By Dr. Davide Marciano
Why are some subjects able to significantly increase their muscle mass while training and nutrition are equal, while others have no significant results?
This depends on multiple factors, including the body structure, generally classified into three basic somatotypes : mesomorphic, endomorphic, ectomorphic.
However, they represent the simplification of as many as 76 different categories. Furthermore it is very difficult to find a subject that exactly matches one of these three basic somatotypes.
For this reason, other intermediate categories were born that we can outline in:
meso - endomorphic and meso - ectomorph.
Basic somatotypes
It has a perfect physique, characterized by considerable muscle mass and a low percentage of fat. These subjects are suitable for all sports and psychologically they are very active and committed.
Hard to find Hard-gainers in this category, although some have difficulty growing their lower limb muscles.
Bumping into a pure mesomorph is very difficult and most of the time they are able to increase muscle volume while maintaining a low percentage of fat with "any" training.
Having a formidable genetic potential, I am a little wary of changing their usual training in favor of a periodization, even if the latter could prevent them from having a stalemate in the results that sooner or later they will have during their sporting life.
It accumulates fat very easily, in fact, it has a high percentage of body fat. They have curved and narrow shoulders, a rounded physique with a protruding abdomen. Usually they are very expansive.
These subjects are usually quite strong (fat overload acts as a weight and makes them stronger), some instead are Hard-gainers with obesity problems.
On this somatotype many urban legends were born without any scientific foundation. You could write a book about the nonsense you see them doing or the advice that the usual instructors give. Therefore it is better that we debunk some myths:
- It is completely useless if not harmful to do bodybuilding exercises at supersonic speed. Do you think you burn more? No, it's the opposite !;
- In addition to the marathons you do on the treadmill (which leave the time they find), try putting some muscle and your basal metabolism will skyrocket.
C) ECTOMORFO:
He is the hard-gainer par excellence; tall, thin, a small bone structure, with an almost non-existent musculature and a very low percentage of fat. Generally they are very nervous, irritable and introverted.
This category will have to sweat a lot to get results in the gym, but with the necessary precautions and armed with a lot of patience the results will come. Logically, having an accelerated metabolism the training session must be even more rarefied and based solely and exclusively on multi-joint exercises.
Intermediate somatotypes
A) MESO - ECTOMORFO:
This somatotype has features of both meso and ectomorph although, most of this category tends more towards the ectomorph. The percentage of fat is still low and the upper limbs are more muscular than the lower ones which have considerable difficulty growing.
B) MESO - ENDOMORFO:
In this case we find ourselves between the mesomorph and the endomorph. They have a good muscular structure but with a high fat percentage especially in the abdominal area. The famous love handles are typical of this category and the shoulders are slightly curved.
The somatotype
