Models who are on the covers – and in pages – of most fashion magazine incline towards having an ectomorph body type. As well as being tall, ectomorph individuals have a thin build, long limbs, small joints as well as fragile bones. Many ectomorphs are flat-chested and, although they appear to be skinny, they can have higher body fat percentage than one might believe.
Ectomorphs have a challenging time of putting on muscle mass as their metabolism is inclined to run at a higher rate than that of other body types. In the world of health and fitness, we would refer to ectomorphs them as “hard gainers.” Celebrity female ectomorphs include Kate Moss, Natalie Portman, Taylor Swift, Kate Middleton as well as Cameron Diaz. Celebrity male ectomorphs include Matthew McConaughey, Bradley Cooper as well as Toby McGuire.
The best type of training for an ectomorph
The basis of an ectomorph’s training should aim to increase testosterone (which is your muscle-building hormone) production. This is because this is likely to assist you with maximising your gains made from each workout that you do. Research in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research made the finding that making us of compound multi-jointed exercises (for example squats, deadlifts and bench presses) in a workout – which lasts no more than 55 minutes – is the best strategy for maximising testosterone and muscle-building.
The proper deadlift form
The “dead” in ‘deadlift’ stands for ‘dead weight’. This means that every rep must start on the floor, from a dead stop. You don’t perform deadlifts from the top-down such as in a Squat or Bench Press. Start at the bottom, pull the weight up and then return it to the floor. Here are the five steps to performing deadlifts with the proper form:
- Walk up to the bar. Stand and have your mid-foot under the bar and your shins shouldn’t touch the bar as yet. Place your heels hip-width apart, in a narrower stance than if you were doing squats. Point your toes out at 15°.
- Grab hold of the bar. Bend over and don’t bend your legs. Take hold of the bar in a narrow grip, about shoulder-width apart as if you were doing an overhead press. Ensure that your arms are vertical when looking at it from the front.
- Bend your knees. Drop into position through the process of bending your knees until your shins are touching the bar. Whatever you do, do NOT let the bar move away from your mid-foot. If this happens, start from scratch with step one.
- Lift your chest. Straighten your back and raise your torso. Do not alter your position. Keep the bar over your mid-foot with your shins against the bar and keep your hips where they are.
- Take a big breath and hold it. Stand up straight with the weight. Make sure that the bar remains in contact with your legs as you pull. Don’t shrug or lean back when you’re at the top. Lock your hips as well as your knees.
- Return the weight to the floor through the process of first unlocking your hips and knees. At this point, lower the bar by moving your hips back. Keep your legs almost straight. At the point when the bar is past your knees, bend your legs further. When you do this the bar will land over your mid-foot and will be ready for your next rep.
- Rest a for a second between reps. Remain in the set-up position with your hands on the bar. Take a big breath, prepare, and pull again. Each rep must begin from a dead stop. Don’t bounce the weight off the floor. If you do this, you’ll pull with bad form.
The best diet for an ectomorph
Ectomorphs have a metabolism which works exceptionally quickly. A high metabolism renders it easier to get lean and, as such, it can seem as if ectomorphs can eat anything that they want and not gain weight. However, as they get older their metabolisms will slow down. This is because they don’t have much muscle mass which can cause an unhealthy gain in body fat.
The best eating plan for an ectomorph is higher in carbohydrates as well as calories. Roughly between 50 and 60% of the calories that they consume should come from carbs. A total of 25% should come from protein and 25% from fat.
Here are some other nutrition tips for ectomorphs:
- Eat between two and four hours.
- Complement your eating plan with at least 500 calories if you want to gain weight or muscle.
- Select warm foods as opposed cold foods as this is better for digestion.
- Best starchy carbohydrates which you can eat include oats, brown rice, quinoa, sweet potatoes as well as potatoes.
- The best fruit choices for ectomorphs include bananas, mangoes, pineapple, papaya, avocado as well as peaches.
- Ectomorphs should choose between these vegetables: broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, beetroot and carrots
- Nutrient-dense snacks include nuts and seeds, as well as nut butters.
The key is to consume a healthy, balanced diet that is rich in nutrients. Because you have an ectomorph body type, this doesn’t mean you should use that as an excuse to eat everything, including junk food.
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