Body Types - Play to Your Strengths
The modern slur “snowflake”, doesn’t actually mean a person is soft, as it is often interpreted. It originated to describe people who think they’re unique, like a snowflake, and that predictable outcomes of decisions didn’t apply to them. Having said that, yes each body is actually unique (unless you are an identical twin), but there are different general categorizations of body-types with pretty predictable outcomes. Accepting this, and understanding it, allows you to make informed decisions about nutrition and training. This leads me to discuss somatotypes.
The three somatotypes
Though most people will be a mix of the three somatotypes, here are the three main body composition types:
Ectomorph - The ectomorph is typically slender, tall, and has a difficult time putting on weight. They are built to be endurance hunters. Their body is pretty fuel-inefficient, i.e. it requires a lot of calories to fuel their activity.
Mesomorph - otherwise known as assholes. Square jaw, broad shoulders, narrow waist. These guys simply look at a gym and they make great improvements. They are suited to pretty much all styles of training, sports, and dating apps.
Endomorph - Usually shorter and pear-shaped, with broad hips. Where the ectomorph struggles to gain weight, the endomorph gains weight by standing too close to cookies. They are well-suited to strength training.
As I mentioned before most people will be a mix of all three, rather than being strictly one. Though one somatotype will probably be dominant in your shape, and you can adjust accordingly.
Somatotypes Don’t Determine Your Fate.
So an interesting observation about somatotypes is that they don’t determine your fate entirely. I am definitely an ectomorph. This is quite clear to me, given the fact that I barely gain weight eating over 4,000 calories per day. And when I do, it’s not as much muscle as I’d like. I am built for endurance (ladies, get your minds out of the gutter).
However, I have added about 30lbs to my frame following three years of consistent training, overfeeding, and shorter cutting windows. Similarly, when I was younger, I was obese, due to binge-eating disorder (BED). To look at me, you might have said that underneath the bodyfat, I may have been stocky (though I wasn’t). As I addressed the eating disorder and matured from boy to man, it became apparent over the years that I am of the greyhound breed.
However, I am not one to let adversity get in my way. Never have been. It fuels me. I train consistently 4-5 times per week and make sure I get the calories in. I may not be the biggest guy in the room, but I have a nice V taper with my shirt off. I am taking steps to maximize my potential.
The bottom line here is that your somatotype is not a straight-jacket. Nurture vs. nature. You absolutely can maximize your potential for muscle growth, or fat loss, through your behavior.
Some Suggestions
Let’s assume the goal here is a visibly muscular physique, with something close to a v-taper. For the ecomorph, I would train somewhere in the 8-15 rep range, and push for progressive overload through reps, before moving on to a higher weight. We are not built for strength training, and won’t see the same jumps in weight lifted, as say an endomorph or mesomorph would.
This will ensure that you can keep progressing, without the strain that your joints would take in the absence of a high amount of type 2 muscle fibers needed for strength training. I stumbled upon this kind of by accident. Through repeated lockdowns, I was forced to use weights that took me into the 12-15 rep range, which I wouldn’t usually do in the gym. I made the best progress I ever have, without feeling completely spent after my workouts.
In terms of nutrition, “dirty” foods are your friend. You will need a larger calorie surplus than the other somatotypes to gain them broad shoulders. When you cut, make sure it is for a short period of time, and that your surplus is more within the realm of a “re-comp” i.e. something like 200 calories under your maintenance. Protecting hard-earned muscle is the main priority.
For the endomorph, I would take a different approach. I would take say six exercises per session, doing three sets at a more intense rep range of 5-8. You should have no problem with heavier weights. A shorter range of motion in your limbs will mean less complexity in terms of whether the muscle or your joints are taking the heavier load. Any time saved on your shorter workouts can allow for some form of cardio, where you will burn far more calories than you would during your weight training sessions.
A diet that mainly comprises high-volume, low-calorie food will help curb your raging appetite without sacrificing your goals. Cheat days might be a bad idea, given your tendency to scrape the plate, so adding smaller amounts of “dirty” foods throughout the week might be a better approach once they are within your calorie budget. Opt for smaller calorie surpluses when bulking. When cutting, you can be more aggressive with your deficit while preserving muscle mass.
The mesomorph could pick any of the above approaches and make progress. If it were me though, I’d want to maximize my God-given gifts. Nothing at all wrong with that. Something performance-based like cross-fit could be a great shout. With such intense cardio and resistance training happening simultaneously, you can view your physique as a nice by-product of your training, with little thinking involved. Screw tracking if you don’t have to. Just go hell for leather and enjoy it.
The Truth Will Set You Free
The truth of your body-type may be a bitter pill to swallow, but it will allow for more informed decisions and realistic expectations. See this as a good thing, because it allows you to maximize your body’s potential, rather than a lifetime spent chasing your tail.