3 Simple Bodybuilding Exercises For Ectomorphs

By James Kupe


Having bodybuilding success if you have an ectomorph body can be a real struggle if you don't have the right knowledge. Chances are that if you are reading this article, you are here because you not seeing the kind of results you'd like to see at the gym. We're going to start to fix that problem right now.


You are going to have to do something different to most of your gym buddies if you are ever going to overcome your body type. The first thing is to eat smaller meals, but eat more often. You should be consuming at least 3,500 calories per day if you want to gain weight and build muscle mass. Next, only train at the gym for one hour blocks, 3 days a week. To compensate, increase your workout intensity during that hour so you are totally exhausted when you are finished.

These two tips alone might solve all of your problems, but the type of exercise you do could ruin everything. Are you isolating your muscles or are you working several muscles at once per exercise? Now that you know you only have an hour to work out, isolation exercises are not an option. You need to focus on compound exercises, which require you to use several muscles at once. The 3 exercises below will greatly enhance the the results you are getting from your bodybuilding.

Exercise #1 - The Hammer Curl (Great For Arms)

This exercise is great for building your biceps and forearms. The starting position is feet shoulder-width apart, body relaxed and your back straight. With your arms lying at your side, hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing the body. Either alternatively or simultaneously, and without moving the position of your wrists, lift the dumbbells until they touch your shoulders. Hold for 5 seconds, then slowly lower your arms to your starting position.

Exercise #2 - Deadlift (Good For Multiple Areas)

The deadlift is a great exercise that works out the core, quads, hamstrings, and glutes. Stand in front of a dumbbell that is placed on its side. Keep your back straight and arms extended as you bend your knees down to grab the end of the weight. Stand back up while gripping the dumbbell until you are back to your original starting position. Hold and contract your muscles and then return the dumbbell to the floor in the same fashion as when you picked it up. Repeat.

Exercise #3 - The Bent Over Row (Shoulders, Back And Core)

The bent over row works the entire back, core, and shoulders. To start, hold a ten pound dumbbell in each hand with your arms extended in front of you. Slightly bend your knees and lean forward with your arms still hanging out. This is your starting position. Now lift the dumbbells up to your chest as you contract the muscles in both your back and shoulders. Hold and then slowly straighten your arms back out.

Bodybuilding for ectomorphs can actually be quite simple once you work out what you have been doing wrong. If you do exercises like these with intensity, eat the right amount of calories, and take regular rest breaks, you should be able to get that big bulky body you've been aiming for.




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