# Training for Ectomorphs



## MFM (Jul 25, 2013)

All these years I've been told an ectomorph should be doing heavy low rep workouts to gain size. So this is what I've been doing for a considerable amount of years. Got a lot stronger, but not a lot bigger.

So in a bit to try something new, I decided to train more often and give a higher volume high rep workout a try, and not go to absolute failure like I used to. Well what I can say, it's doing wonders for me. I'm only two weeks in and there has been a considerable improvement. I've literally started filling out my shirts and I can't actually believe how quickly the gains are coming.

I think I got caught up in the numbers game where you always want to out press someone else or brag about how heavy your lifts are(not that mine were anything special anyway). Now that I've dropped the weight to get the higher reps done properly, I couldn't give a toss! As long as this progress continues and I continue to grow.


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## Ultrasonic (Jul 13, 2004)

It's great you're gaining and I'm happy for you, but I'm a bit confused. Since here you said:



MFM said:


> When I started out I had no clue about diet, only knew that I had to eat loads. So I did. I ate anything and everything and I grew. Fast! Surprisingly my body fat stayed low despite me eating takeaways and sh1t and the muscle gains came so quickly I had hideous stretch marks under my armpits.


Or is it that initially low rep gave you size increases but then stopped?

FWIW I now vary rep range between workouts, to combine the benefits of different types of training. Not saying this is perfect or anything, but I train whole body three times per week, doing 3x5, 3x8 and 2x15 on different days.


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## Dark sim (May 18, 2013)

MFM said:


> All these years I've been told an ectomorph should be doing heavy low rep workouts to gain size. So this is what I've been doing for a considerable amount of years. Got a lot stronger, but not a lot bigger.
> 
> So in a bit to try something new, I decided to train more often and give a higher volume high rep workout a try, and not go to absolute failure like I used to. Well what I can say, it's doing wonders for me. I'm only two weeks in and there has been a considerable improvement. I've literally started filling out my shirts and I can't actually believe how quickly the gains are coming.
> 
> I think I got caught up in the numbers game where you always want to out press someone else or brag about how heavy your lifts are(not that mine were anything special anyway). Now that I've dropped the weight to get the higher reps done properly, I couldn't give a toss! As long as this progress continues and I continue to grow.


What rep range was you working in and what did you change to?


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## MFM (Jul 25, 2013)

Ultrasonic said:


> It's great you're gaining and I'm happy for you, but I'm a bit confused. Since here you said:
> 
> Or is it that initially low rep gave you size increases but then stopped?
> 
> FWIW I now vary rep range between workouts, to combine the benefits of different types of training. Not saying this is perfect or anything, but I train whole body three times per week, doing 3x5, 3x8 and 2x15 on different days.


That was right in the beginning 10 years ago bud.


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## MFM (Jul 25, 2013)

Dark sim said:


> What rep range was you working in and what did you change to?


Went from 5-6 reps to now 10-15.


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## Dark sim (May 18, 2013)

MFM said:


> Went from 5-6 reps to now 10-15.


So you moved more in to a bodybuilding range. 5-6 is more for strength.

I never go below 8 reps.


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## nWo (Mar 25, 2014)

Just see how you go mate. Thing I've noticed about always training heavy and then switching to volume training like GVT or Serge Nubret/Vince Gironda type pump-training for a bit, is that the results are always great in the first couple of weeks but then they drop off. So whilst the muscle confusion/shock treatment theory was dispelled long ago I do believe that doing something entirely different once in a while can trigger a quick bit of extra growth.

I don't believe in somatotype-specific training tbh. All ectos should supposedly be training like powerlifters and endos like pro bodybuilders, but I've seen people doing vice versa and getting results.

As a large-framed ectomorph I should apparently respond best to full-body 5x5 type training, however my worst results came from a stint of it I did late last year. I respond best to training each muscle twice a week (an upper/lower type split for example), generally sticking with 6-12 reps. I do however respond best to low volume training and Yates style beyond-failure training is my mainstay.


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## Ultrasonic (Jul 13, 2004)

MFM said:


> That was right in the beginning 10 years ago bud.


That makes sense. To be honest the advice for low rep (pure 5x5 type) training I've only ever seen for beginners, and not particularly for ectomorphs.

It's great you've found what works for you now though


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## MFM (Jul 25, 2013)

> the results are always great in the first couple of weeks but then they drop off.


I need to be making some steady progress for a long time so I hope that won't be the case. Lol


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## Major Eyeswater (Nov 2, 2013)

I said:


> Thing I've noticed about always training heavy and then switching to volume training like GVT or Serge Nubret/Vince Gironda type pump-training for a bit' date=' is that the results are always great in the first couple of weeks but then they drop off. [/quote']
> 
> This ^
> 
> ...


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## MFM (Jul 25, 2013)

Major Eyeswater said:


> This ^
> 
> If you had been training high reps for years then switched to 5x5, there's a good chance you'd be here enthusing about how great it was for growth.
> 
> I did 2 years of full-body, 3x a week training, and made some incredible gains off it. Then I gave GVT a go, and it triggered a whole new growth spurt. Now I'm experimenting with 5x5


You're right mate, I'm ecstatic about the changes just because I can't remember if I've ever responded like this. I was beginning to think that because I've been training for so long the gains would just naturally come harder, but f*ck me, they stopped coming altogether. If the gains do slow, I will certainly try something else again as it seems the key to constant progress.


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## PHMG (Jun 15, 2010)

Do all rep ranges. Cover all bases.

My first working set is always a strength gauge one. 4 - 6 reps. Get that weight up no matter what. This keeps my strength in check. the the 3 sets after are all 8 - 12 reps, full contraction/stretch.

You could say that being strong doesnt make you big...but i've never seen a weak big guy. Maybe weak compared to power lifters, but that's specific training.


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## FelonE1 (Dec 23, 2013)

I'm an ecto and have always done high volume,lots of sets and it's worked for me.You need to be eating and eating mate.I'm eating 4090 cals atm and haven't put weight on this week.

Edit-I also do drop sets and paused sets.I do 6 exercises per large bodypart and 4 for smaller ones


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## MFM (Jul 25, 2013)

PHMG said:


> Do all rep ranges. Cover all bases.
> 
> My first working set is always a strength gauge one. 4 - 6 reps. Get that weight up no matter what. This keeps my strength in check. the the 3 sets after are all 8 - 12 reps, full contraction/stretch.


I've tried this and it made no real difference. It seems since I've moved away from the heavy lifts completely it's done the trick. For now.


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## Ultrasonic (Jul 13, 2004)

Gains become increasingly hard for everyone to achieve. This is why some form of periodisation becomes increasingly important, from something like the basic system I mentioned above through to something like PHAT.


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## Major Eyeswater (Nov 2, 2013)

PHMG said:


> Do all rep ranges. Cover all bases.


I think this is one of the most valuable training strategies. When I was doing full-body, it would be high rep once a week, medium once a week & heavy-low rep once a week.

Muscles are made up of lots of seperate components that all respond to different rep ranges - fast fibres are built with low reps, FOG fibres with high volume training, sarcoplasm & capillary volume with high reps. Makes sense to cover all bases - whether you mix it in a workout, rotate over the week or switch it over every few months.


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## PHMG (Jun 15, 2010)

MFM said:


> I've tried this and it made no real difference. It seems since I've moved away from the heavy lifts completely it's done the trick. For now.


Way i see it is like this.

You initially trained for strength that allowed you to lift heavier weights in the higher rep range, than if you hadnt have worked on the strength aspect to begin with.

You then train in the higher rep range making good gains because you can handle that weight correctly and focus on the target muscle a lot better.

Without another period of increasing strength or incorporating it into your training in some way, you may find that gains stall or slow right down. When this happens, get your stength up even higher again and re start the process.


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## Mclovin147 (Nov 11, 2013)

I agree with volume mate.

Spent 12 months training each muscle once a week. (4x10)

Chest improved twice as much in 2 months of twice a week, same routine.

Now doing 5x5, not too bothered about size, I want strength first...After all, you ain't never gonna look like a man if your lifting like a girl!

Once I get my bench, for example, up to 100KG 5x5 Il switch back to bodybuilding for a bit.

Although, the 4x10 didn't really put any size on me...I'm still small as fuark (65Kg) and have had people offer me 10Kg dumbells that they have been using because they thought I needed them, even though I DB press the 30Kgs lol (srs)

So I think my ideal size routine would be everything twice a week judging from the my chest experiment.


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## Ultrasonic (Jul 13, 2004)

Mclovin147 said:


> So I think my ideal size routine would be everything twice a week judging from the my chest experiment.


Have you tried three times per week yet? That's what an old school whole body routine would do.


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## Mclovin147 (Nov 11, 2013)

Ultrasonic said:


> Have you tried three times per week yet? That's what an old school whole body routine would do.


No haven't tried that mate.

5x5 wanted me squatting 3 times a week, but it was playing havoc with my knee, so I substituted Wednesdays Squat for another DeadLift session, and I'm keeping squats to Mondays & Fridays only.

So currently strength training everything twice a week, squat/deads/rows (Except chest and shoulders rotate between once or twice per week each week) and managing pretty well.

BB Rows have increased from 50Kg to 62.5Kg with no problems so far.


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## Ultrasonic (Jul 13, 2004)

Mclovin147 said:


> No haven't tried that mate...


Wasn't suggesting you did right now, just something to bear in mind for the future. As far as I can gather from the more experienced natties (not me!) the rough consensus is that three times per week is best to begin with, switching to twice per week later on. Three times per week is with lower volume per workout of course.


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