In constitutional psychology, the system developed by American psychologist William Herbert Sheldon in the 1940’s, the Ectomorph is classed as one of the three ‘somatotypes’, which Sheldon classed together because of both the physical and (apparently) psychological and temperamental traits they shared. As opposed to the Mesomorph (the most enviable of the three, for men, this somatotype is characterized by large bones, a solid torso, a high shoulder to hip ration and low fat levels) and the Endomorph (characterized by a pear shaped physique and high fat storage levels) the Ectomorph is said to be characterized by long, thin muscles and limbs and low fat storage.

In other words, if you’re considered whip-skinny by your peers, you’re probably an ectomorph. In extreme cases the shallow chest and receding chin of this somatotype can be cause for a lot of social insecurity. Ectomorphs also typically fall under the muscle building type of ‘hard gainer’, and upon entering into training programs have much more trouble getting and keeping any muscle on their skinny frames.

If you’re not satisfied to give up on the whole muscle thing and become a runner or cyclist, then don’t fool yourself - the road ahead is a hard one. That said, it’s a hard road that’s been travelled many times before, and among those who have travelled it are some of the most accomplished athletes in bodybuilding. Try googling ‘Frank Zane’, and you’ll find an ectomorph who actually used his skinny waist to advantage. It allowed him to create a more spectacular v-taper than any of his competitors, and gave him the top title in bodybuilding, the IFBB Mr Olympia, three times consecutively, from 1977 to 1979.

How did he do it? Well, back in the day, Frank’s nickname was ‘The Chemist’. He had a bachelor’s degree in science, and used every ounce of knowledge he could garner to aid his progress in training. Frank stuck with his training, and to a near perfect diet replete with tons of amino acids, and his efforts were handsomely rewarded. Fame and a fitness empire the popularity of which has endured to this day are two of those rewards.

Now, obviously it’s not the purpose of this article to suggest that you should approach your diet and training with the same level of seriousness as an aspiring Mr. Olympia. But the lessons you can draw from Zane’s accomplishment are manifold. In the beginning you’re going to have to force food into your stomach, and it’s not going to be fun. You’re going to have to push past the wall of your own appetite and stretch out your stomach lining to handle progressively more, as without those extra calories in your system, there’s no way you’ll be able to maintain extra mass.

You’re also going to have to pay special attention to form, as your skinny physique is likely accompanied by a week back and long legs that will be disadvantageous in exercises like the squat and the deadlift. You’re probably going to be more susceptible to injury than your average football-player meathead mesomorph, and you need to keep that in mind, starting new exercises with embarrassingly low weights to develop perfect form.

Learn to love these minor humiliations, as they’ll only make for a sweeter payoff when your light skeletal frame and small joints give you greater definition than that mesomorph could ever hope to achieve. Because of your longer muscles, you’ll also likely develop flexibility and agility more easily than the other somatotypes, so consider entering into sports like boxing and other martial arts once your strength and mass levels start to enter a zone you’re happy with.

There have of course been a plethora of books and guides written on the subject of how to get from a skinny to a muscular physique. Among the best is John Berardi’s excellent guide, ‘From Scrawny to Brawny’, which details his own long journey from weasel to wiseguy on the weightlifting floor. Once John has helped you through your weakest phase, take a look at the splendid e-book by renowned fitness athlete Vince Delmonte, ‘No-Nonsense Muscle Building’.

© Vince Delmonte www.VinceDelMonteReviews.com 2009. All rights reserved.