ECTOMORPH WEIGHT TRAINING PROGRAM

Being a female ectomorph is currently in vogue. Unfortunately, male ectomorphs are in a less enviable position. In men, muscularity is the prized trait and this is the one trait ectomorphs lack. Well, you lack both muscle and fat. However, it is not impossible to overcome your lack of muscle mass. It requires a serious focus on mass building through diet and weight training. The good news is that you will have a naturally low body fat percentage. Therefore, a little gain in muscle will go a long way. Female ectomorphs may want to gain mass to add shape.

Ectomorphs require a lot of stimulation to gain muscle mass. Whereas a mesomorph could almost accidentally gain mass, an ectomorph has to start their workout with a well-laid out plan. You need to work intensely with heavy weights and low repetitions. As a starting point, aim for two sets of 8 repetitions.Avoid isolation exercises, which only target individual muscles. This tactic won’t achieve the kind of full body muscle stimulation you require. Instead, go for major compound exercises such as the bench press, deadlifts, squats, lunges and bent over barbell rows. The more muscles you work, the more muscle growth you get.

Build up muscle with 2 - 4 sets of 6 to 10 repetitions using a moderate-to-heavy weight for each major muscle group. Consider doing a split routine where you work some parts of the body one day and then others the next. You can also try body-sculpting classes.

Be careful not to overwork your muscles in a bid to gain mass fast. This will not help your effort to grow muscle. Continually tearing muscle during workouts does not allow it to heal. Moreover, the extra exercise will burn the calories you need for that same muscle to grow. This results in your energy-deprived body consuming its own fat and muscle. Muscle is broken down during workouts and repairs and grows during recovery. Therefore, do not work a muscle group two times per week.

MESOMORPH

Female mesomorphs, that includes women who feel they have beome too bulky, should do light-to-moderate weight training, 3 times a week for muscle shaping and sculpting. This will help enhance tone and not increase size. Do 2 to 3 sets of 12 – 15 repetitions using light to moderate weights for each major muscle group. Try circuit training, which encourages strength and stamina, but without building bulk.

As a male mesomorph your muscles are thick and powerful and you require moderate to heavy weights to stimulate growth. Start with three to four exercises for each muscle group. You can use higher reps and lighter weights. Most trainers will recommend a combination of three types of exercises per body part. Increase muscle mass and definition with 3-4 sets per exercise; each set consisting of 12-15 repetitions. If you wish include advanced techniques such as drop sets, strip sets, forced sets and super sets.

Both male and female mesomorphs adapt quickly to exercise and you need to maintain variety in your workouts to keep stimulating and challenging your muscle. Maintaining variety also helps to reduce injuries and maximize gains. As part of this you add new exercises or simply change the order of your exercises.

Although, you have excellent natural strength, keep workouts under one hour. Do not overtrain. Pay proper attention to rest and nutrition to get the most out of your efforts. Other effective exercise strategies for mesomorphs include circuit training and high-intensity cardio to burn fat, whilst building muscle.

Endomorph

Accentuate your glorious curves by adding muscle tone. You will create an hourglass shape, by losing body fat through cardio and building muscle in specific areas of your body. Perform a total-body weight training routine three times a week. Do 2 sets of weight training exercises per body part and 15 - 20 repetitions per set using a moderate to light weights and/ or shorter rest intervals. Keep moving, so that it also becomes a cardio workout. Your aim is to get thinner and more streamlined-looking, therefore do not to train with heavy weights because you do not need to increase your muscle mass. If you are pear-shaped, it is also worth concentrating a little extra on your upper body. You can balance out your body by focusing more on your shoulders, which will give you an hourglass shape. Don't forget, by adding more muscle, you'll be burning more calories all day long!