Ripped ectomorph but still skinny?
Discussion
How heavy do you have to weigh to stop looking skinny at 6ft1, or is there more to it than that?
Previously 10.4 stone I am now kissing 13 and with a very low body fat percentage, so I have a decent bit of muscle definition and nice V tapered body (made easy by my skinny hips).
Although I am still making gains and I look radically different to when I started, the problem is when I'm fully clothed I still look tall, lanky and shaped like a rectangle.
Will this ever end, or am I going to have to be 200lbs of pure muscle to look normal?
Is it just the fact I'm an ectomorph and I have a really skinny bone structure? My wrists, ankles and waist would embarrass a 13 year old girl.
I'm going to keep going the gym and making gains, but I dont know if I should just accept being skinny.
Previously 10.4 stone I am now kissing 13 and with a very low body fat percentage, so I have a decent bit of muscle definition and nice V tapered body (made easy by my skinny hips).
Although I am still making gains and I look radically different to when I started, the problem is when I'm fully clothed I still look tall, lanky and shaped like a rectangle.
Will this ever end, or am I going to have to be 200lbs of pure muscle to look normal?
Is it just the fact I'm an ectomorph and I have a really skinny bone structure? My wrists, ankles and waist would embarrass a 13 year old girl.
I'm going to keep going the gym and making gains, but I dont know if I should just accept being skinny.
Kelwxm said:
A lot of 6ft footballers weigh a stone less than you so more weight is not the answer.
I was thinking that too, 6"1, 13st with "low body fat" sounds like an awesome build (jealous!)Another way to look at it, Hugh Jackman is an inch taller and weighs the same!
Body dismorphia? post up a pic OP.
DuncanM said:
Kelwxm said:
A lot of 6ft footballers weigh a stone less than you so more weight is not the answer.
I was thinking that too, 6"1, 13st with "low body fat" sounds like an awesome build (jealous!)Another way to look at it, Hugh Jackman is an inch taller and weighs the same!
Body dismorphia? post up a pic OP.
Same height as you OP, but sitting at 15 1/2 stone. I'm the opposite to you in that I'm carry some timber around the gut; nothing too bad but a six pack is a good few months of training/diet away.
Fortunately most people think I'm 'big' and from what I can tell, it comes down to the shoulders. I'm blessed with naturally broad shoulders and a big chest, so it makes me look quite big.
There are far more knowledgeable blokes on here than me who can give you some sound advice, but for my two pennies worth:
Eat a lot - If you're keeping low BF with minimal effort then increase you calorie intake. I put a large amount of muscle on at the gym last year just through eating more (reasonably clean) and lifting.
Heavy ass weights - Military press, deadlifts etc; as much weight as you can lift to barely do ten reps. To get bigger shoulders, I swear by Shrugs. 40-50kg in each hand and do 3 x 20.
Fortunately most people think I'm 'big' and from what I can tell, it comes down to the shoulders. I'm blessed with naturally broad shoulders and a big chest, so it makes me look quite big.
There are far more knowledgeable blokes on here than me who can give you some sound advice, but for my two pennies worth:
Eat a lot - If you're keeping low BF with minimal effort then increase you calorie intake. I put a large amount of muscle on at the gym last year just through eating more (reasonably clean) and lifting.
Heavy ass weights - Military press, deadlifts etc; as much weight as you can lift to barely do ten reps. To get bigger shoulders, I swear by Shrugs. 40-50kg in each hand and do 3 x 20.
Beknown said:
the problem is when I'm fully clothed I still look tall, lanky and shaped like a rectangle.
What size clothes do you wear? ive started having to buy small/xsmall and I wouldn't consider myself skinny or ripped. But when I wear small clothes women stare at me (and also gay men).I think in order to look big whilst fully clothed, you have to be properly BIG for it to show.
Either that or start wearing clothes one size down. All my tee-shirts used to be really big and baggy but for no reason I got a bit fed up with them and started buying some a bit smaller. Makes a hell of a difference, especially if, as you say, you're already in decent shape.
Either that or start wearing clothes one size down. All my tee-shirts used to be really big and baggy but for no reason I got a bit fed up with them and started buying some a bit smaller. Makes a hell of a difference, especially if, as you say, you're already in decent shape.
Im 6ft 2 and 75 kg (so someway off 13 stone). I don't think I look skinny or look like a rectangle when clothed. Perhaps you have a funny mirror or a funny image of yourself?
Although 20 years of competitive swim training = quite thick lats, broad shoulders, decent chest and fatter triceps than biceps. But I am still fitting in to 28-30 inch waist speedos at the other end.
The cure for not looking like a drainpipe is to get slim/tailored shirts and buy decent t-shirts. I am not proud of it, but most of my T-shirts are Abercrombie or Holister simply because they fit properly. They fit the shoulders nicely and taper down to your waist instead of flapping around in the breeze like a busted tent.
I really like the kitschy t-shirts with cool 80's stuff on them... I have one with a big thundercats logo. I can't wear it anymore because a) it shrunk a little and b) while it fits the shoulders, due to a) its quickly looking like a crop top.... I can't bring myself to use it as duster though.
Plenty of other shops where I just can't buy anything. Ted Baker is perhaps the most disappointing casualty because I like their stuff. But if it fits the shoulders, I'd need a beer belly and weirdly short arms to make the rest of it fit, otherwise it looks like a tent with half-mast arms.
Although 20 years of competitive swim training = quite thick lats, broad shoulders, decent chest and fatter triceps than biceps. But I am still fitting in to 28-30 inch waist speedos at the other end.
The cure for not looking like a drainpipe is to get slim/tailored shirts and buy decent t-shirts. I am not proud of it, but most of my T-shirts are Abercrombie or Holister simply because they fit properly. They fit the shoulders nicely and taper down to your waist instead of flapping around in the breeze like a busted tent.
I really like the kitschy t-shirts with cool 80's stuff on them... I have one with a big thundercats logo. I can't wear it anymore because a) it shrunk a little and b) while it fits the shoulders, due to a) its quickly looking like a crop top.... I can't bring myself to use it as duster though.
Plenty of other shops where I just can't buy anything. Ted Baker is perhaps the most disappointing casualty because I like their stuff. But if it fits the shoulders, I'd need a beer belly and weirdly short arms to make the rest of it fit, otherwise it looks like a tent with half-mast arms.
OP, from the stats you've given, it sounds like you're in pretty good shape- particularly if you've got that V-shape and low body fat levels, which I presume means you have good ab definition. The only reason I can think why you're not happy, is you have some desire to be big and lumpy? If you're an ectomorph, that's not going to happen but then why would you want it to?
You see plenty of "big" heavy build blokes at the gym who have a big fat gut to match. They might envy your much more athletic frame like you might envy the fact they're big? (and who wants a fat gut?)
The chaps you see on the covers of Mens Health/ fitness etc are going to be nearer your stats than the 17st bloke with a 38 inch waist!
You've just got to work with what you've been dealt. As an ectomorph, muscle gains are harder but advantages are you can have a good athletic frame(with the effort) with low body fat which means better muscle definition. Endomorphs have the advantage of bulking up easily and benching/squatting lots and being "big" but they'll also have a tendency to lay down quite a high body fat percentage and will definitely struggle with the holy grail of beach abs!
With regards to training, every body type has its advantages and disadvantages ( pure mesomorphs definitely got dealt a good set of cards regarding advantages!)
Enjoy your training and the rewards!
You see plenty of "big" heavy build blokes at the gym who have a big fat gut to match. They might envy your much more athletic frame like you might envy the fact they're big? (and who wants a fat gut?)
The chaps you see on the covers of Mens Health/ fitness etc are going to be nearer your stats than the 17st bloke with a 38 inch waist!
You've just got to work with what you've been dealt. As an ectomorph, muscle gains are harder but advantages are you can have a good athletic frame(with the effort) with low body fat which means better muscle definition. Endomorphs have the advantage of bulking up easily and benching/squatting lots and being "big" but they'll also have a tendency to lay down quite a high body fat percentage and will definitely struggle with the holy grail of beach abs!
With regards to training, every body type has its advantages and disadvantages ( pure mesomorphs definitely got dealt a good set of cards regarding advantages!)
Enjoy your training and the rewards!
oceanview said:
As an ectomorph, muscle gains are harder
That's news, I thought all human muscle gain was regulated by the protein myostatin, not by some slightly silly somatotype description.Tall and lanky, short and wide - muscle size is limited by the amount of myostatin we're born with. How fast you grow up to your maximum size is governed by how you train, recover and eat.
popeyewhite said:
That's news, I thought all human muscle gain was regulated by the protein myostatin, not by some slightly silly somatotype description.
Tall and lanky, short and wide - muscle size is limited by the amount of myostatin we're born with. How fast you grow up to your maximum size is governed by how you train, recover and eat.
Muscle may well be attained at the same rate regardless of body type, but 1lb of muscle on a tall, skinny guy is going to look very different than on a short, stocky guy, no?Tall and lanky, short and wide - muscle size is limited by the amount of myostatin we're born with. How fast you grow up to your maximum size is governed by how you train, recover and eat.
First of all thank you for all the posts, I won't quote each one individually but here are some comments.
I use to look like a sucked up marathon runner and so obviously I'm extremely happy with my progress so far but as they say there is nothing worse than the over enthusiastic convert.
I'm not looking to be big I'm just looking to lose the skinny look, weirdly enough I still have some bony patches in-between the side of my ribs (under my arms).
Unfortunately I think it's down to genetics as no matter how hard I train I'm never going to get bigger hips and that is the limiting factor I think.
As for clothes, well I have to buy large shirts and T-shirts in order to fit me correctly in the shoulder. Then I make sure they are slim fit so they taper in however depending on the brand (Ted Baker) I take them to a tailor to reduce even further.
Cheap stuff like NEXT large slim fit T-shirts fit me perfectly though (I'll try Abercrombie or Holister so thanks for pointing that out).
My trousers have gone up from 30" to 32" although elastically stuff like boxers or jogging bottoms I still wear 30" - which is f
king tiny again considering how tall I am.
Anyway I think its hard to get a totally accurate image of yourself without seeing yourself on camera walking etc, standing in front of a mirror is not accurate I don't think.
Cheers for all the replies.
I use to look like a sucked up marathon runner and so obviously I'm extremely happy with my progress so far but as they say there is nothing worse than the over enthusiastic convert.
I'm not looking to be big I'm just looking to lose the skinny look, weirdly enough I still have some bony patches in-between the side of my ribs (under my arms).
Unfortunately I think it's down to genetics as no matter how hard I train I'm never going to get bigger hips and that is the limiting factor I think.
As for clothes, well I have to buy large shirts and T-shirts in order to fit me correctly in the shoulder. Then I make sure they are slim fit so they taper in however depending on the brand (Ted Baker) I take them to a tailor to reduce even further.
Cheap stuff like NEXT large slim fit T-shirts fit me perfectly though (I'll try Abercrombie or Holister so thanks for pointing that out).
My trousers have gone up from 30" to 32" although elastically stuff like boxers or jogging bottoms I still wear 30" - which is f
king tiny again considering how tall I am.Anyway I think its hard to get a totally accurate image of yourself without seeing yourself on camera walking etc, standing in front of a mirror is not accurate I don't think.
Cheers for all the replies.
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