If you’re trying to achieve an hourglass figure or a bigger butt, chances are you’re an ectomorph. Of the three body types, ectomorph, endomorph, and mesomorph, the ectomorph is the slimmest. “Low fat genetics” or “low muscle genetics” are generally associated with this body type.

muscle genetics

If you have low muscle genetics, it’s very easy to overgrow your muscles. If you overtrain your muscles, or if you don’t pay attention to nutrition at all, you could be causing your muscles, and therefore your butt, to get even smaller. This is known as the catabolic state. It is a state that your body enters during or immediately after exercise. If your workout takes long enough for your body to run out of energy, you will go into a catabolic state, and your body will begin to break down muscle tissue to make up for this lack of energy. If you are trying to lose weight, this would not be a big problem as you will also burn a lot of fat in this state. However, if your goal is to have a bigger butt, you won’t want this. After all, we want our bodies gain weight.

Now, ectomorphs who have trouble gaining weight or trying to achieve an hourglass figure don’t necessarily have “real” undermuscled genetics. It is genetic for a high metabolism, resulting in difficult mass gain. When you have a high metabolism and don’t eat enough (healthy) fats, you’re much more likely to constantly live in a catabolic state where you’re always burning fat and muscle and never achieving a curvaceous figure. So, we come to the rules.

1. DO NOT exercise for more than 45 minutes.

If you are only concerned with the butt area, even 25 minutes is enough.

The reason you shouldn’t do this is to avoid going into the catabolic state and to avoid damaging your muscles beyond the point where you can effectively recover within 48 hours (your next workout). Your exercise should be short, but heavy. And don’t worry, “heavy” sounds scary, but it’s not as troublesome as it sounds. Just a few power sets before you get on with your day.

2. Don’t do strenuous cardio.

Stick to strength training. For the same reason as the previous one: avoid entering a catabolic state. Running, biking, all those activities will make you lose weight and therefore lose butt.

3. Have a nutritious post-workout meal ready.

Don’t wait too long to eat carbohydrates (preferably fruit or juice) and sufficient amounts of protein after your workout. The catabolic state occurs when energy is depleted. So, don’t use up all your energy by exercising for too long, and when you’re done, replenish your energy as soon as possible!

4. Try not to run out of energy at all – eat plenty of healthy fats and proteins

Eat lots of good fats, like avocado, olive oil, coconut. Why fat? Fats take longer to break down and contain more energy per gram than protein and carbohydrates. Eating healthy fats in fair amounts throughout the day provides you with a steady source of energy that prevents you from going into a butt-burning catabolic state. So while fats take care of energy needs for daily activities, protein intake will make sure your muscle continues to grow.

5. If you are not an ectomorph

If you’re not an ectomorph, but just someone with a flat butt, you probably have a case of “lazy butt syndrome.” What this basically means is that your neuromuscular system works in such a way that the glutes are recruited to a lesser extent than they should during movements involving the glutes. In this case, even if you squat, you still won’t be recruiting enough glutes to produce a serious boost for glute growth.

How can you fix this? (Even if you are an ectomorph, the tips below will still benefit your butt growth results, so by all means follow them).

1. First, make sure you are only doing exercises that you KNOW involve glute activity. Like squats, deadlifts, lunges.

2. When doing these exercises, make absolutely sure to squeeze your glutes at the end of the contraction part of the movement. People without lazy glute syndrome don’t have to consciously focus on doing this, they’re doing enough of it already. You, on the other hand, have to make up for the fact that your drifter is not automatically recruited. Therefore: squeeze. The more you do this, the more it will learn to recruit your butt automatically during daily functions, further enhancing growth.

3. Try to finish the whole movement. you need to go low enough, and you also need to complete the movement when you stand up (this is usually where you squeeze).

4. After the exercise, stretch your lower body, especially your buttocks.

If you follow these tips, along with a decent training program designed specifically for your goals, you’ll be sure to pack on meat!