The men's fitness blog

Those uneducated in the ways of fitness probably imagine that muscle mass building is extremely straightforward and formulaic. Wrong! I can tell you now that this is not the case, not by a long shot! :-) ... Big improvements in muscle mass and strength take weeks or months. On top of this, you must balance a number of factors if you want to see your muscle mass build up.

Here are the three main body types along with their primary features to help you identify yourself:

Endomorphs typically have round faces and a larger frame with wider hips. Endomorphs put on fat easily due to their slower metabolism. On the flip side, they also have the advantage of naturally fast muscle weight gain and tend to be naturally strong. Endomorphs usually find it hard to achieve the "ripped" muscular look - even though the muscle may be there, their tendency to easily store fat can hide it. So Endomorphs have to be especially strict in their diet, cutting down their fat intake significantly.

Ectomorphs are naturally slim and skinny with little natural strength. If this describes you, then you can probably identify wih being able to eat pretty much anything you want without gaining much fat. This is due to a fast metabolism. Unfortunately, this also means that you will find it harder to gain muscle too. Ectomorphs typically also have small appetites. If your are an Ectomorph and you are already muscle strength training techniques and body building routines to try and gain mass, but you are seeing little progress, don't worry. This is common for your body type - and the most important advice for you is to remember to eat regularly, even if you don't feel hungry; this is the secret of weight and muscle gain for Ectomorphs. Protein drinks and other supplement are highly recommended for Ectomorphs, since these are easier to consume than normal meals.

Mesomorph have a v-shaped body with wide shoulders and narrower hips. They tend to be naturally muscular and athletic, with normally a lower percentage of body fat than Endomorphs. These genetic advantages mean that Mesomorphs can see very fast muscle weight gain compared with Endomorphs and Ectomorphs.

You may find yourself fitting exactly into one of these categories; but more likely you will have a mix of body characteristics, with a leaning toward one of the three types. If you don't have Mesomorph characteristics, it's not the end of the world - there are many other factors that influence the rate at which you can build muscle mass. Therefore, an understanding of the type of body you have will help you immensely in creating a plan for the ideal workout routines and nutritional programs that will help you to build muscle mass and strength.