So What Body Type Are You?
Ectomorph
An ectomorph is a typical skinny guy. Ectos have a light build with small joints and lean muscle. Usually ectomorphs have long thin limbs with stringy muscles. Shoulders tend to be thin with little width.
Typical Traits Of An Ectomorph:
- Small delicate frame and bone structure
- Classic hardgainer
- Flat chest
- Small shoulders
- Thin
- Lean muscle mass
- Finds it hard to gain weight
- Fast metabolism
Ectomorphs find it very hard to gain weight. They have a fast metabolism which burns up calories very quickly. Ectos need a huge amount of calories in order to gain weight.
Mesomorph
A mesomorph has a large bone structure, large muscles and a naturally athletic physique. Mesomorphs are the best body type for bodybuilding. They find it quite easy to gain and lose weight. They are naturally strong which is the perfect platform for building muscle.
Typical Traits Of A Mesomorph:
- Athletic
- Generally hard body
- Well defined muscles
- Rectangular shaped body
- Strong
- Gains muscle easily
- Gains fat more easily than ectomorphs
The mesomorph body type responds the best to weight training. Gains are usually seen very quickly, especially for beginners. The downside to mesomorphs is they gain fat more easily than ectomorphs. This means they must watch their calorie intake. Usually a combination of weight training and cardio works best for mesomorphs.
Endomorph
The endomorph body type is solid and generally soft. Endomorphs gain fat very easily. Endos are usually of a shorter build with thick arms and legs. Muscles are strong, especially the upper legs. Endomorphs find they are naturally strong in leg exercises like the squat.
Typical Traits Of An Endomorph:
- Soft and round body
- Gains muscle and fat very easily
- Is generally short
- “Stocky” build
- Round physique
- Finds it hard to lose fat
- Slow metabolism
- Muscles not so well defined
When it comes to training endomorphs find it very easy to gain weight. Unfortunately, a large portion of this weight is fat, not muscle. To keep fat gain to a minimum, endomorphs must always train cardio as well as weights.
A Combination Of Body Types
These body types arent set in stone. In fact, most people have a combination of two body types. These combinations are either ectomorph/mesomorph or mesomorph/endomorph. It is not uncommon to find a pure mesomorph that gains weight like an endomorph for example.
So Which Body Type Are You?
Given the information above you should be able to identify your body type. You may also want to optimize your diet and training to suit your body type.
Reference:
http://www.muscleandstrength.com/articles/body-types-ectomorph-mesomorph-endomorph.html