Introduction
Understanding your body type, better referred to as somatotype, is something that is still new to many people. As time goes the fitness world is becoming more precise and scientific, and dramatic improvements have been made to the way we approach fitness. However, despite the long strides in the health and fitness world creating effective exercise and diet plans for specific somatotypes is something that still escapes the masses. So fad diets and pop fitness programs are still widely marketed promising dramatic and awe-inspiring results, yet often those results are not seen by many. A large part of this is because everyone is not the same, as a child we may have heard “you are like a snowflake; unique and special,” and when it comes to your body that is very much the case. So if your body is unique and you are different, you should expect different results even if you are on the same diet or exercise plan as someone else. Some differences don’t matter, but let’s focus on the difference that does; your somatotype, often called your body type.
There are 3 main somatotypes; ectomorphs, endomorphs, and mesomorphs. Ectomorphs have a body structure that tends to look long and skinny, endomorphs have a body structure that tends to look large and wide, and mesomorphs are generally in the middle but are also characterized by looking particularly athletic. Before going into detail it is important to understand that it is very rare to be purely one type or the other as each category is a generalization. Most people tend to fall in the middle of two of these types but are sometimes a combination of all three. It is for this reason that everyone’s body is unique, and while many diets and exercise programs will gain you some results, to get the maximum effectiveness some modifications to these general plans will need to be made. Of course, there is also the ideal option of having a custom meal and exercise plan created for you. In either case, you will need to know your somatotype, understanding the characteristics of each will give you a starting point that is far closer to your goals. And if you have already started a plan, learning the difference in the three somatotypes will make your efforts that much more effective.
Ectomorph
Aside from appearing thin and lean the ectomorphs naturally have a light build with small joints, thin limbs, and thin slender shoulders. Ectomorphs are often the envy of the other two somatotypes because they have a very fast metabolism so their body is very resistant to weight gain. So an ectomorph can often eat and eat, never go to the gym, and won’t gain a pound, we all know someone like that. Most people tend to see this as a good thing, however, when it comes to fitness it has its drawbacks. For men who wish to have that toned yet muscular look, being an ectomorph will make looking toned much easier, however looking muscular requires mass and that is difficult to get as an ectomorph. So bulking up and getting those desired gains will be your battle. For women ectomorphs often look very linear and slender, so the curve appeal that is becoming increasingly popular is the thing that is difficult to attain.
As an ectomorph, your diet will often revolve more around adding more calories and complex carbs to your daily meals. Don’t be fooled into thinking you can get away with eating fatty or sugary foods, as each calorie you consume must be put to good use. As the adage goes “garbage in garbage out.” You will have to pay particular attention to how often you eat, as skipping a meal will quickly make your body lose weight and sacrifice all the gains you worked hard for. Weight gainer shakes taken 2-3 times a day work well, make sure to stay hydrated as that high amount of protein intake will require lots of water. You may also benefit from juicing your fruits and vegetables so have more room for solid food that requires more time digesting.
The ectomorph’s body type requires a fitness routine very different from the mesomorph and endomorph, which makes it difficult for the ectomorph to train with the other two. When it comes to your exercise plan your routines should be a bit shorter but much more intense. Keep your reps low and have the number of sets per body part relatively low, but maintain the intensity. The longer you are in the gym the longer you go between meals, which is a very bad thing for an ectomorph. Ectomorph’s muscles are lean, dense, and stubborn so you can train for a long time as an ectomorph and not feel as fatigued. Endurance training is your strong suit, as your body is naturally fitted for this type of training. But beware, if gaining size is your goal long training has the opposite effect. A focus on strength and weight training will serve your somatotype well. Cardio should be done sparingly, as an alternative to doing high-intensity interval training will be much more effective. Your exercise should relate closely to your eating habits, as exercise could boost your appetite. So if you find you are eating less during certain days, consider adding a day of exercise. Your muscles recover quickly so overtraining is not a big concern.
Endomorph
Endomorphs have the opposite struggle of the ectomorph. Sometimes it seems as though they can gain weight just by looking at food. And endomorphs will often look much larger than they really are because they tend to have a large wide frame. You will need to pay very close attention to your diet and your regimen as your body mass will tend to be higher and it is fairly easy to be set back by just a few bad days. Your metabolism is low so you while the ectomorph is always trying to find a way to add calories and increase their appetite, you will be looking to cut calories and boost your metabolism. Endomorphs tend to have very powerful legs and training for strength will be easy. Male endomorphs will always have to worry about getting a belly, and for women, the same may apply but more often the phrase “it all goes to my butt and thighs” is very applicable. Women will also have to put in significant effort to have toned arms. But as a female endomorph when you have your routine dialed in you will be the envy of all women.
Diet choice and what you cannot eat is very important for the endomorph. As you work out you will notice you will feel much hungrier than before, this is where you have to pay close attention to your meal schedule. The general tendency to want to starve yourself will come to mind but resist this at all costs. The endomorph has higher fat levels throughout their muscles and will notice the more they starve themselves the less they lose. This is because their body will store fat knowing it will be a long time till the next meal. So eat every 2-3 hours and in small, healthy portions that are low in calories and low in fat. As your body adjusts it will see less of a need to store fat and you will see good results from this effect. Your protein shakes should be low in carbs and a Casein blend or time-release formula will help you greatly.
The endomorph has large, low-density muscles so training the wrong way will cause excessive soreness. As an endomorph you will benefit from high reps at a moderate weight, working a moderate number of sets per muscle group. Your recovery time will be longer than the ectomorph so even when you are sore you will want to have a consistent gym schedule. Recovery exercises, light gym days, and moderate cardio can be used during these times to help maintain a higher metabolic rate. Because your recovery time between gym sessions is longer you will not want to overload your exercises or push past muscle failure. So when you can’t go anymore, don’t. Just make sure you have put in a good effort. Cardio will be your best friend, you can do cardio as often as you like, as long as it is intense and kept in the 30-40 minute range.
Mesomorph
Mesomorphs fall right in the middle of ectomorphs and endomorphs. Where ectomorphs can easily train for endurance and endomorphs can easily train for strength, the mesomorph can easily train for size or overall looks. As a mesomorph, you will be known for your naturally athletic build. You also tend to have a large bone structure and large muscles that respond well to almost any training. So this tends to fair well among men as they will get that “superhero” physique fairly easily, yet many women may not like the ability to gain muscle with ease. When this is the tendency the mesomorph women will want to pay close attention to the format suited for endomorphs.
When it comes to a diet you will always have to be the balance between the ectomorph and the mesomorph. You may be able to be a bit more flexible as your body isn’t at either extreme and small “hiccups” in your diet have a lower tendency to throw you off. You will still want to keep your fat content low and eat lean healthy products, but your fitness goal will determine your caloric intake. If you wish to gain mass you will need to pay some attention to the ectomorph’s diet plan, if you wish to reduce weight or maintain your current physique the endomorph will have a plan that you can benefit from.
While exercising you will notice that your muscles are very responsive to change. You may not fair too well with endurance training, but you will do well with high-intensity interval training (HIIT training). HIIT training will be a good choice in terms of cardio for the mesomorph; if not something that is high intensity for 20-30 minutes will do well. This should be done 1-3 times a week depending on your complimenting exercises. You will do a moderate amount of reps but you will do a moderate amount of sets like the endomorph. So with an endomorph as a gym partner, you will do the same amount of sets but fewer repetitions. The mesomorph benefits the most from gym partners as training past fatigue stimulates muscle growth well, but this should only be done on occasions and near the end of your workout. Your body won’t recover as fast as the ectomorph but you won’t experience soreness like the endomorph so how often you train in the gym will be in the middle, yet again.
While this is not an exhaustive plan for working out for your somatotype it does provide a starting point for most. The key is to understand that each person is different and most will benefit from 2 of the 3 guidelines, others may benefit from all 3. You will always have to make adjustments to your plan and understanding your somatotype will help guide you in making the right adjustments.
What do you do with this info?
First, get to know your body. Because no two people are exactly the same this means you will have to take some time to get to know your body and see exactly where you lie. You won’t fit exactly into one category or another and it will take time to have your own program down to the point where it is second nature and results just flow. Also, realize that this is only one of many factors that matter when traveling on your fitness journey. So it is very important to combine the information here with any medical advice you received from your doctor, understanding your family medical history, truly understanding your goals and what it will take to get there, and make sure to have the right people around you to offer support and guidance along the way.
