Ectomorph workout?

budweiser90

Does anyone know any good websites for ectomorphs? I am trying to find a good workout routine for skinny guy but I keep getting different theories on what a good workout is.

Sometimes its lift 4-5 rep range, sometimes its 6-8, sometimes 8-12. Any skinny guys see results from sticking to a certain routine? I would be grateful if you could link me to a good site or post up a routine.

Also how often should I change my routine?

Doug Cartel

If you're just starting out then Starting Strength or Stronglifts 5*5 are good options because they're easy to understand.

Don't worry too much about being an ectomorph or whatever, just stick at one of those for a while while maintaining a good solid diet and see how you get on.

EdenHazard

Goal?

budweiser90

Thanks Doug, i'll give that a google.

EdenHazard,
I am trying to gain muscle mass. I am currently just over 11 stone and I am 5,11. I am in the process of bulking. I think I am sticking to my diet ok. Its more my workout.

Dermighty

You need to eat, eat, eat!

Resistance training will help but it's nutrition you need moreso.

EdenHazard

'gain muscle mass'-ss that was recommende is good but not optimal for that, you should start off 4 day split you should just eat eat eat, try eat decent enough, but nothing fancy just standard good food constantly.

Doctor_Socks

Post up your full diet for a typical day. I don't mean just your standard brekfast. lunch and dinner, I mean snacks and everything in between those meals aswell!

I was a skinny lad for ages when I was younger, was one of those lads who thought he could eat loads but not gain an ounce. Now that I look back on it I was eating sweet f*ck all!! I did the program starting strength a few years ago, not sure what my weight was but I remember I could see my rib cage which was a bad sign! I ate like a homeless man at a buffet as often as I could to help me consume as much calories as I could. After getting as far as starting strength brought I can say that i've a much better shape to me now then before!

Dermighty

Supplements help if you're having trouble eating a lot of large meals.

I have heard good things about Optimum Serious Mass



The servings are immense (about 3/4 of a protein shaker) and you don't have to take full servings every time, it's just a way to get good clean carbohydrates when you don't want to or have time to eat.

Obviously wholewheat pasta, sweet potatoes, brown rice and other foods like that are preferable. But just open your mind to the idea of supplements if you find the eating hard.

KickstartHeart

I used to be incredibly scrawny. There are so many annoying theories on 'ectomorph gaining'...

I went years of trial and error. I'll tell you what I found out.

It takes
1. Persistance
2. Food discipline
3. Routine

Lift normally, (3 sets of 10 or whatever. The usual), and build up strength in all your muscle areas. Keep fit as well. Cardio work. I'm going to get torn apart here for saying that, but I dont care I'm not speaking from theory I'm speaking from experience. I got best gains when jogging quite often and keeping fit. Get your STRENGTH (not size) up. After about a couple of weeks of getting up strength, then start lifting everything and working everything in 5 sets of 5 with high weight. Be getting at least 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight in in your diet per day. Good sources are those packets of nuts and stuff you can get in shops as a snack throughout the day. Drink milk with all your meals and for every pint of milk you drink drink a pint of water too. Chicken breasts. All sorts of meat. Be getting the protein in that you need. You need to be taking in food other than protein too. Eat high carb but healthy food. Brown breads, brown pasta, brown rice etc. ..and TRAIN LIKE HELL!

I don't have a link for a good workout regime, I just workout my own ways by using whatever exercises I feel like once I know I have worked the relevant muscles enough. But just google it and you'l find one. Do what it says, and then when you build up your strength, start lifting the way I suggested.

Also.... ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS! - LEGS! The muscles in your legs are THE BIGGEST producer of the hormones that trigger the body to grow, strengthen, and enlarge muscles after they have been worked out. DO NOT neglect your legs. Especially as an 'ectomorph', or in simple terms someone with a fast metabolism, you need all the help you can get.

Persistence persistence persistence. Keep at it. No matter how WRECKED you are and tired of the hardship of continuously fuelling yourself with boring food, keep at it. It will be a case of months before you'l see the results you want. Not weeks.

PERSISTENCE AND DO NOT COMPROMISE IN YOUR TRAINING. NO COPPING OUT

best of luck.

KickstartHeart

Dermighty wrote: »

Supplements help if you're having trouble eating a lot of large meals.

I have heard good things about Optimum Serious Mass



The servings are immense (about 3/4 of a protein shaker) and you don't have to take full servings every time, it's just a way to get good clean carbohydrates when you don't want to or have time to eat.

Obviously wholewheat pasta, sweet potatoes, brown rice and other foods like that are preferable. But just open your mind to the idea of supplements if you find the eating hard.

Yeah your'e right. I'd say to the original poster though, that mass gainers are very helpful. But they slow your metabolism down so much that you gain fat faster than homer simpson if you eat crap food. So unless your going to TOTALLY commit to eating completely healthy stay away from them. I found that out the hard way. (Still trying to get rid of the fat that came with the muscle I gained when on mass gainers for quite some time). I just get protein from my food, and also from some supplements. They can be handy to help you reach your protein needs each day. Whey after the gym. Casein before bed. And a mix in the morning with breakfast. Then throughout the day its all just from food. Dont come under the illusion that the supplement companies would like you to, that protein from supplements is better than protein from food. Its all protein, and in some cases protein from a good diet is of BETTER quality than whats in supplements. Supplements are to SUPPLEMENT, and to supplement only. Literally to supplement if you are in school, college, or work, and dont have time to be cooking chicken breasts or whatever every 2 hours.

Get stuck in lad. Keep at it and don't quit. Persistence

EdenHazard

KickstartHeart wrote: »

a link for a good workout regime, I just workout my own ways by using whatever exercises I feel like once I know I have worked the relevant muscles enough. But just google it and you'l find one. Do what it says, and then when you build up your strength, start lifting the way I suggested.

Also.... ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS! - LEGS! The muscles in your legs are THE BIGGEST producer of the hormones that trigger the body to grow, strengthen, and enlarge muscles after they have been worked out. DO NOT neglect your legs. Especially as an 'ectomorph', or in simple terms someone with a fast metabolism, you need all the help you can get.



best of luck.

Myth, but don't neglect legs because chicken legs looks dumb and good quads look sick strollin down magaluf in a tank top and shorts!! TBH look up scooby on youtube, the guy is in unreal shape is 50 years old and has a rounded opinion on bodybuilding, all his info is free, he just shares his knowledge and there is no catches, he just doesn't spout what he sees on bodybuilding.com or whatever. one things is his diets are extreme, but he makes it clear that having a ordinary diet while making smart choices(baked potato rather than chips, oatmeat rather than some carby crappy cereal) will see results(6 pack etc.) but his diet advice is just based on those really really serious to bodybuilding

Brian?

OP, forget mass gainers. They're mainly just expensive sugar. Eat lots of cows and cow based products. Work out your BMR, look that up in the stickies. Add 500kcals of pure cow to that and you have your new diet.

As or lifting, don't bother with anything as complicated as a 4 day split. Do 3 full body sessions a week. SS is grand, stronglifts 5x5 is also ok but a bastardisation of SS, Bill Starrs beginner 5x5 is great and Westside for Skinny Bastards is great.

Don't overcomplicate it, eat plenty of cow and concentrate on getting stronger. Forget this whoel endo/ecto/mesomorph carry on. You're skinny because you don't lift enough or eat enough.

deadlybuzzman

briankeating wrote: »

OP, forget mass gainers. They're mainly just expensive sugar. Eat lots of cows and cow based products. Work out your BMR, look that up in the stickies. Add 500kcals of pure cow to that and you have your new diet.

As or lifting, don't bother with anything as complicated as a 4 day split. Do 3 full body sessions a week. SS is grand, stronglifts 5x5 is also ok but a bastardisation of SS, Bill Starrs beginner 5x5 is great and Westside for Skinny Bastards is great.

Don't overcomplicate it, eat plenty of cow and concentrate on getting stronger. Forget this whoel endo/ecto/mesomorph carry on. You're skinny because you don't lift enough or eat enough.

this.
speaking as a former so called ectomorph(I believe that word to be a label undereaters use as an excuse) my problem was lifting too little weight for too many reps too often and not steadily increasing my food intake week on week on week.
when I did I grew

kevpants

budweiser90 wrote: »

Does anyone know any good websites for ectomorphs?

http://www.dominos.ie/

Pavel66

kevpants wrote: »

http://www.dominos.ie/

fcuking brilliant!

GoneShootin

Pavel66 wrote: »

kevpants wrote: »

http://www.dominos.ie/

fcuking brilliant!

with pint of milk with pack of fig rolls in bed before sleep!

Mellor

deadlybuzzman wrote: »

this.
speaking as a former so called ectomorph(I believe that word to be a label undereaters use as an excuse)

I agree that most ectomorphs just dont eat enough. But I don't think its an excuse. I imagine most of them aren't aware of what they should be eating.

deadlybuzzman

Mellor wrote: »

I agree that most ectomorphs just dont eat enough. But I don't think its an excuse. I imagine most of them aren't aware of what they should be eating.

I dont think theyre aware what they should eat either but I also believe that the label itself can be a self fulfilling prophecy and get out clause as to why someone cant get bigger leading them to give up if gains stall

KickstartHeart

EdenHazard wrote: »

Myth, but don't neglect legs because chicken legs looks dumb and good quads look sick strollin down magaluf in a tank top and shorts!! TBH look up scooby on youtube, the guy is in unreal shape is 50 years old and has a rounded opinion on bodybuilding, all his info is free, he just shares his knowledge and there is no catches, he just doesn't spout what he sees on bodybuilding.com or whatever. one things is his diets are extreme, but he makes it clear that having a ordinary diet while making smart choices(baked potato rather than chips, oatmeat rather than some carby crappy cereal) will see results(6 pack etc.) but his diet advice is just based on those really really serious to bodybuilding

Its not a myth in any way. Its how the body works. Hormones cause the body to do what it needs to do, whatever that is in whatever area. The hormones that are produced in the body regulate and control everything, via chemical reactions in the cells and tissues that the body sends the hormones to via the lymphatic system. There are so many different types of hormones. That's basic leaving cert biology.

When you exercise your body produces certain hormones to cause repair and growth of the damaged muscles. When you do compound exercises like squats etc. that exercise your legs, which have the most lean mass in your body, you obviously produces more of the hormones that cause your muscles to repair and recover, and repair larger and stronger, when you exercise more muscles. Thats basic. Not a myth. You cant argue with science. The more muscles you exercise the more of hormones for growth and repair there are pumped around your body and in your system. The legs account for a huge amount of the muscle in your body.

OP, it is not a myth. working all muscles, and not neglecting to work your legs, WILL cause more gains. Harness every opportunity your body gives you to keep those hormones flowin'

Hanley

KickstartHeart wrote: »

Its not a myth in any way. Its how the body works. Hormones cause the body to do what it needs to do, whatever that is in whatever area. The hormones that are produced in the body regulate and control everything, via chemical reactions in the cells and tissues that the body sends the hormones to via the lymphatic system. There are so many different types of hormones. That's basic leaving cert biology.

When you exercise your body produces certain hormones to cause repair and growth of the damaged muscles. When you do compound exercises like squats etc. that exercise your legs, which have the most lean mass in your body, you obviously produces more of the hormones that cause your muscles to repair and recover, and repair larger and stronger, when you exercise more muscles. Thats basic. Not a myth. You cant argue with science. The more muscles you exercise the more of hormones for growth and repair there are pumped around your body and in your system. The legs account for a huge amount of the muscle in your body.

OP, it is not a myth. working all muscles, and not neglecting to work your legs, WILL cause more gains. Harness every opportunity your body gives you to keep those hormones flowin'

This was played out at length and no one was able to provide back up to the theory.

Can you?

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056269819

KickstartHeart

Hanley wrote: »

This was played out at length and no one was able to provide back up to the theory.

Can you?

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056269819

No. I just paid attention in school and learnt from experience that working your legs accelerates muscle growth. The theory of it all that I learnt in school from biology, ended up being backed up by what I experienced when I put it to practice. Thats proof enough for me. Its no 'myth'.

Hanley

KickstartHeart wrote: »

No. I just paid attention in school and learnt from experience that working your legs accelerates muscle growth. The theory of it all that I learnt in school from biology, ended up being backed up by what I experienced when I put it to practice. Thats proof enough for me. Its no 'myth'.

That's not proof.

I wear shoes everyday, and I also brush my teeth daily.

Wearing shoes doesn't cause me to brush my teeth.

Doug Cartel

KickstartHeart wrote: »

No. I just paid attention in school and learnt from experience that working your legs accelerates muscle growth. The theory of it all that I learnt in school from biology, ended up being backed up by what I experienced when I put it to practice. Thats proof enough for me. Its no 'myth'.

You should give the thread a read.

KickstartHeart

Hanley wrote: »

That's not proof.

I wear shoes everyday, and I also brush my teeth daily.

Wearing shoes doesn't cause me to brush my teeth.

Thats completely ridiculous. Shoes and brushing your teeth have no relation.

However, a biology teacher explaining how muscle exercise and damage causes more production of hormones that basically 'tell' the muscles to rebuild stronger, and then working all muscles when I am training and seeing larger quicker amounts of gain, are very obviously related.

Why would I not believe something I got taught in school?

KickstartHeart

Doug Cartel wrote: »

You should give the thread a read.

Yeah I'll take a look later on when I get the chance.

Brian?

Can we leave the arguing about the hormonal response from squatting to other more appropriate threads, thanks. It's not really helping the OP much at this point.

Nervous Wreck

KickstartHeart wrote: »

Thats completely ridiculous. Shoes and brushing your teeth have no relation.

I think that's the point....

KickstartHeart wrote: »

However, a biology teacher explaining how muscle exercise and damage causes more production of hormones that basically 'tell' the muscles to rebuild stronger, and then working all muscles when I am training and seeing larger quicker amounts of gain, are very obviously related.

I think he's just suggesting that you don't blindly believe what you were told and research it to see if it's true. People have done and haven't been able to find proof.

KickstartHeart wrote: »

Why would I not believe something I got taught in school?

1st-3rd Year Science Class: "Yo, light can only ever travel in straight lines."

4th Year Science Class: "Lol, jk, it can actually bend and turn and shit."


That was when I started researching everything myself. School teaches you course-work.


EDIT:

briankeating wrote: »

Can we leave the arguing about the hormonal response from squatting to other more appropriate threads, thanks. It's not really helping the OP much at this point.

Woops, sorry.

Brian?

Nervous Wreck wrote: »

I think that's the point....



I think he's just suggesting that you don't blindly believe what you were told and research it to see if it's true. People have done and haven't been able to find proof.



1st-3rd Year Science Class: "Yo, light can only ever travel in straight lines."

4th Year Science Class: "Lol, jk, it can actually bend and turn and shit."


That was when I started researching everything myself. School teaches you course-work.

Ahem, see the warning above. I know it came a the same time as this post, so we'll leave it there ok?

KickstartHeart

Oh for gods sake. I dont care if some scientist haven't proven it. Whats wrong with saying from my experience when I was training hard and not training my legs that I had a hell of a lot less gains than I did when I was training my legs too, and that that fits in with the theory that I have been taught.

I'm just trying to give the OP a bit of advice. Not debate pointlessly about what are myths and what are not, whats proven and whats not. Whether I should believe teachers or not. My god. Back off. I shouldn't have bothered posting.

KickstartHeart

OP, Just eat a hell of a lot of high carb food but try keep it healthy. take in lots of protein, try get a gram of protein per pound of body weight in each day if not more. Train hard. keep training. lift heavy, lots of sets, small amounts of reps. Exercise everything. I don't have a study to show you, but from experience ive noticed that working out everything helps you gain more. Don't ask for a scientific explanation.