Mass Gaining For Ectomorphs

Best ways to Gain Mass

Most people are a combination of the

somatotypes listed above. Almost
everyone that has trouble gaining weight
has ectomorphic qualities. Although
gaining weight can be more difficult for an
ectomorph, it is entirely possible.

Benefits
Although ectomorphs can sometimes be
seen as skinny or frail, there are some
advantages to having this body type.
Every pound of muscle you gain will
look larger and more defined than it
would on someone with a larger frame.
Having a fast metabolism can be very
nice, allowing you to eat fairly large
amount of food without worrying about
your caloric intake as much as someone
else might have to.
Ectomorphs excel in aerobic and
endurance sports.

Exercise Intensity: Perform exercises with relatively high weight and low repetitions. Try to aim for the
8-12 rep range, thats where the most muscle hypertrophy (enlargement) takes place.
Exercise Type: Perform exercises that incorporate large muscle groups. Do exercises that involve more
than one joint. A great example is deadlifts. They work your entire posterior chain of muscles and are
a great way to gain mass. Other good exercises include bench press, row, lateral pull downs, dips, and
squats.
Diet: Eat foods that are high in protein and make sure that you are taking in plenty of calories from
rich, nutrient dense foods. Dont restrict your fat intake. If you arent getting enough fat, then your
body will produce less anabolic hormones that help tremendously with building muscle.
Sleep: Getting an adequate amount of sleep will not only give you more energy throughout the day,
but it will also allow your body to secrete more anabolic hormones. Try to get at least 8 hours of sleep
a night. Light and sound play a big role in how well you sleep. Try making your room as dark as
possible and use a fan for white noise of you need to.
Cardio: Dont do too much cardio. Cardio is an important part of every fitness routine, but if youre
trying to increase your size, then the cardio work will burn more calories. You can still keep up with
doing your cardio, its just going to make the process longer. Try and keep the cardio to shorter, more
intense bouts rather than long endurance type activities.

Why You Should Gain Muscle Mass

Confidence: Adding muscle and strength will help you feel better about the way you look and what
youre capable of doing. Exercising is a great way to keep a good attitude and preserve good mental
health.
Higher BMD: Resistance training, along with adding weight to your muscular frame, will increase bone
mineral density, greatly reducing the risk for fractures or broken bones.
Reduced risk of injury: Adding muscle mass not only makes you stronger, but also adds a protective
barrier helping prevent injury.
Increased ability for fat loss: Muscle requires a lot of energy to be maintained. This increases your
metabolism, burning fat and increasing your overall energy from day to day.
Works Cited
MACKENZIE, B. (2001) Body Types and Build [WWW] Available from:
http://www.brianmac.co.uk/bodytype.htm [Accessed 15/7/2013]
SHELDON, W.H. and STEVENS, S.S. and TUCKER, W.B. (c.1940) The varieties of human physique. Oxford,
England: Harper
HEATH, B.H. J. E. and CARTER, J.E.L. (1967) A modified somatotype method. American Journal of Physical
Anthropology, 27 (1), p. 5774
Cook, Brandon. "Benefits of Being an Ectomorph." Path of The Awakened Warriors. Hardgainer Muscle
Building, n.d. Web. 12 July 2013.
Rail, Kevin. "How to Get From Skinny to Buff." LIVESTRONG.COM. Livestrong, 4 May 2010. Web. 14 July 2013.
"Your Body Type - Ectomorph, Mesomorph or Endomorph?" Muscle & Strength. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 July 2013.

Daniel Shepherd