The Mesomorph Series: The Ultimate Lean Bulk Plan
By Martin Ebner, Head PT and Sports nutrition specialist at Ebylife
Mesomorph: A person with a medium frame who can build muscle easily and has more muscle than fat on their body. Example: Halle Berry (stay with me!)
Metamorph: A mutant who is able to alter their physical appearance and therefore mimic virtually any known person. Example: Mystique.
If you're not a fan of the X-Men franchise, my apologies. But whenever I hear the term "mesomorph," I can't help picture the scene in X-Men II when Mystique, disguised as Colonel Stryker, shouts, "We have a metamorph loose, it could be anybody!" As much as I would love to wax poetic about metamorphic mutants or metamorphic rocks, such as marble and quartz, this blog is going to focus on the "mesomorphic" body type.
Body Types
The three most common body types, or "somatotypes," are mesomorph, ectomorph, and endomorph. Understanding the three body types with their different body compositions, body shapes, bone structures, and metabolic rates helps nutritionists and personal trainers design effective, personalized workout routines and meal plans. However, these are broad generalizations and should be taken with a grain of salt. After all, Dr. William Sheldon, who first conceived of the somatotypes to examine the relationships between physical characteristics and disease, also believed that they could be used to explain and, worse, predict criminal behavior!
Ectomorph: Ectomorphs are long, wiry, and slender, generally finding it difficult to gain muscle mass. This body type tends to have a high metabolism and are often fashion models, basketball players, and professional swimmers. Society may glorify these individuals, however, some male ectomorphs may wish to be more broad-chested, and some female ectomorphs may wish for more feminine curves. And if they have an unhealthy diet and/or sedentary lifestyle, ectomorphs may actually gain weight. This, unfortunately, will most likely manifest as belly fat, leaving their arms and legs on the thinner side. Brad Pitt in Fight Club, Bruce Lee, Kate Moss, and Cameron Diaz are some famous ectomorphs.
See: The Skinny Guy Series: How to Maximize Muscle Building
Endomorph: The endomorph body type tends to have higher levels of body fat, build muscle easily, and gain weight easily. Think heavy-weight boxers and American Football linemen. They're usually heavier and rounder people. They don't have to necessarily be overweight. Jennifer Lopez, Marilyn Monroe, Mike Tyson, and Tom Hardy as Bane in Batman are classic examples of Endomorphs.
Mesomorph: Mesomorphic bodies are athletic, solid, and strong. They're generally not overweight or underweight and they can gain or lose weight without too much effort. Their rectangular shape and upright posture positions them between the skinny ectomorph and the rounder, stockier endomorph. Mark Wahlberg, football (soccer) superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, Madonna, and Janet Jackson are mesomorphs you may have heard of.
See: Male Body Types: How best to train, eat and supplements for your body type
A Healthline.com article lists other mesomorphic characteristics as:
square-shaped head
muscular chest and shoulders
large heart
muscular arms and legs
even weight distribution
Lower body fat percentage
By the way, before discussing your mesomorph body type with folks, you might want to check if they're fans of Dr. William Sheldon. He believed that mesomorphic people are more prone to aggression, but lack sensitivity and inhibition, which, and I swear I'm not making this up, leads to delinquency and criminal behavior. Ah, how the times have changed!
Mesomorph Diet Plan
Mesomorphs may have no trouble eating what they want, as weight loss is not usually challenging for them. On the flip side, they may gain weight just as readily. Mesomorphs who are trying to stay trim may consider this characteristic a disadvantage. They are more prone to weight gain even though they tend to have low body fat levels. Since overindulging is easier than counting calories, a mesomorph's body weight may increase before they realize it.
Assuming you're not imprisoned for delinquency or criminal behavior, you can choose a healthy diet that's divided evenly between the macronutrients carbs, protein, and healthy fats. This balanced diet approach allows Mesomorphs to eat a moderate amount of carbohydrates without wreaking havoc on their blood sugar levels, while still replenishing their muscles' glycogen stores. This level of protein intake will also ensure that you have the proper building blocks for post-workout muscle repair and muscle growth.
Obviously, you can’t change your body type by eating a certain diet. However, knowing your body type can help you fine-tune your eating habits to support your fitness goals. Since they tend to have a higher muscle mass, mesomorphs may need more calories than the other body types, but it’s a delicate balance. And since mesomorphs may gain and lose weight easily, they tend to do better on higher-protein diets with less emphasis on carbohydrates, hence the "thirds" approach. It works by visualizing your plate divided into three areas of roughly equal size, and filling each with one of the following food groups:
One-Third Protein: Protein intake promotes post-workout muscle repair and muscle building. Good choices include:
Eggs
White meats
Fish
Beans
Lentils
Greek yogurt or other high protein dairy products
One-Third Fruits and Vegetables: Everyone, regardless of the three body types, should get plenty of fruits and vegetables. Choose whole fruits and vegetables with skins instead of processed varieties that contain added sugar or salt. Whole produce contains fiber, antioxidants, and phytochemicals that help support a healthy immune system and muscle repair. Good choices include:
Berries
Apples
Pears
Oranges
Cauliflower
Green beans
Broccoli
Asparagus
Brussels sprouts
Sweet potatoes
One-Third Whole Grains and Healthy Fats: Whole grains help you feel full, are also protein sources, and complete a meal. Fats are just as important, but choosing healthy fats is very important. Good choices include:
Quinoa
Brown rice
Oatmeal
Coconut oil
Olive oil
Avocado
Nut and/or seed butters
Almonds
Cashews
Pistachios
Pumpkin seeds
Sunflower seeds
How Much? If you are serious about your fitness goals and want to bulk up, I can't stress enough the advantages of consulting a personal trainer. Besides helping you design your training routine and guiding your training sessions, they can help you design a solid diet plan. Consult your gym staff for references or search online for qualified local trainers.
If you don't utilize a gym or just for curiosity, The Mayo Clinic has a wonderful tool to help you determine your caloric needs. Remember that more muscle means more calories needed to fuel those muscles. And if you’re working out regularly, you’ll need to time your eating in such a way that you optimize your energy and post-workout recovery. Eating small snacks before and after exercise routines can help.
As far as protein intake is concerned, The National Academy of Sports Medicine recommends mesomorphs should get between 0.5 and 1.0 grams per pound of bodyweight depending on the intensity of one's exercise plan. So if you are trying to gain muscle through bodybuilding and weight training, supplementing your protein intake with protein powder may be in order.
Still not sure how to eat your way to a strong Lean physique? Don’t worry, we’ve put together a fully comprehensive Lean bulk-up diet plan for Mesomorphs.
Lean BULK diet plan for Mesomorphs
Welcome to Lean BULK for Mesomorphs. The perfect meal plan for men with a medium-sized body shape looking to pack on some serious lean muscle whilst minimizing fat gain.
What’s included in the plan:
✔ A fully comprehensive 7-day food plan (To be repeated until you reach your ideal weight and/or results).
✔ 8 Delicious Lean muscle-building recipe suggestions.
✔ A carefully calculated daily macronutrient split and precise measurements to maximize lean muscle growth whilst minimizing fat gain for Mesomorphs.
✔ A delicious and highly effective post-workout smoothie recipe for EXTRA gains!
✔ Supplement recommendations.
The file is in PDF format and is compatible with all phones, computers, and tablets.
Strength Training
Strength training is a specific type of training that helps you build muscle mass and become stronger. It can be guided by a personal trainer and follows a specific long-term plan towards a goal. Those with a mesomorph body type have a natural edge with muscle mass and build muscle readily. Unfortunately, as mentioned earlier, they can also gain weight without much effort. For this reason, mesomorphs are encouraged to include some cardiovascular exercises in their exercise plans as well.
Weight training: Weight training is training with weights to improve general health, build muscle and help meet fitness goals. Mesomorphs are made for weight training and generally adapt to weight lifting without difficulty. They may do well with weight training up to five days a week. However, it can be easy for them to overtrain, so take care not to overdo it.
Mesomorphs are naturally strong because their muscles are thick and dense. Lifting moderate to heavy weights, with limited rest in between sets (30-90 seconds), five days a week is ideal to stimulate muscle growth. As a general rule, perform 1 set of heavyweights with low repetitions (3-6 reps) and 3-4 exercises of medium weight with moderate repetitions (8-12 reps) for each muscle group every workout.
Switching up your weight training routine by using slightly higher reps with lighter weights and adding in body-weight exercises can encourage full-body strength and stamina. If you are bulked up enough and looking to maintain your muscle mass, this is one option that can be included in your plan to improve and encourage more complete health and fitness results.
Cardio: As great as weight lifting is for mesomorphs, they should also include some form of cardiovascular exercise in their exercise plan to stay lean. Ideally, mesomorphs are better served by high-intensity interval training (HIIT) over steady-state cardio. Steady-state cardio is a cardio workout with a continuous, steady effort, such as running on a treadmill or riding a stationary bike. HIIT on the other hand alternates short periods of intense anaerobic exercise with short recovery periods. HIIT will boost your metabolism which again, can provide better results in far less time.
What makes high-intensity interval training so effective is the "excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC) that occurs. With HIIT, you'll continue burning calories long after you've completed your cardio workout. Think of it as an after-burn effect. When you work out at high intensity, your muscles continue to consume energy after exercise to restore normal metabolic function. The more oxygen that is used, the greater your energy expenditure. Beware, though, like with weight training, HIIT can be very taxing on your body and may lead to overtraining if done too frequently.
The great thing about HIIT is that you can do it at home, outdoors or in the gym. This quick but not-so-easy workout requires no equipment and also helps target the upper body (especially the chest and shoulders):
Push-ups (20 seconds)
Rest (10 seconds)
High knees (20 seconds)
Rest (10 seconds)
Mountain climbers (20 seconds)
Rest (10 seconds)
Push-ups (20 seconds)
Rest (10 seconds)
Jump squats (20 seconds)
Rest (10 seconds)
Plank jacks (20 seconds)
Rest (10 seconds)
Rest (10 seconds)
Push-ups (20 seconds)
Rest (10 seconds)
This heart-pumping circuit takes just four minutes and can be repeated as many times as you like. For a full workout, I recommend 4-6 rounds! It can also be done anytime, anywhere. The key is to work at a high enough intensity.
For a more intense HIIT workout, the following regimen uses dumbbells and works all the major muscle groups. Do each exercise for 20 seconds, then rest for 10. Do each exercise for 8 rounds and a total of 4 minutes. Then rest for 2 minutes and move onto the next exercise. Your after-burn will cause your body to keep burning fat for hours after you've collapsed from exhaustion!
Squats naturally increase growth hormone, which boosts overall testosterone levels for faster muscle growth. Holding the weight in front makes the move more stable and helps you master proper technique.
Stand with feet set wider than shoulder-width and hold a dumbbell with both hands in front of your chest. Sit back into a squat, keeping the dumbbell in the same position then drive back up and repeat.
Single-Arm Dumbbell Row (20 seconds each)
This exercise works your upper body, especially your back. It strengthens your biceps, shoulders, and can be used to even out strength imbalances. Lower the weight slowly, keeping your muscles under tension while concentrating on contracting your back muscles during every rep.
Keeping your arm straight, place your right hand against a flat bench under your shoulder. Rest your right knee on the bench and step your other leg out to the side. Lift the dumbbell off the floor with your left hand bringing it up towards your chest until your upper arm is parallel with the floor and your elbow is near your butt. Keep your chest still as you lift. At the top of the movement, squeeze your shoulder and back muscles. Lower slowly back to the floor and repeat. Switch hands and repeat.
One Arm Dumbbell Swing (20 seconds each arm)
This exercise can be done with a kettlebell also. It combines momentum and muscle control to target your hamstrings and glutes. But, with proper form, this move will also activate your lower back, quadriceps and shoulders.
Stand with feet slightly wider than shoulder-width. Hold the dumbbell in your right hand, with the arm straight down in front of your body. Bend your knees with the dumbbell between your legs. Vigorously thrust your hips forward, and propel the dumbbell up and straight out to shoulder height. Vigorously thrust your hips forward to start the next swing. Keep your eyes looking straight ahead for the duration of this exercise. Switch hands and repeat.
Working one leg at a time wipes out muscle imbalances, ramps up your calorie burn and boosts testosterone levels. Focus on keeping your knees stable to minimize your risk of injury.
Stand upright with dumbbells at your side, palms facing your body. Lunge forward as far as you can with your right leg, bending your trailing knee so it almost brushes the floor. Use the heel of your right foot to push your upper body back to the starting position. Repeat with the opposite leg.
The incline activates your front deltoids (shoulders) and also targets the stubborn upper chest muscles to ensure that your pecs are even. Less is more with this exercise. Smoother reps with lighter dumbbells are better than "going for broke!" This allows for greater muscle growth of the upper chest when the exercise is performed regularly.
Lie back on a bench set to a 30 to 45-degree angle and push the weights up to shoulder height, palms facing away from you. Breathe out as you press up with both arms. Stop just before Locking out your arms and squeeze your chest before returning slowly to the start position. As you lower the dumbbells, your elbows should come down at roughly a 45-degree angle to your torso. Keep your elbows pointing to the floor, not splayed out to the sides, pointing toward the side of the room.
This is a multi-joint exercise that engages your core and upper body. The instability created when you enter a 3-point position with one arm off the ground engages your core while working your back, shoulders, triceps, and biceps.
Get into a plank position with your hands on the handles of two dumbbells, feet a little wider than shoulder-width apart. Keeping your core tensed, pull the right dumbbell up towards your armpit keeping your elbow pointed up and back. Do not rotate your hips. Then return to the starting position and repeat with the left dumbbell to complete one rep.
As beneficial as HIIT training can be for maintaining a lean physique, if it’s not your thing, don’t panic! It’s much more important and beneficial for long-term results to find something that you enjoy and can stick to. I’m a mesomorph myself and while I do love a good HIIT workout, 90% of the time, I favor a conventional strength training workout plan with complimentary steady-state cardio sessions.
See: Cardio Vs Strength Training: Before, After, or Separate Days?
Takeaways
Mystique is cool, but she's not a mesomorph.
Mesomorphs are athletic, solid, and strong.
Mesomorphic people can readily gain or lose weight.
They can bulk up with weight training.
A balanced diet of protein, fruits and vegetables, and whole grains and healthy fats is recommended.
Mesomorphs tend to need to include cardio to avoid gaining body fat.
William Sheldon, God bless him, would've been glad to see that you're not a criminal.
