which Body Types Have The Most Limited Range Of Effective Workouts?

Both endomorphs and ectomorphs have a really limited range of effective workouts.

Endomorphs:

The problem with endomorphs is that they need to work twice as hard as mesomorphs. Endomorphs are required to stick to isolation exercises because not only do they need to focus on gaining muscle mass, they also need to focus on losing their fat mass.

If they are going to stick to compound exercises, then it is almost impossible to have an effective workout. They can't focus on their whole body in general at once; they need to focus on specific part on their body. Tone the arms first then tone the chest and the legs, etc.

The part that needs to be stressed the most is losing the fat. So in that case, they need to concentrate on high repetitions. The goal here is to burn calories and high repetition and quick training is the way to go. Obviously gaining fat can be instant if you eat unhealthy. Cardio exercises should always be on top of the list of priorities. Their workouts are just limited down to the ones that emphasize fat loss.

Ectomorphs:

Ectomorphs also have a really limited range of effective workouts. Simple curling exercises or tricep extensions cannot do you any good. They are too insignificant to make any changes to your body. Your body already refuses to gain muscle, so in order to save time and energy and be effective, one most always stick to compound exercises all the time. That way all parts of your body are being worked at once and will give you the greatest overall gains.

Ectomorphs are limited to power exercises such as bench presses for the chest, squats for the legs and lat pull-downs for the back. Isolation exercises such as bicep curls, hamstring curls and shrugs should be at the bottom of priorities as they take too much time and work and do not end up to be as effective to ectomorphs as they are to both endomorphs and mesomorphs.

In order to achieve maximum benefits, ectomorphs are also required to work with heavier weights, otherwise, you would be in your 50s and still not gaining any noticeable muscle mass. To make up for the heavier weights, a longer rest period is required otherwise you will tire yourself out. You should also use low repetitions.

The point here is to work yourself very hard because time as well as genetics is both against you. Let's also not forget the fact that you need to consume large amounts of food in order for anything to be effective to begin with.

It's not as simple as just sitting down and eating a lot, you need to also learn to eat the right kinds of food as well as eating in the right time intervals. Otherwise you can work out all you want but if you don't eat enough and have proper nutrition, it will be impossible for any types of benefits.

You can't even get started to begin with. Last but not least, you also need to make sure that you refrain from any type of workout which requires you to burn your calorie intake; such exercises would include aerobic exercises or other weight lifting exercises which require high quick repetitions.

So in conclusions, both endomorphs and ectomorphs need to work two or three times as hard. Endomorphs really need to focus on specific muscle groups in their body and are thus limited to isolation exercises and ectomorphs really need to use the workouts that can give them the greatest overall gains and are thus limited to compound exercises.

Endomorphs need to lose calories whereas ectomorphs are looking to gain calories. Both endomorphs and ectomorphs are equally as limited as far as choosing their workouts are concerned. You can think of it like if they are missing the other piece of the puzzle and are required to work really hard to achieving the other piece of the puzzle.

Bonus Question

Which Body Types Are You? Do You Design A Workout Accordingly To Your Body Type?

Unfortunately, I am a pure ectomorph. Not only that, but I am a creatine non responder as well but that's another story. I weighed 110 pounds in the summer of my senior year in high school before I started weightlifting.

I eat 8-10 small-medium sized meals a day totaling up 4,000 calories. I consume approximately 2 grams of protein per bodyweight and I drink lots of water. It has only been recently I began to take creatine and Nitric Oxide to further my bodybuilding gains. I have only gained about 30 pounds of muscle in almost two years. To me and many others, that is not that good. My body does not respond very well to weightlifting so I devised a new routine:

  • Monday: Chest / Triceps
  • Tuesday: Back / Biceps
  • Wednesday: Thigh / Calves / Abs
  • Thursday: Shoulder / Traps
  • Friday: Cardio
  • Saturday: Rest
  • Sunday: Cardio

On chest days, I typically stick with the core exercises such as the barbell bench press, incline and flat. I do chest flyes and weighted chest dips. For my bench press, I typically do 3 sets of 12, 12 and 10. When I bench, I make sure to use extremely strict form.

I am always sure to squeeze the chest when I finish each and every repetition. I go super slowly on my repetitions so my muscles are exposed to the weight longer. I usually use much lower weight to do this such as the 45's. I am not in the gym to show off, just to lift hard and improve my body.

On back days, I stick with the Deadlift, pull downs, low and high rows and some pull ups as a finisher. I make sure to use my lats for the pull-downs and rows instead of the bicep. To do this, I lower the weight and use better form.

Instead of griping the handle for the rows, I hook them instead. By doing so, the biceps catch a little break and the lats are recruited. When doing the deadlift, I spread my lats when lifting the weight up. This helps pull my lats out giving me the illusion of a bigger wider back. Basically, I sacrifice lots of weight for better form and I think it's paying off.

On leg day, I make sure to go down and up slowly when doing squats. I lift the weight up in a slow and controlled manner. Not only is it safer than rapid repetition, but the correct muscles are being stimulated.

I could feel my quadriceps working when I squat. Again, I lower the weights so I just squat with the 45's on the bar. I typically superset my full squats with some calve raises. I have seen good results thus far.

On shoulder day, I do super slow repetitions on dumbbell military press. My shoulders usually give up in about 8 reps when I use 50 percent of my one rep max. I also like to a modified version of the barbell front raise.

I grip the bar at shoulders width apart and explode using my legs and shoulders to raise the barbell over to my head. I then put the weight back down and repeat the motion again. I really feel this exercise on my traps and shoulder. It's a good power move as well as an excellent bodybuilding move.

Conclusion

The most important thing to remember is regardless of what your body type is, do not lose hope. Just accept what you are and work with it. Nothing is impossible. Yes, it is a proven fact that some body types are at a disadvantage compared to others but dedication, commitment and proper training and well as nutrition can make up for those disadvantage.

The last thing you should be telling yourself would be "There's no point of working out, I have tried before and cannot gain any muscle mass." You need to think positive. So you are not born with a gift; that should by no means prevent you from achieving any goals you have.

Remember, gains don't just appear overnight, it takes time and commitment whether you have good genes or not, but by no means should you start off unmotivating yourself by constantly telling yourself that you are not meant for bodybuilding.

Thank you for reading my article. I hope you have learned something about your own individual body type and also which workout routine would benefit you most. Feel free to ask me any questions regarding this or any other of my articles. My screen name is Blink41 on Bodybuilding.com.

Thanks Again!