Am I an ectomorph, endomorph or mesomorph? Differences between somatotypes. And is this even relevant to address?

I'm sure all of us have at some point wondered how some people can go from dreamingst seemingly anything and not gain an ounce, while others expand their hips just by looking in the fridge. What is it that makes someone gain muscle from the first moment they set foot in the gym, and someone, on the other hand, toil for months before they start noticing the first changes in themselves? These differences are due to our different genes. Each of us has a different genetic makeup, which in practice translates to the fact that we all have talents and predispositions for something different.

In this context, we can talk about so-called somatotypes. These are used to categorize the human figure based on a few general criteria. Each somatotype has different strengths and different weaknesses, which in turn is reflected in how quickly we gain fat or gain muscle mass. In today's article, we will introduce the different somatotypes, focusing on their mainadvantages and disadvantages, and why we should be interested in dividing them into somatotypes in the first place.

What exactly is a somatotype?

Categorizing people according to their physical composition is not new. In fact, this idea was already explored by Hippocrates, who divided people according to the proportion in which their bodies contained blood, bile, black bile, and mucus. His work was followed by many psychologists, who often linked a person's physical characteristics to his or her personality traits. Today, the division used in the field of sport is that introduced in the first half of the last century by the American psychologist William Herbert Sheldon.His three somatotypes are divided primarily by body build (tall and thin, medium height, shortertaller and stocky), with each somatotype being talented for a different type of physical activity, according to Sheldon. This division is very popular to this day, and you'll encounter it especially in strength sports. In fact, it's when we gain muscle mass or lose weight that our biological predispositions come into full play.

Am I an ectomorph, a mesomorph or an endomorph?

If you've been involved in strength sports for a while, you've probably come across the labels for each somatotype. These are ectomorph, mesomorph, and endomorph. Each has its pros and cons, so it's impossible to say unequivocally which somatotype is best. However, for the purposes of strength sports, the mesomorph and endomorph have a definite advantage. Why? Let's break down each somatotype in detail.

Ectomorph

The first somatotype is the ectomorph. It is characterized by a tall stature, a low percentage of subcutaneous fat, small shoulders, long limbs and a smaller amount of muscle mass. Folk would describe an ectomorph as a skinny longhair. The ideal sport for an ectomorph would be high jump or endurance running. This is because he has no problem keeping his weight low, but on the other hand, he has to put in more effort to build muscle mass.

Mesomorph

Somewhere in the middle between the ectomorph and the endomorph stands the mesomorph. It is often said that mesomorphs have the ideal physique for most sports. As a rule, they don't have much subcutaneous fat but at the same time they have no trouble building muscle. Therefore, they can find employment on the track, in most team sports or even in bodybuilding. The mesomorph is, in short, a versatile athlete.

Endomorph

Shorter stature, broad shoulders, powerful joints, wider hips and a higher percentage of subcutaneous fat. This is also how we could describe an endomorph in a nutshell. One could say that it is the exact opposite of an ectomorph. He has no problem building muscle mass, but on the other hand he tends to gain subcutaneous fat rapidly. He is suitable for strength sports, but he can also be used in throwing balls or rugby.

None of us fall into just one category

If you weren't immediately clear which somatotype you fit while reading the previous paragraph, don't worry about it. In reality, no one falls into just one box. If that were the case, there would only be 3 character types walking around the world, which is obviously not the case. We all combine elements of each somatotype, but we never fit into just one category. Each somatotype represents a kind of "ideal", and each of us is far from it in a different way. It is therefore important not to get too caught up in your somatotype, because you would bem case, you might neglect some of your other strengths (and weaknesses).

Is there any point in dealing with your somatotype?

At this point, the question arises as to how relevant it is to the information about what somatotype you are. Frankly, I feel that the influence of one's somatotype is completely overestimated by many people unnecessarily. However, that doesn't mean that you can't benefit in any way from this information. If you can correctly assess your strengths and weaknesses, it can helpit will help you tailor your training and diet to best suit you. For example, ectomorphs generally prefer shorter workouts because they are more prone to fatigue. Endomorphs, on the other hand, have to be very careful to follow a diet and avoid frequent sinning, which, on the other hand, ectomorphs don't find so helpful.

Likewise, your somatotype can give you a clue as to what sport to take up. If you want to do something you are biologically suited to, it pays to be clear about which somatotype you are closest to. These are all things you would have come to sooner or later anyway, the perception of your biologicalyour biological predispositions in the context of all somatotypes will help you get a better picture of how you're doing compared to the rest of the population. If your dream is to become a professional bodybuilder, but you also know that you are an exemplary ectomorph, startingit should be clear to you that your peers are going to be naturally a little bit better off.

Somatotype is not a reason to make excuses

This brings us to the last and most important point of the whole article. Ultimately, it doesn't matter what somatotype you are. Because in strength sports, with enough effort and determination, you can overcome the vast majority of biological obstacles. Legends such as Frank Zane, Flex Wheeler or to a large extent Sylvester Stallone are beautiful examples that even an ectomorph can achieve admirable results in the field of bodybuilding. Likewise, being an endomorph doesn't mean you can't achieve perfectly sculpted abs and the perfect summer physique.

Somatotype should therefore never be used as an excuse. Nor should you let it deter you from your goals. Your peers may be better equipped to get stronger, but that doesn't mean you can't surpass them one day. But the reverse is also true. If you rely on the fact that you won't gain weight as an ectomorph because you have good genes, it can backfire badly. It is therefore good to know your somatotype, but on the other hand it is not advisable to get too carried away by it.

Summary in conclusion

The ectomorph, mesomorph and endomorph represent three somatotypes that are divided on the basis of a person's body structure. Each somatotype has different advantages and disadvantages, making them suited to different sports. Knowing which of these three categories you fall into can help you with your training and diet planning. Equally, it can help you become more aware of your strengths and weaknesses. But don't put too much weight on your somatotype, as it may not ultimately say anything. Your sporting successes and failures will always be primarily based on how hard and persistently you train.

That's all for today's article, but feel free to contact us in the comments if you have any questions.