It is not very uncommon for ectomorphs also known as "hardgainers" to get frustrated and discouraged when they start trying to gain weight, and muscle mass. As an ectomorph our body requires a completely different set of rules when working out. This is mainly because our muscles are much more sensitive to strain and tend to breakdown more quickly, as well as taking longer to heal.

In order for an ectomorph workout to be effective, we need to tailor it for the way that our body functions and handles muscle strain. The following are 5 quick and easy tips to remember that will help you to start gaining that muscle mass.

Time is of the essence

An ectomorph workout has to allow for more rest time than time spent in the gym. It has been shown in numerous studies that an ectomorph's body responds better to workout sessions that last no longer than an hour, 4-5 times a week.

Stick to Compound

Since we only have about an hour to workout, it is important that we are able to hit as many muscle fibers within the targeted groups as possible. The more fibers that are worked the better the results. It is for this reason that you need to stick with compound movement exercises such as:

-Barbell Curl

-Military Press

-Bench Press

-Squats

-Clean and Press

Longer Strain = Better Gains

With an ectomorph workout, you should include exercises or exercises variations that will allow your muscles to be under stress for a longer period of time. The reason for this is that a study was done and it showed that an ectomorph's muscles were made up of mostly fast twitch type 2A muscle fibers. These muscle fibers are more for endurance and therefore produce much better results when placed under stress for a longer period of time. In order to help us achieve this in the gym we can include things like:

-Drop Sets

-Partials

-Supersets