In this article, we are going to learn in detail about the ectomorph somatotype model, taking into account its characteristics mainly to improve their physical condition and health thanks to physical activity and good nutrition.

Profile of an ectomorph

To begin, we must understand the ectomorph profile as one of the possible models for classifying individuals’ body shapes, along with mesomorph and endomorph profiles.

What is an ectomorph person?

It is considered that those people of the ectomorph model have characteristics to highlight, such as mainly being a tall and thin person, having a greater surface area in relation to muscle mass, and predominance of longitudinal measurements over transverse ones. (Gris, 2001)

Thanks to Petrella, (2008) we understand that a person with an ectomorph profile is not prone to size increase because they have a greater predominance of red muscle fibers, which are slow-building.

Ectomorphs are those people who are very thin, have fine joints, narrow clavicles, and no matter how much they eat, they seem never to gain weight.

In the mid-20th century, psychologist William Helbert Sheldon developed a theory that linked people’s structure with their temperament. He suggested 3 classifications, which would be known as somatotypes.

• Ectomorphs: Thin people, with long limbs, narrow clavicles and joints, little muscle mass, and very little body fat.
• Mesomorphs: Naturally athletic and strong people. They have broad shoulders, developed musculature, little body fat, and narrow waists.
• Endomorphs: People who tend to accumulate body fat and gain weight easily. They have wide waists and a very large bone structure.

Why is it difficult to increase muscle mass in an ectomorph?

Initially, according to Sirvent & Garrido, (2009) people with an ectomorph somatotype do not easily increase their muscle mass due to physiological functions inherent to their anatomical constitution, resulting in a low muscle mass index along with a fragile and thin bone structure.

They are accompanied by a series of common characteristics, such as sleeping less than 8 hours naturally or having a restless or active personality. Components that, along with not achieving a caloric surplus, make it difficult to increase muscle mass.

On the other hand, these body shapes are related to disciplines such as high jump and volleyball.

Physical activity for people with an ectomorph somatotype

In the following section, we will learn in depth about recommendations regarding physical activity for this type of person.

What should an ectomorph do to gain muscle mass?

It is important to understand that there is no mathematical formula for all existing cases of ectomorphism, as each person has their own characteristics, motivations, and interests, and it is most advisable to consult a professional in exercise who can adapt these characteristics to each individual’s personal goal.

However, in general terms, we can find the following recommendations to carry out.

• The most important thing will be to maintain an efficient balance between the three fundamental pillars of health; physical activity, rest, and nutrition.
• Due to their slower recovery, it would be counterproductive to train more than 4 days a week.
• Stick to a pyramidal training plan focused on muscle hypertrophy. (Moyano Coronado, 2022)
• Rest 8 hours naturally each day. (García Mas et. al, 2003)
• Maintain a daily caloric surplus. (Moyano Coronado, 2022)

In terms of training, the advice an ectomorph should follow to gain muscle mass would be the following:

• Focus their routine on multi-joint exercises.
• Reduce cardiovascular work.
• Focus on recovery: a person with an ectomorph profile requires greater adaptation and recovery to achieve supercompensation.
• Focus on strength and muscle mass work.

Nutrition for an ectomorph

Thanks to (Urdampilleta et. al, 2012) we can consider that to maintain existing muscle mass, it will be necessary to consume 1.2–1.8 g of protein/kg/day, and to increase it (0.5 kg muscle mass/week) they should maintain a protein intake of 1.6–1.8 g of protein/kg/day, with an increase of 400–500 kcal in their regular diet.

This nutrition must be balanced, requiring the main inclusion of carbohydrates, highlighting that according to (Holway, 2014) about 7 to 8 gm/kg/day of them are usually sufficient to generate that muscle growth.

What supplement should an ectomorph take?

Once we carry out a good efficient organization of our nutritional plan, we can use dietary supplementation compatible with our training to achieve the goal of increasing muscle mass.

In the following table, we can observe different supplements that could be useful.

In summary:

• Caloric surplus between 300-500 kcal.
• Consume a proportion of carbohydrates of 55-60%, proteins 12-15%, and fats 25-30%.
• These needs will vary according to the sports modality, the muscle damage generated, the athlete’s muscle mass, and glycogen stores.

Training for an ectomorph

Knowing that no two ectomorphs are alike, we can say they share the following attributes:

• Lower capacity to withstand high volume of training (sessions longer than 1 hour are likely to be counterproductive).
• Slower recovery process (the supercompensation takes longer). Recovery can be considered a ‘trainable’ skill and can be reduced over time, but initially, it is not advisable to train intensely more than 4 times a week.

Since scientific literature recommends performing training plans aimed at hypertrophy, maintaining 3-5 sets per exercise, with repetitions ranging from 6-12 per set, with an intensity close to muscle failure, performing different exercises at angles and stimuli, maintaining rest periods of 2 to 3 minutes between each set, I propose the following basic initial training plan.

This plan could progress in multiple factors such as work volume, intensity, load…

Special attention should be paid to the athlete’s weekly meal organization scheme, and any personal training program should be initiated with prior assessment by a qualified person, considering work, personal factors, and/or previous injuries.

BMI or body mass index calculator

The BMI is not an infallible measure, because it should be noted that this measurement does not differentiate muscle mass from fat mass; however, it can give us a reference. If we do not lose focus, the BMI calculator determines an estimate of obesity calculated by dividing our weight in kilograms by height squared.

BMI = WEIGHT (kg) / HEIGHT (m2)

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) overweight is defined with a BMI equal to or greater than 25 and obesity with a BMI equal to or greater than 30.

If you want more nutritional requirement calculators, you can visit them on our website where we have many practical ones to use and all are free

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Bibliographic references

1. Aritz Urdampilleta, Néstor Vicente-Salar, José Miguel Martínez Sanz, Protein needs of athletes and dietary-nutritional guidelines for muscle mass gain, Revista Española de Nutrición Humana y Dietética, Volume 16, Issue 1, 2012, Pages 25-35, ISSN 2173-1292.
2. Gris, G. M. (2001). Somatotype components and anthropometric equations. Apunts. Medicina de l’esport, 36(137), 5-16.
3. Petrella. (2008). Train Science. Retrieved from https://josemief.com/desarrollomuscular-y-aumento-de-peso-en-ectomorfos-consejos/
4. Sirvent, J., & Garrido, R. (2009). Anthropometric assessment of body composition.
   Alicante: University of Alicante
5. Moyano Coronado, N. (2022). Strength and hypertrophy training from the application of a nutritional approach: Literature review. University of Applied and Environmental Sciences.
6. García Mas, A., Aguado, F. J., Cuartero, J., Calabria, E., Jiménez, R., & Pérez, P. (2003). Sleep, rest, and performance in young competitive athletes. Revista de Psicología del deporte, 12(2), 0181-195.
7. Soler Salazar, A., & Cardona García, A. M. (2019). Nutritional supplements in the fitness industry. Revista De Nutrición Clínica Y Metabolismo, 2(2).