Fitness made for you
PT-designed routines and recipes.
Get real results without the high price tag.
In the 1940s, William Sheldon developed the concept of somatotypes, categories of body shape based on physique. The categories he proposed are ectomorph, endomorph, and mesomorph. Ectomorphs are typically categorized by long, lean bodies, fast metabolisms, and low body fat percentages.
These categories can also be applied to bodybuilder types. Their natural inclination towards one of the categories can affect their choice of bodybuilding routine. Therefore, if you are a bodybuilder, you could consider the group you fall into as you plan your bodybuilding exercises.
Due to their fast metabolisms, ectomorphs can have difficulty gaining and maintaining muscle mass. Hence, people with the ectomorph somatotype may need a plan with muscle-building workouts and supportive nutrition to achieve this goal. This article will provide guidance on an effective ectomorph workout plan and other considerations to help you reach your potential.
Workout Plan For Ectomorphs
This ectomorph workout plan is designed to help lifters build muscle strength and size. In combination with proper nutrition, this four-day-per-week workout plan will help you achieve your physique goals.
- Day 1: Chest And Triceps.
- Day 2: Back And Biceps.
- Day 3: Rest.
- Day 4: Quads And Hamstrings.
- Day 5: Shoulders And Calves.
- Day 6: Rest.
- Day 7: Rest.
With three rest days per week, there is some flexibility to suit your needs. Just make sure you get enough rest between workouts to recover fully.
Ectomorph Workout Plan
This 10-week ectomorph workout plan has four workouts per week and three rest days. It is a body-part split, ensuring plenty of rest for each major muscle group between workouts.
- Day 1: Chest And Triceps.
- Day 2: Back And Biceps.
- Day 3: Rest.
- Day 4: Quads And Hamstrings.
- Day 5: Shoulders And Calves.
- Day 6: Rest.
- Day 7: Rest.
The workouts will focus on hypertrophy and involve lifting moderate weights for moderate rep schemes. You can use trial and error to determine your starting weight or calculate your one-repetition maximum (1RM).
If you decide to use trial and error, select a weight that allows you to complete the listed reps to almost failure. The weight is too low if you can do more reps than what is listed. The weight is too high if you can’t reach the listed reps.
Your 1 RM is the maximum weight you can lift for one repetition with proper form. To focus on hypertrophy, you will use 60%–80% of your 1RM for the exercises.
Day 1: Chest And Triceps
Day one focuses on the chest and triceps muscles. The chest includes the pectoralis major and minor and the serratus anterior. These muscles are essential for pushing motions, like opening a door or pushing a shopping cart.
The triceps brachii is a large muscle on the back of the upper arm. It is responsible for straightening the elbow and bringing the arm back.
These workouts use moderate weights and loads to promote hypertrophy. Rest periods between sets should be kept relatively short to encourage building muscle.
| Exercises | Sets | Reps | Rest (between sets) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barbell Bench Press | 3 | 12 | 60–90 seconds |
| Incline Dumbbell Bench Press | 3 | 12 | 60–90 seconds |
| Dumbbell Fly | 3 | 12 | 60–90 seconds |
| Close-Grip Bench Press | 3 | 12 | 60–90 seconds |
| French Press | 3 | 12 | 60–90 seconds |
| Tricep Dips | 3 | 12 | 60–90 seconds |
Day 2: Back And Biceps
Day two targets the back and biceps. The back includes muscles like the latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, and trapezius. These muscles are important for posture and moving the arms.
The biceps brachii are the muscles on the front of your upper arm. They are responsible for bending the elbow and raising the arm in front of the body.
Strengthening the back muscles around the shoulder blades, like the middle trapezius, can be effective in combating poor posture. For example, the cable row (neutral grip) can activate the middle trapezius up to 64.5% of its maximum contraction. This suggests the row exercises below have similar activation rates and subsequent benefits.
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest (between sets) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bent-Over Dumbbell Row | 3 | 12 | 60–90 seconds |
| Wide-Grip Pull-Up | 3 | 12 | 60–90 seconds |
| Cable Reverse Grip Row | 3 | 12 | 60–90 seconds |
| Standing Barbell Curl | 3 | 12 | 60–90 seconds |
| Alternating Seated Dumbbell Curl | 3 | 12 | 60–90 seconds |
| Dumbbell Concentration Curl | 3 | 12 | 60–90 seconds |
Day 3: Quadriceps And Hamstrings
Day three focuses on the quadriceps and the hamstrings. The quadriceps are a group of muscles on the front of your thigh. They are responsible for straightening your knee and bending your hip.
The hamstrings are on the back of the thigh. They help to bend your knee and extend your hip behind the body.
Switching to your lower body gives your upper body some much-needed rest. Experts recommend 48–72 hours of rest per muscle group between workouts.
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest (between sets) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Squat | 3 | 12 | 60–90 seconds |
| Leg Press | 3 | 12 | 60–90 seconds |
| Hack Squat | 3 | 12 | 60–90 seconds |
| Stiff Leg Deadlift | 3 | 12 | 60–90 seconds |
| Leg Curl | 3 | 12 | 60–90 seconds |
Day 4: Shoulders And Calves
Day four targets the shoulders and the calves. The shoulders are made up of the deltoids, a three-part muscle that caps your shoulder joint. These muscles are responsible for moving your arm in all directions.
The calves are the large muscle group on the back of your lower leg. They are crucial for walking, standing, and pointing your toes.
Although the shoulders and calves are smaller muscle groups, incorporating exercises that target them into your bodybuilding routine is essential. To achieve a balanced physique, every major muscle group must be considered. This ectomorph workout plan is designed to build a pleasing, symmetrical appearance.
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest (between sets) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seated Dumbbell Press | 3 | 12 | 60–90 seconds |
| Seated Barbell Press | 3 | 12 | 60–90 seconds |
| Dumbbell Lateral Raise | 3 | 12 | 60–90 seconds |
| Barbell Shrug | 3 | 12 | 60–90 seconds |
| Standing Calf Raise | 3 | 20 | 60–90 seconds |
| Seated Calf Raise | 3 | 20 | 60–90 seconds |
Benefits Of An Ectomorph Workout Plan
This ectomorph workout plan has been optimized to build muscle size and strength. Below, we will review three of the most important benefits of an ectomorph workout plan.
Increased Muscle Mass
Resistance training develops muscle strength and size. People with the ectomorph somatotype may struggle with gaining and maintaining muscle mass due to their fast metabolism.
Combined with the proper nutrition outlined below, this ectomorph workout plan can help you pack on some lean muscle. This is especially helpful for those striving to achieve physique goals. Additional muscle mass can help you look more toned and defined.
Improved Athletic Ability
If you play a sport, resistance training can help you level up your performance.
Along with sport-specific training, resistance training improves strength, speed, and endurance at lower levels of competition.
Resistance training has been shown to benefit a wide variety of athletes, from power to endurance sports at a national level. Some examples include swimming, cycling, baseball, and soccer.
With elite international athletes, the results are less significant and more varied. Resistance training still benefits them, but a more advanced, tailored program may be necessary.
Reduced Risk Of Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis (brittle bones) is a worldwide epidemic, affecting 10 million people in America alone. Low muscle mass is one of the factors associated with a higher risk of developing this disease. Ectomorphs may be at greater risk because they tend to have less muscle mass and thinner frames.
There has been some promising data regarding resistance training and reducing the risk of osteoporosis. Building strength can maintain muscle mass as we age. Therefore, resistance training could be particularly useful to people with an ectomorph somatotype.
Tips To Get The Best Results
Diet
Diet is crucial to seeing results in this ectomorph workout plan. Due to their high metabolism, the ectomorph type may have difficulty gaining and keeping muscle mass. You need to properly fuel your body in addition to your workouts to build muscle.
To calculate daily caloric intake, an ectomorph lifter should aim for 20–25 times their body weight in pounds. For example, a 150-pound lifter would need between 3000 and 3750 calories daily.
Daily calories should be divided into 6–8 meals throughout the day, with one of the meals to be taken right before bedtime. Try to time some of these meals around your workouts to facilitate performance and recovery. You may need to supplement with a weight gainer drink, which would be included as one of your meals.
Eat every 2.5–3 hours to fuel your body with the necessary building blocks. Limit or avoid simple sugars as a source of calories.
Your macronutrient intake should follow these guidelines:
- Protein: 25%–30% of total calories.
- Carbohydrates: 50% of total calories.
- Fats: 20%–25% of total calories.
Choose lean proteins like chicken and fish. Prioritize lower glycemic carbohydrates like brown rice, whole grain bread, and pasta. These break down more slowly in the body and prevent blood sugar levels from spiking quickly. Finally, essential fats can come from olive oil, nuts, seeds, and fatty fish like salmon and mackerel.
Cardio
Be cautious if you want to incorporate aerobic exercise into your routine. While aerobic exercise benefits cardiovascular health, it can also burn calories your body needs to build muscle.
If desired, add 30 minutes of steady-state cardio in the morning or after your workouts. Keep your calorie balance in mind to ensure you’re working towards your muscle-building goals.
Conclusion
This 10-week ectomorph workout plan is designed to effectively build muscle size and strength. Understanding the ectomorph somatotype’s unique needs is key to achieving your desired physique.
Hypertrophy-based workouts and proper nutrition are essential to reaching your potential. Follow this guide to implement the ectomorph workout plan and reap the benefits today! content
Frequently Asked Questions
This will depend on the individual’s fitness goals. For the above muscle-building workout, you will exercise four days per week to build muscle size and strength.
Due to their fast metabolism, an ectomorph must balance their calorie intake with how much they burn. As a general guideline, 20–25 times their body weight in pounds is a good calorie intake baseline. Prioritize lean protein, whole grains, and healthy fats.
While aerobic exercise is good for cardiovascular health, it must be incorporated cautiously if muscle building is the goal. Ectomorphs can perform cardio, but they must keep in mind their fitness goals.
Ectomorphs don’t necessarily need more sleep than other somatotypes. A general guideline is 7–9 hours of quality sleep per night. This will assist with muscle growth and recovery.
Resources
Endomondo.com refrains from utilizing tertiary references. We uphold stringent sourcing criteria and depend on peer-reviewed studies and academic research conducted by medical associations and institutions. For more detailed insights, you can explore further by reading our editorial process.
- Schoenfeld, B.J., Grgic, J., Van, D.W. and Plotkin, D.L. (2021). Loading Recommendations for Muscle Strength, Hypertrophy, and Local Endurance: A Re-Examination of the Repetition Continuum. Sports, [online] 9(2), pp.32–32. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/sports9020032.
- Steele, J., Tomer Malleron, Itai Har-Nir, Patroklos Androulakis-Korakakis, Wolf, M., Fisher, J.P. and Halperin, I. (2022). Are Trainees Lifting Heavy Enough? Self-Selected Loads in Resistance Exercise: A Scoping Review and Exploratory Meta-analysis. Sports Medicine, [online] 52(12), pp.2909–2923. doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-022-01717-9.
- Nuzzo, J.L., Pinto, M.D., Kazunori Nosaka and Steele, J. (2023). Maximal Number of Repetitions at Percentages of the One Repetition Maximum: A Meta-Regression and Moderator Analysis of Sex, Age, Training Status, and Exercise. Sports Medicine, [online] 54(2), pp.303–321. doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-023-01937-7.
- Aurimas Kudzinskas and Callahan, A.L. (2023). Anatomy, Thorax. [online] Nih.gov. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK557710/#article-30085.s6.
- Alshammari, S.M. and Bordoni, B. (2023). Anatomy, Shoulder and Upper Limb, Arm Muscles. [online] Nih.gov. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK554420/#article-32383.s6.
- SCHOENFELD, B.J., CONTRERAS, B., KRIEGER, J., GRGIC, J., DELCASTILLO, K., BELLIARD, R. and ALTO, A. (2018). Resistance Training Volume Enhances Muscle Hypertrophy but Not Strength in Trained Men. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, [online] 51(1), pp.94–103. doi:https://doi.org/10.1249/mss.0000000000001764.
- Senna, G.W., Dantas, M., Estevão Scudese, Brandão, P.P., Lira, V.A., Baffi, M., Pereira, C., Simão, R., Thomas, E. and Bianco, A. (2022). Higher Muscle Damage Triggered by Shorter Inter-Set Rest Periods in Volume-Equated Resistance Exercise. Frontiers in Physiology, [online] 13. doi:https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2022.827847.
- Modes, R.J. and Sevda Lafci Fahrioglu (2023). Anatomy, Back. [online] Nih.gov. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK539746/#article-18088.s6.
- Alshammari, S.M. and Bordoni, B. (2023). Anatomy, Shoulder and Upper Limb, Arm Muscles. [online] Nih.gov. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK554420/#article-32383.s6.
- Titcomb, D.A., Melton, B.F., Miyashita, T. and Bland, H.W. (2022). Evidence-Based Corrective Exercise Intervention for Forward Head Posture in Adolescents and Young Adults Without Musculoskeletal Pathology: A Critically Appraised Topic. Journal of Sport Rehabilitation, [online] 31(5), pp.640–644. doi:https://doi.org/10.1123/jsr.2021-0381.
- Megumi, C., Lopes, C.R., Almeida, V.M., Neto, W.K. and Soares, E. (2023). Effect Of Different Grip Position And Shoulder- Abduction Angle On Muscle Strength And Activation During The Seated Cable Row. International Journal of Strength and Conditioning, [online] 3(1). doi:https://doi.org/10.47206/ijsc.v3i1.190.
- Bordoni, B. and Varacallo, M.A. (2023). Anatomy, Bony Pelvis and Lower Limb: Thigh Quadriceps Muscle. [online] Nih.gov. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK513334/.
- Rodgers, C.D. and Raja, A. (2023). Anatomy, Bony Pelvis and Lower Limb, Hamstring Muscle. [online] Nih.gov. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK546688/.
- Monteiro, E.R., Vingren, J.L., Corrêa, V.G., Neves, E.B., Steele, J. and Novaes, J.S. (2019). Effects of Different between Test Rest Intervals in Reproducibility of the 10-Repetition Maximum Load Test: A Pilot Study with Recreationally Resistance Trained Men. International journal of exercise science, [online] 12(4), pp.932–940. doi:https://doi.org/10.70252/rypo6126.
- Adel Elzanie and Varacallo, M.A. (2024). Anatomy, Shoulder and Upper Limb, Deltoid Muscle. [online] Nih.gov. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK537056/.
- Binstead, J.T., Munjal, A. and Varacallo, M.A. (2023). Anatomy, Bony Pelvis and Lower Limb: Calf. [online] Nih.gov. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK459362/#article-24167.s6.
- Currier, B.S., Mcleod, J.C., Banfield, L., Beyene, J., Welton, N.J., D’Souza, A.C., Keogh, J.A.J., Lin, L., Coletta, G., Yang, A., Colenso-Semple, L., Lau, K.J., Verboom, A. and Phillips, S.M. (2023). Resistance training prescription for muscle strength and hypertrophy in healthy adults: a systematic review and Bayesian network meta-analysis. British Journal of Sports Medicine, [online] 57(18), pp.1211–1220. doi:https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2023-106807.
- Makaruk, H., Marcin Starzak, Tarkowski, P., Sadowski, J. and Winchester, J. (2024). The Effects of Resistance Training on Sport-Specific Performance of Elite Athletes: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis. Journal of Human Kinetics, [online] 91, pp.135–155. doi:https://doi.org/10.5114/jhk/185877.
- Clynes, M.A., Harvey, N.C., Curtis, E.M., Fuggle, N.R., Dennison, E.M. and Cooper, C. (2020). The epidemiology of osteoporosis. British Medical Bulletin. [online] doi:https://doi.org/10.1093/bmb/ldaa005.
- Lee, K., Lee, J.Y. and Kim, Y.H. (2021). Low Grip Strength and Muscle Mass Increase the Prevalence of Osteopenia and Osteoporosis in Elderly Women. Healthcare, [online] 9(4), pp.476–476. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare9040476.
- Papadopoulou, S.K., Papadimitriou, K., Gavriela Voulgaridou, Evridiki Georgaki, Eudoxia Tsotidou, Zantidou, O. and Dimitrios Papandreou (2021). Exercise and Nutrition Impact on Osteoporosis and Sarcopenia—The Incidence of Osteosarcopenia: A Narrative Review. Nutrients, [online] 13(12), pp.4499–4499. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13124499.
- Arent, S.M., Cintineo, H.P., McFadden, B.A., Chandler, A.J. and Arent, M.A. (2020). Nutrient Timing: A Garage Door of Opportunity? Nutrients, [online] 12(7), pp.1948–1948. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12071948.
- Espinosa-Salas, S. and Gonzalez-Arias, M. (2023). Nutrition: Macronutrient Intake, Imbalances, and Interventions. [online] Nih.gov. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK594226/.
- Atkinson, F.S., Brand-Miller, J.C., Foster-Powell, K., Buyken, A.E. and Goletzke, J. (2021). International tables of glycemic index and glycemic load values 2021: a systematic review. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, [online] 114(5), pp.1625–1632. doi:https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/nqab233.
- Pinckard, K., Baskin, K.K. and Stanford, K.I. (2019). Effects of Exercise to Improve Cardiovascular Health. Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine, [online] 6. doi:https://doi.org/10.3389/fcvm.2019.00069.
About the Author
Tara Mitchell, DPT Doctor Of Physical Therapy
