Anda kurus kering seperti kucing yg jarang diberi makan? Makan kalap seperti kuli pelabuhan, tapi tetap langsing? Selamat dek Arya, sebagai sesama ectomorph, I feel your pain.

Sumber: Which Somatotype Body Type Are You? Characteristics and Images for Men and Women

Anda mendambakan tubuh berotot yg membuat wanita berdecak kagum ketika anda menanggalkan pakaian di pantai? Apakah anda siap mengorbankan waktu dan tenaga? Blood, sweat, and tears? Ada banyak artikel online yg membahas strategi membangun otot untuk ectomorphs. Di jawaban ini saya kutip strategi yg diulas dalam salah satu primbon saya:

Sumber: The New Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding

Book Two: Training Programs

Chapter 2: Learning Your Body Type

Ectomorph Training

The extreme ectomorph’s first objective is gaining weight, preferably in the form of quality muscle mass. He will not have the strength and endurance for marathon training sessions, will find that muscle mass develops very slowly, and will often have to force himself to eat enough to ensure continued growth. Therefore, for the ectomorph I recommend:

1. Include plenty of power moves for a program that builds maximum mass. Your program should tend toward heavy weight and low reps (in the 6- to 8-rep range after proper warm-up).
2. Learn to train intensely and make every set count. That way you can keep your workouts relatively short and still make substantial gains (perhaps 14 to 16 sets per major body part rather than 16 to 20). Make sure to get enough rest between sets and give yourself enough time to recuperate between workouts.
3. Pay careful attention to nutrition; take in more calories than you are accustomed to, and if necessary, use weight-gain and protein drinks to supplement your food intake.
4. Remember, you are trying to turn food energy into mass, so be careful not to burn up too much energy with excessive amounts of other activities such as aerobics, running, swimming, and other sports. Some cardio exercise is both desirable and necessary for good health, but anyone who spends hours a day expending large amounts of physical energy outside the gym will have a lot more trouble building muscle while in the gym.

Singkatnya, train big and eat big. Kalau anda melakukan resistance training di gym, pastikan anda keluar gym dalam kondisi setengah merangkak. Kalau belum setengah merangkak, berarti latihan anda kurang berat.

Dan makan makanan berkualitas dalam jumlah besar. Kalau perlu bantu dengan weight gainer.

Sumber: Optimum Nutrition, Serious Mass, High Protein Weight Gain Powder, Vanilla, 6 lbs (2.72 kg)

Kalau anda lihat contoh di atas, setiap serving Serious Mass memberikan 1250 kalori dan 50 gram protein. Untuk setiap kg berat badan, usahakan anda konsumsi 2 gram protein setiap hari. Jadi kalau berat badan anda 50kg, konsumsi 100 gram protein setiap hari. 50 gram sudah didapat dari Serious Mass, 50 gram lagi dari makanan natural seperti daging, telur, dan lain sebagainya.

Dan fokus ke latihan beban, jangan terlalu banyak melakukan latihan kardio. Kalau terlalu banyak latihan kardio (jogging, renang, joged Zumba, dsb), kalori yg sudah dikonsumsi akan cepat terbakar. Orang kurus harus fokus membangun otot, bukan membakar kalori.

Good luck!