Genetics in Fitness—Muscles for Everyone?

Dear BLOG readers, dear PEAK customers,

“My genetics are bad, so I can’t build muscle mass”—bodybuilders and fitness enthusiasts often use arguments like this to explain their lack of training success. The well-known and frequently used “hardgainer” claim also remains extremely popular as a way to justify one’s perceived genetic disadvantages.  But how does one even assess one’s genetics? At what point can we speak of a good—or even excellent—predisposition for a muscular and athletic physique? Or is the statement quoted above really just a convenient excuse to justify one’s own failure?

Whether it’s an excuse or not, one thing is certain: genetics is one of the most discussed topics in bodybuilding, and it’s worth taking an objective look at the question of one’s own predisposition for building muscle.

What is meant by the term “genetics”?

Without delving too deeply into the science, let’s briefly explain that the term “genetics” refers to both the structure and the various functions of genes. The transfer of genetic information from a living organism to its offspring is called inheritance. We therefore have no control over our genes and must make the best possible use of the genetics we were born with—and thus inherited—to build muscle. 

How can we assess our genetic predisposition for muscle building?

Before jumping to conclusions about one’s own genetics, athletes should first consider what analytical options are available to them. Old-school bodybuilding guides are full of—at times entertaining—advice on determining one’s own genetics. For example, countless ambitious athletes are said to have measured the distance between the base of their biceps and the tip of their elbow down to the millimeter in order to assess their own arm genetics using a table with measurements printed in those guides.  A more widely known way to analyze one’s predisposition for muscle growth is to determine one’s body type. Here, experts distinguish between the terms ectomorph, mesomorph, and endomorph.

The ectomorph body type is characterized by being naturally very thin. Their body has a slender overall appearance, and they have little muscle and fat mass. For truly ectomorphic athletes (“hardgainers”), it is difficult to gain muscle mass due to their metabolic profile. To make matters worse, they usually also have poor recovery capacity. Overall, they have the worst starting point in the quest for that highly coveted muscle mass.

The mesomorph body type has the best prerequisites for building muscle and developing an athletic physique. It is characterized by broad shoulders combined with a narrow hip area (V-shape). His metabolism allows him to build muscle mass fairly easily and to lose fat mass while dieting. His recovery capacity is considered nearly optimal.

The endomorph body type is characterized by its tendency to gain fat mass very easily. Both their hips and shoulders appear broad. Building muscle mass is generally no problem for them. However, when it comes to cutting, they find it significantly harder to reveal their muscle mass beneath the fat deposits. Athletes with this body type also very often struggle with increased water retention, which makes achieving a “lean” and “hard” appearance even more difficult.

Many people, however, cannot be clearly classified. In most cases, athletes are a mix of the different body types.

Conclusion

Most of the time, a lack of training success is mistakenly attributed to a poor predisposition for muscle building. While one can make assumptions and superficial judgments about whether one actually has good or poor genetics based on external characteristics, this can ultimately only be determined with certainty through the principle of “learning by doing.” Only those who strive to get the most out of their training, nutrition, and recovery abilities will, after some time, be able to assess what kind of predisposition to muscle growth they actually possess.

For all those who weren’t exactly blessed with the best genetic makeup, remember: “Hard work beats talent, if talent doesn’t work hard.”

With that in mind, I wish you a successful workout.

With athletic regards

Stefan Rajewski