6 Weeks Ectomorph Training



If you are a hardgainer or a skinny guy looking to start your ectomorph training, or if your gym results have hit a plateau, check out this 6 weeks workout routine/workout for mass program by acclaimed fitness instructor Vince Del Monte.

For your convenience, I have summarized the main points of this video’s training routine below:

Ectomorph Training Overview

Intro:

  • Do this ectomorph training routine on Mon, Wed and Fri
  • Do 25 minutes of tempo cardio (75%) effort on Tues, Thurs and Sat
  • Take your body weight x 18 = daily calorie needs (click here to use a more specific calculation of your calorie needs)
  • Eat every 4 hours at least (I suggest 3 hours)
  • Meals: 45-50% carbs, 30 – 35% proteins, 20-25% fats

Ectomorph Training Exercises:

  1. Deadlifts
  2. Dumbbell flat bench chest press
  3. Front barbell squat
  4. Bent over barbell rows
  5. Standing military press
  6. Front plate wood choppers
  7. Chin ups
  8. Dips
  9. Back extension
  10. Reverse incline raises

Ectomorph Training Sets:

  • Weeks 1-2: 3×15, 30 sec rest
  • Weeks 3-4: 4X10, 60 sec rest
  • Weeks 5-6: 5×5, 90 sec rest

If you only have a short period such as 6 weeks to build muscle mass, then try this workout routine and stick with it.

Other Articles in this Series

- How to formulate your own bodybuilding workout routine
- Beginner gym workout routine
- 8 weeks ectomorph workout routine
- 9 weeks ectomorph workout for mass



ectomorph training





  • http://ectomorphworkout.org Shin Pottebaum

    I agree with your details, nice submit.

  • Karim

    Thanks for sharing this with us Wayne. I had a question regarding the workout plan though. Almost everywhere I read about workouts for ectomorphs, they said reps should be between 2-8 for maximum muscle growth. If that’s the case, then why are the first two weeks focusing on such high reps? Hope you can help me out on this, thanks! :)

    • http://ectomorphworkout.org Wayne

      Hey Karim!

      Good question there.The reps are set out this way because of Vince’s belief in the undulating periodization philosophy of training.Also also known as Variable Rep Training, undulating periodization is based on a very unique way of structuring the set, rep and rest protocols.

      Typically, the body adapts to the rep range the quickest, and the exercise selection the slowest. Hence, the point of undulating periodization is to change the rep range to inject variety into your workout and keep your muscles working.

      Anyway, would like to point out that 5-8 reps is the best for maximum muscle growth. Anything below 5 is more for absolute strength training or absolute myofibrilar hypertrophy – it will improve your absolute strength and nervous system firing efficiency but will do little to build muscles.

      Hope that answers your questions! :) Feel free to air any more doubts you have!

      Wayne

  • Drago

    Is this workout do your whole body? I kinda don’t understand why 5 sets of 5 reps only in the last 2 weeks. I mean like your reply to Karim in the comment section, you said it will “improve your absolute strength and nervous system….but will do little to build muscles”.

    • http://ectomorphworkout.org Wayne

      hey drago,

      you don’t have to do all these exercises in one day. It is just a list all the exercises Vince recommends.

      You could probably split the exercises into mon – chest, shoulders, triceps, wed – legs, fri – back and biceps.

      For the 5×5 routine, it’s because this program is based on undulating periodization. Programs that utilize periodization approach progressive overload in a different way.

      The emphasis of this program is not to merely achieve straightforward gains after every workout but rather on the cumulative gains after all phases. The basic idea is to change intensity and volume levels to prevent overtraining.

      -> So reps are changed (also because the body adapts to them the fastest).

      It starts off light/for endurance/sarcoplasmic hypertrophy (3×15), then medium intensity/both sarcoplasmic and myofibrillar (4×10) and then finally heavy training/myofibrillar hypertrophy (5×5).

      Hope this helps to clear your doubts! :)

  • Bp

    I’m confused do you think it is better to do the whole list of extrudes each day? Or just work each muscle group once a week?

    Thanks

    • http://ectomorphworkout.org Wayne

      Hey Bp! it’s is better to work each muscle group once a week. There’s no need to train all the exercises each day cos it’ll just lead to overtraining. Any more questions, feel free to ask! :)

  • Nikn

    Hi Wayne

    I assume that if you do not increase the heaviness of the weights that the workout will get “easier” from week 1 to week 6. Should the weights increase as training continues??

    How would this apply to exercises that dont involve weights such as dips or back extensions?

    Thanks!

    • http://ectomorphworkout.org Wayne

      Hi Nikn!

      Not necessary, you can progressively overload in many other ways – shorter rest periods, more reps, higher intensity etc. For a start, you could check out advanced ectomorph bodybuilding techniques.

      For this workout routine, you should increase the weight, because this workout routine utilizes the undulating periodization method – i.e few reps, heavier weights.

      • Kyle

        Hey Wayne, how much weight and when should you increase it? Like after every set you should go up 5 lbs, then then next week start off 10 lbs heavier then what you started the last week and increase by 5 lbs again?

        Thank you!

  • Lucas

    Im still a bit confused with the groups. I understand the need to workout certain muscle groups on a particular day. However I am so ignorant with the exercises that I dont know which groups are being exercised. True newbie :) Where can I find this stuff out?

  • luke

    hey wayne, what programm should i do after the 6 weeks one? thank you

  • JC

    What do you mean by tempo cardio?

  • stuzz

    Hi Wayne!

    Can you suggest another program that I can follow after this program? Thanks! :)

  • ryan

    hi wayne, I was just wondering, do you do all of this in supersets?for example doing deadlifts,immediately followed by db bench press then 30 seconds rest. because in the video vince mentions supersetting

  • dom

    hey wayne..how many pounds of weights should i use in doing this exercises.. i’m just a beginner.

  • Rodrigo

    Hey Wayne,I am a pure beginner and wanted to try this 6 week training to see how it goes. I was wondering… what would be the routine for the 6 week training? What specific exercises do I do each week? Do I do all those 10?

    Thank you very much. this website is SOO helpful.

    Best,

    Rodrigo

  • Gus

    Hey wayne, i was wondering which of the workout routines i should start doing so i can finally gain some muscle mass

    • Wayne07

      Hi Gus, you could start with the beginner gym workout routine on my site, and then move on to either one of the 8 weeks ectomorph workout routine or the 9 weeks ectomorph workout for mass

  • zee

    Hi Wayne,

    What order do you do these exercises in?  For example do you do 3 sets of deadlifts and then 3 sets of Dumbbell flat bench chest press and so on OR do do you one set of each exercise and then repeat the circuit?

    thanks,
    zee

  • Caleb

    Hi Wayne, i’m just curious, what if you don’t have a gym membership and want to do these workouts at home how would you work around that to do these workouts?