Did you know that your body type has a name? Body types, known as somatotypes, are specific classifications of body types, indicting your shape, and how your metabolic processes work. Each body type comes with different metabolic rates, caloric requirements, dietary guidelines, and training specifications based upon your specific goal. Somatotypes represent an amalgam of different lifestyle habits and dietary choices, combined with environmental and genetic factors.

If you look more like a marathon runner, swimmer, or describe yourself as lean and wiry, you are an ectomorph and it’s probably much more difficult for you to gain muscle mass and keep on healthy weight.

We’re going to talk more about the ectomorph body type, physical characteristics, nutrition tips, and how to gain more muscle to create the aesthetic and body you want.

What Is an Ectomorph Body Type?

Your body type—also known as your somatotype—influences how your body responds to training and nutrition. It impacts your metabolism, your capacity to gain muscle, and how easily you can lose or gain fat.

Ectomorphs are typically tall and slender, with long limbs, narrow hips, and lean muscle tone. Thanks to a naturally fast metabolism, ectomorphs often struggle to gain weight or build muscle—hence the nickname “hardgainers.”

Even though they can eat large amounts without noticeable changes, they are not immune to fat gain. A poor diet and lack of resistance training can lead to a “skinny fat” look—low muscle mass with increased visceral abdominal fat, which has been linked to increased cardiometabolic risk (Fox et al., Circulation, 2007).

The concept of body types (somatotypes) was first introduced by Dr. William Sheldon in the 1940s and later expanded in Atlas of Men (Sheldon, 1954), categorizing physiques into ectomorph, mesomorph, and endomorph.

Nutrition for Ectomorphs

Ectomorphs don’t usually struggle with losing fat—their challenge is gaining muscle and maintaining a caloric surplus long enough to support growth.

Step 1: Find Your BMR

Your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is the number of calories your body needs to support essential functions like breathing, organ function, and temperature regulation—even at rest. BMR typically accounts for 60–75% of your total energy expenditure (Manore, JAND, 2015).

👉 Use our BMR calculator to determine how many calories your body needs to stay alive and functioning.

Step 2: Calculate Your TDEE

Once you know your BMR, calculate your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE). This includes:

• BMR

• Exercise Activity (EA)

• Thermic Effect of Food (TEF)

• Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT)

Together, these factors represent the total amount of energy you burn daily. To gain weight, you need to eat more than your TDEE.

TDEE = BMR + Physical Activity (EA + NEAT) + TEF

👉 Use our TDEE calculator to determine your ideal daily caloric intake for muscle gain.

Eat More and Add Calorie-Dense Foods

Once you know your TDEE, focus on eating above it to create a caloric surplus. This doesn’t mean eating junk—it means eating strategically.

If you’re struggling to gain weight despite eating in a surplus, consider calorie-dense add-ons:

• Nut butters, oils, or high-calorie sauces (e.g., BBQ, tahini, peanut butter)

• High-calorie shakes between meals

• Drinking fruit juice instead of water

• Adding carbs and protein powders like Swolverine’s Clean Carbs and Whey Protein Isolate

Research shows that consuming frequent meals and liquid calories can significantly improve energy intake and weight gain in hardgainers (Jeukendrup & Gleeson, Sports Nutrition, 2018).

Ectomorphs should prioritize carbohydrates—both fast-acting (white rice, fruit) and complex (oats, sweet potatoes). These support muscle glycogen replenishment and anabolic hormone response, both essential for growth.

Training for Ectomorphs: How to Build Muscle

While being lean isn’t the issue, putting on size is. Ectomorphs should train using progressive overload—increasing volume or weight over time—to stimulate hypertrophy.

Here’s what your workouts should look like:

• 4–5 sets per exercise

• 8–10 reps per set

• Slow, controlled reps to increase time under tension

• Focus on compound movements (squats, presses, deadlifts)

Consistency in resistance training paired with a high-protein, high-calorie diet is most effective for ectomorphs looking to build lean muscle (Schoenfeld, Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 2010).

Key Supplements for Ectomorphs

Supplements won’t replace food, but they can support your gains:

• Whey Protein Isolate – Helps meet daily protein intake

• Clean Carbs – Delivers complex carbohydrates pre/post workout

• Creatine Monohydrate – Proven to enhance strength, recovery, and muscle mass (Kreider et al., Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 2017)

Ectomorphs What You Should Do

Being an ectomorph may come with the challenge of gaining muscle, but with the right approach—dialed-in nutrition, progressive training, and targeted supplementation—you can absolutely transform your physique.

If you're unsure where to start or struggling to put the pieces together, consider working with a certified coach.

👉 Book a free consultation with a coach at The Swole Kitchen

Ectomorphs. like other body types face their own specific challenges. If the goal is weight gain and building more muscle, that is. If you want to maintain size and strength, eating a well rounded healthy diet and being consistent in training, is important just as with any other body type. However, the work load to gain more muscle will be challenging, requiring a high caloric intake, slow and steady training progression, and being very consistent with your caloric surplus. With a high metabolism, your body will use food as your fuel rapidly, even when you eat more. That means, incrementally increasing calories over time, with dense foods and high caloric adds, like simple carbs, juice, and sauces, will help. If you have trouble, and can't seem to reach your goals, stop waisting time and hire a certified nutrition coach. 

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