Different muscle growth based on body type?
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jesselee10
Posts: 31 Member
Wondering if anyone knows if your body type (Ectomorph, Endomorph, mosomorph) relates to how you build muscle on your body? Specifically how high the muscle sticks up vs more flat. I recently found out some people grow muscle more close to bone and other people’s muscles are longer close to bone. Not sure the correct term. I have seen some lean people that work out regularly and don’t have those explosive muscles that stick out but are very strong. I have a body type that is prone to more fat and harder to gain muscle but have put some on and gained good strength. Interested though if I was to lose body fat, if my muscles would pop more. Seems that would be important if doing a bodybuilding competition.
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Replies
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Body type is not actually a thing that is meaningful to anything else except you appear a certain way.
Where the muscle attaches, as well as genetically if you have big muscle belly, as well as lifting style to emphasize hypertrophy or strength - that all is going to effect what shows when the fat is gone.
Very different lifting programs for body builders showing the muscle, to strength trainers using the muscle in max efforts.
That has more to do with your observation of flat compared to popping.
And natural versus doped.2 -
"Wondering if anyone knows if your body type (Ectomorph, Endomorph, mesomorph) relates to how you build muscle on your body?"
No it's complete woo, somatotypes have nothing to do with it.
Yes different people have different tendon attachment points and tendon length if that's what you refer to, flexing your bicep is a nice clear example, some people will have longer/shorter tendons and that does influence what your muscle look like when flexed. How many fingers you can put between your bicep and your elbow will vary between individuals.
People also respond differently to training but that's nothing to do with 'morphs.2 -
Yes thanks, tendon attachment is what I was thinking. I definitely can see it when people flex their biceps. I would think those people have an advantage in the body building competitions than those whose muscles are attached lower.
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jesselee10 wrote: »Yes thanks, tendon attachment is what I was thinking. I definitely can see it when people flex their biceps. I would think those people have an advantage in the body building competitions than those whose muscles are attached lower.
Any competitive athlete from bodybuilder to you name it that is competing on a relatively high level has a huge genetic component going on. Training only takes you so far...competitive athletes at a high level pretty much always have a high degree of natural ability that just needs to be harnessed with proper training.0 -
jesselee10 wrote: »Wondering if anyone knows if your body type (Ectomorph, Endomorph, mosomorph) relates to how you build muscle on your body? Specifically how high the muscle sticks up vs more flat. I recently found out some people grow muscle more close to bone and other people’s muscles are longer close to bone. Not sure the correct term. I have seen some lean people that work out regularly and don’t have those explosive muscles that stick out but are very strong. I have a body type that is prone to more fat and harder to gain muscle but have put some on and gained good strength. Interested though if I was to lose body fat, if my muscles would pop more. Seems that would be important if doing a bodybuilding competition.
If you have excess body fat overlying your muscles, and you do have muscle development, sure they'll show more if you lose some of the fat. Why bodybuilders lean out before competition, isn't it? But it depends on what appearance you're going for.1 -
I'm a Mesomorph if I train arms for a week the following week my muscles are bulging ,I look ripped and cut, the slightest movement and I appear like I'm flexing, I know it's ideal to some people but it's to me, as a female it sucks I don't want to look ripped, my sister is Mesomorph too, hardcore she doesn't even lift, but she's ripped, cut arms, six pack, visibly toned,.. guess it runs in the family...So not sure why folks are saying the types aren't real, they realistically are, very real.2
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Kaysmile012015 wrote: »I'm a Mesomorph if I train arms for a week the following week my muscles are bulging ,I look ripped and cut, the slightest movement and I appear like I'm flexing, I know it's ideal to some people but it's to me, as a female it sucks I don't want to look ripped, my sister is Mesomorph too, hardcore she doesn't even lift, but she's ripped, cut arms, six pack, visibly toned,.. guess it runs in the family...So not sure why folks are saying the types aren't real, they realistically are, very real.
Different individuals' bodies differ. They don't differ in the simplistic three packages of ways represented by the somatotypes. It's mix and match of characteristics in each individual human.
Further, the characteristics that are associated with each type can change over time. I used to be all soft and rounded (endomorph, the theory would claim). Now I'm pretty hard and rectangular (poof, I'm a mesomorph). Body composition and even "metabolism" can change.
If you develop a pump (appearance of being cut) from minor amounts of lifting, that can be a thing you consider true of you, without it validating the silly theory that there are three time-invariant types of bodies/constitutions. It wouldn't be surprising if your sister, who shares some genetics with you, had some characteristics similar to yours.
Really, debunked - other than as sort of a simplistic metaphor.6 -
There is truth to it, whether you want to believe it or not, the OP does and I do too. My body has all the characteristics of a Mesomorph body type, sure I can deny it, and deny the whole theory but why? And Ofcourse
There's no body typing system that can match, exactly every single human body as this or that, obviously, however on a broad scale, similarities can be seen. I've never had to work to have muscle definition, underweight,average weight and now overweight I have it, and I'v always remained w/ muscle definition. Body type system has help me know why that is, and it helped me come to terms with my athletic build, instead of trying to avoid it, I allow it to work for me, I stopped trying to get a curvy figure, and im just trying to now, achieve my best body.
-Body typing is a fitness tool, if someone can relate to the characteristics and find use in it, whats the problem? And also, respectfully, who cares if another person thinks its real or not?
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Kaysmile012015 wrote: »There is truth to it, whether you want to believe it or not, the OP does and I do too. My body has all the characteristics of a Mesomorph body type, sure I can deny it, and deny the whole theory but why? And Ofcourse
There's no body typing system that can match, exactly every single human body as this or that, obviously, however on a broad scale, similarities can be seen. I've never had to work to have muscle definition, underweight,average weight and now overweight I have it, and I'v always remained w/ muscle definition. Body type system has help me know why that is, and it helped me come to terms with my athletic build, instead of trying to avoid it, I allow it to work for me, I stopped trying to get a curvy figure, and im just trying to now, achieve my best body.
-Body typing is a fitness tool, if someone can relate to the characteristics and find use in it, whats the problem? And also, respectfully, who cares if another person thinks its real or not?
Many people are new to this subject, vulnerable to misinformation. This is a support site. When I consider what I kind of support I prefer, I prefer to hear opinions that give me a well-rounded view of what others think and know, pro and con. I want science-validated information, to the extent possible.
Personally, if it's a topic I care about, I want to follow up cases where I'd believed something (or not known much about it so didn't really know) to learn the real story. I appreciate it when someone says a thing is debunked or a myth, so I can check it out. When I do research, my focus is not so much on validating what I currently believe; it's also about giving critics' views a fair hearing.
No one needs to accept my opinions because I assert them. There's no reason I shouldn't state them, just as you stated yours.7 -
Somatotyping is bunk. Do you even know who developed it? It wasn't a physiologist. It was a psychologist BASED on nude photos taken way back. So think about this. If someone was skinny growing up, but now obese, do you deem their obese body as endomorph? Because in the beginning they were ectomorph. Look a Kirstie Alley for example. What is her somatotype?Kaysmile012015 wrote: »There is truth to it, whether you want to believe it or not, the OP does and I do too. My body has all the characteristics of a Mesomorph body type, sure I can deny it, and deny the whole theory but why? And Ofcourse
There's no body typing system that can match, exactly every single human body as this or that, obviously, however on a broad scale, similarities can be seen. I've never had to work to have muscle definition, underweight,average weight and now overweight I have it, and I'v always remained w/ muscle definition. Body type system has help me know why that is, and it helped me come to terms with my athletic build, instead of trying to avoid it, I allow it to work for me, I stopped trying to get a curvy figure, and im just trying to now, achieve my best body.
-Body typing is a fitness tool, if someone can relate to the characteristics and find use in it, whats the problem? And also, respectfully, who cares if another person thinks its real or not?
You CAN'T change your structure. Bone length, muscle insertion, frame structure are all set. When someone tells me they can't lose weight because they are "big boned" or an "endomorph" I have to roll my eyes inside. The fitness and diet industry has all these "tags" so people can be LURED into a certain type of training or diet to MAKE MONEY. Sorry if you don't want to believe that as the truth, but it is. Having done this for over 35+ years, I've seen it all. And every couple of years a NEW selling fad happens. Right now it's gut biome and keto. The fitness industry is creative and it has to be to make billions of dollars a year.
Accept it or not, but hopefully others that read it won't feel they are catagorized into a type.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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Some people have more fast twitch muscle fibers while others have more slow twitch (genetic). People with more fast-twitch fibers may gain more growth faster. I have two sons, two years apart (18 and 20) - both workout hard, and my younger (with even less work put in) can put on "muscle" much faster than his older brother, although the oldest is stronger. Not sure about the whole endo/ecto/eso morph thing, like others have mentioned.1
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This is true. Women tend to carry more "slow twitch" fibers then men, hence their adaptability to cardio based exercise is usually easier.coffee_n_weights wrote: »Some people have more fast twitch muscle fibers while others have more slow twitch (genetic). People with more fast-twitch fibers may gain more growth faster. I have two sons, two years apart (18 and 20) - both workout hard, and my younger (with even less work put in) can put on "muscle" much faster than his older brother, although the oldest is stronger. Not sure about the whole endo/ecto/eso morph thing, like others have mentioned.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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Somatotyping is bunk. Do you even know who developed it? It wasn't a physiologist. It was a psychologist BASED on nude photos taken way back. So think about this. If someone was skinny growing up, but now obese, do you deem their obese body as endomorph? Because in the beginning they were ectomorph. Look a Kirstie Alley for example. What is her somatotype?Kaysmile012015 wrote: »There is truth to it, whether you want to believe it or not, the OP does and I do too. My body has all the characteristics of a Mesomorph body type, sure I can deny it, and deny the whole theory but why? And Ofcourse
There's no body typing system that can match, exactly every single human body as this or that, obviously, however on a broad scale, similarities can be seen. I've never had to work to have muscle definition, underweight,average weight and now overweight I have it, and I'v always remained w/ muscle definition. Body type system has help me know why that is, and it helped me come to terms with my athletic build, instead of trying to avoid it, I allow it to work for me, I stopped trying to get a curvy figure, and im just trying to now, achieve my best body.
-Body typing is a fitness tool, if someone can relate to the characteristics and find use in it, whats the problem? And also, respectfully, who cares if another person thinks its real or not?
You CAN'T change your structure. Bone length, muscle insertion, frame structure are all set. When someone tells me they can't lose weight because they are "big boned" or an "endomorph" I have to roll my eyes inside. The fitness and diet industry has all these "tags" so people can be LURED into a certain type of training or diet to MAKE MONEY. Sorry if you don't want to believe that as the truth, but it is. Having done this for over 35+ years, I've seen it all. And every couple of years a NEW selling fad happens. Right now it's gut biome and keto. The fitness industry is creative and it has to be to make billions of dollars a year.
Accept it or not, but hopefully others that read it won't feel they are catagorized into a type.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
There are different of obese body shapes and types, so No, if a person becomes obese they don't become ENDO they remain what they are just with more fat, Either way I believe in aspects of body types, even if its been "bunked" as I stated it was, and is a useful tool for me, And personally I would never train with a trainer that wouldnt acknowledge my body type, but hey, that's just me.1 -
Kaysmile012015 wrote: »
Somatotyping is bunk. Do you even know who developed it? It wasn't a physiologist. It was a psychologist BASED on nude photos taken way back. So think about this. If someone was skinny growing up, but now obese, do you deem their obese body as endomorph? Because in the beginning they were ectomorph. Look a Kirstie Alley for example. What is her somatotype?Kaysmile012015 wrote: »There is truth to it, whether you want to believe it or not, the OP does and I do too. My body has all the characteristics of a Mesomorph body type, sure I can deny it, and deny the whole theory but why? And Ofcourse
There's no body typing system that can match, exactly every single human body as this or that, obviously, however on a broad scale, similarities can be seen. I've never had to work to have muscle definition, underweight,average weight and now overweight I have it, and I'v always remained w/ muscle definition. Body type system has help me know why that is, and it helped me come to terms with my athletic build, instead of trying to avoid it, I allow it to work for me, I stopped trying to get a curvy figure, and im just trying to now, achieve my best body.
-Body typing is a fitness tool, if someone can relate to the characteristics and find use in it, whats the problem? And also, respectfully, who cares if another person thinks its real or not?
You CAN'T change your structure. Bone length, muscle insertion, frame structure are all set. When someone tells me they can't lose weight because they are "big boned" or an "endomorph" I have to roll my eyes inside. The fitness and diet industry has all these "tags" so people can be LURED into a certain type of training or diet to MAKE MONEY. Sorry if you don't want to believe that as the truth, but it is. Having done this for over 35+ years, I've seen it all. And every couple of years a NEW selling fad happens. Right now it's gut biome and keto. The fitness industry is creative and it has to be to make billions of dollars a year.
Accept it or not, but hopefully others that read it won't feel they are catagorized into a type.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
There are different of obese body shapes and types, so No, if a person becomes obese they don't become ENDO they remain what they are just with more fat, Either way I believe in aspects of body types, even if its been "bunked" as I stated it was, and is a useful tool for me, And personally I would never train with a trainer that wouldnt acknowledge my body type, but hey, that's just me.
So you would only work with a trainer that spouted bro-science nonsense about something that has no backing in science and has been thoroughly debunked by the scientific community?9 -
cwolfman13 wrote: »Kaysmile012015 wrote: »
Somatotyping is bunk. Do you even know who developed it? It wasn't a physiologist. It was a psychologist BASED on nude photos taken way back. So think about this. If someone was skinny growing up, but now obese, do you deem their obese body as endomorph? Because in the beginning they were ectomorph. Look a Kirstie Alley for example. What is her somatotype?Kaysmile012015 wrote: »There is truth to it, whether you want to believe it or not, the OP does and I do too. My body has all the characteristics of a Mesomorph body type, sure I can deny it, and deny the whole theory but why? And Ofcourse
There's no body typing system that can match, exactly every single human body as this or that, obviously, however on a broad scale, similarities can be seen. I've never had to work to have muscle definition, underweight,average weight and now overweight I have it, and I'v always remained w/ muscle definition. Body type system has help me know why that is, and it helped me come to terms with my athletic build, instead of trying to avoid it, I allow it to work for me, I stopped trying to get a curvy figure, and im just trying to now, achieve my best body.
-Body typing is a fitness tool, if someone can relate to the characteristics and find use in it, whats the problem? And also, respectfully, who cares if another person thinks its real or not?
You CAN'T change your structure. Bone length, muscle insertion, frame structure are all set. When someone tells me they can't lose weight because they are "big boned" or an "endomorph" I have to roll my eyes inside. The fitness and diet industry has all these "tags" so people can be LURED into a certain type of training or diet to MAKE MONEY. Sorry if you don't want to believe that as the truth, but it is. Having done this for over 35+ years, I've seen it all. And every couple of years a NEW selling fad happens. Right now it's gut biome and keto. The fitness industry is creative and it has to be to make billions of dollars a year.
Accept it or not, but hopefully others that read it won't feel they are catagorized into a type.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
There are different of obese body shapes and types, so No, if a person becomes obese they don't become ENDO they remain what they are just with more fat, Either way I believe in aspects of body types, even if its been "bunked" as I stated it was, and is a useful tool for me, And personally I would never train with a trainer that wouldnt acknowledge my body type, but hey, that's just me.
So you would only work with a trainer that spouted bro-science nonsense about something that has no backing in science and has been thoroughly debunked by the scientific community?
If this is the way they see it, No I wouldn't work with the trainer. Lots of trainers acknowledge body type, (some I follow on social media) so ill just pick one that does, no need to debate it after the fact.1 -
Kaysmile012015 wrote: »cwolfman13 wrote: »Kaysmile012015 wrote: »
Somatotyping is bunk. Do you even know who developed it? It wasn't a physiologist. It was a psychologist BASED on nude photos taken way back. So think about this. If someone was skinny growing up, but now obese, do you deem their obese body as endomorph? Because in the beginning they were ectomorph. Look a Kirstie Alley for example. What is her somatotype?Kaysmile012015 wrote: »There is truth to it, whether you want to believe it or not, the OP does and I do too. My body has all the characteristics of a Mesomorph body type, sure I can deny it, and deny the whole theory but why? And Ofcourse
There's no body typing system that can match, exactly every single human body as this or that, obviously, however on a broad scale, similarities can be seen. I've never had to work to have muscle definition, underweight,average weight and now overweight I have it, and I'v always remained w/ muscle definition. Body type system has help me know why that is, and it helped me come to terms with my athletic build, instead of trying to avoid it, I allow it to work for me, I stopped trying to get a curvy figure, and im just trying to now, achieve my best body.
-Body typing is a fitness tool, if someone can relate to the characteristics and find use in it, whats the problem? And also, respectfully, who cares if another person thinks its real or not?
You CAN'T change your structure. Bone length, muscle insertion, frame structure are all set. When someone tells me they can't lose weight because they are "big boned" or an "endomorph" I have to roll my eyes inside. The fitness and diet industry has all these "tags" so people can be LURED into a certain type of training or diet to MAKE MONEY. Sorry if you don't want to believe that as the truth, but it is. Having done this for over 35+ years, I've seen it all. And every couple of years a NEW selling fad happens. Right now it's gut biome and keto. The fitness industry is creative and it has to be to make billions of dollars a year.
Accept it or not, but hopefully others that read it won't feel they are catagorized into a type.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
There are different of obese body shapes and types, so No, if a person becomes obese they don't become ENDO they remain what they are just with more fat, Either way I believe in aspects of body types, even if its been "bunked" as I stated it was, and is a useful tool for me, And personally I would never train with a trainer that wouldnt acknowledge my body type, but hey, that's just me.
So you would only work with a trainer that spouted bro-science nonsense about something that has no backing in science and has been thoroughly debunked by the scientific community?
If this is the way they see it, No I wouldn't work with the trainer. Lots of trainers acknowledge body type, (some I follow on social media) so ill just pick one that does, no need to debate it after the fact.
Lots of trainers suck...also, there's this thing called science.8 -
Lol, I would acknowledge if someone was overweight, or obese. And I get it. You're stuck with gym broscience in your head and it may be hard to unlearn. I've had clients like that who were resistive to learning. Things like "breakfast is the most important meal of the day" or "post workout meal" fallacies that were really nothing more than hype. Whenever you're ready for some science based truth, you can always hit me up. But no hard feelings.Kaysmile012015 wrote: »
Somatotyping is bunk. Do you even know who developed it? It wasn't a physiologist. It was a psychologist BASED on nude photos taken way back. So think about this. If someone was skinny growing up, but now obese, do you deem their obese body as endomorph? Because in the beginning they were ectomorph. Look a Kirstie Alley for example. What is her somatotype?Kaysmile012015 wrote: »There is truth to it, whether you want to believe it or not, the OP does and I do too. My body has all the characteristics of a Mesomorph body type, sure I can deny it, and deny the whole theory but why? And Ofcourse
There's no body typing system that can match, exactly every single human body as this or that, obviously, however on a broad scale, similarities can be seen. I've never had to work to have muscle definition, underweight,average weight and now overweight I have it, and I'v always remained w/ muscle definition. Body type system has help me know why that is, and it helped me come to terms with my athletic build, instead of trying to avoid it, I allow it to work for me, I stopped trying to get a curvy figure, and im just trying to now, achieve my best body.
-Body typing is a fitness tool, if someone can relate to the characteristics and find use in it, whats the problem? And also, respectfully, who cares if another person thinks its real or not?
You CAN'T change your structure. Bone length, muscle insertion, frame structure are all set. When someone tells me they can't lose weight because they are "big boned" or an "endomorph" I have to roll my eyes inside. The fitness and diet industry has all these "tags" so people can be LURED into a certain type of training or diet to MAKE MONEY. Sorry if you don't want to believe that as the truth, but it is. Having done this for over 35+ years, I've seen it all. And every couple of years a NEW selling fad happens. Right now it's gut biome and keto. The fitness industry is creative and it has to be to make billions of dollars a year.
Accept it or not, but hopefully others that read it won't feel they are catagorized into a type.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
There are different of obese body shapes and types, so No, if a person becomes obese they don't become ENDO they remain what they are just with more fat, Either way I believe in aspects of body types, even if its been "bunked" as I stated it was, and is a useful tool for me, And personally I would never train with a trainer that wouldnt acknowledge my body type, but hey, that's just me.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
6
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