So, six-pack abs aren’t the ultimate goal? A surprising survey reveals that women favor an athletic physique rather than an excessively muscular one. When shown four male body types side by side (thin, athletic, muscular, very muscular), most women picked the athletic build as the most attractive. This means we’re not all obsessed with the bodybuilder look, and women’s tastes are more varied than you might expect.
By the Numbers
As a psychologist, I know men often aim for a much more muscular body than women actually prefer. Many dream of six-pack abs, but only about 39% of women favor that look. Flat stomachs appeal to 58%, and 3% even like a little extra padding around the waist. Only those with severe obesity — that is, clinically obese physiques — are generally considered unattractive.
Interestingly, women value leg muscles more than men realize. Think about those skinny-legged guys who work out their upper bodies but neglect their legs, leaving them thin. The top three muscle groups women notice most are the arms, chest, and shoulders, in that order. For example, Brad Pitt’s arms in Fight Club are seen as "big" by many women. Cristiano Ronaldo’s arms are also considered large, but who really has big arms, according to men? Arnold Schwarzenegger at his peak.
The Power of Genetics
One of my clients specifically prefers lean men:
"I can’t help it, I’m into really skinny guys. My dad was thin, as were all my uncles and cousins. We’re a tall, slender family, and I guess that’s why I favor this body type. I never understood what’s attractive about muscle-bound meat towers when a slim, lean body looks so much cleaner and more exciting. I cringe at muscle colossi but drool over a skinny, black-haired goth guy."
Intentional Building
Another client is a typical fitness lady who only considers similarly body-conscious men:
"I spend most of my time in the gym, checking in the mirror which muscle group needs more work. Since I believe it’s our duty to reach the maximum aesthetic our body allows, only bodybuilders count as men for me. I love admiring my partner’s bulging muscles; if he’s not ‘optimized’ — or, to put it bluntly, ‘pumped up’ — he simply doesn’t exist as a potential partner for me."
The Golden Middle
I represent the average myself. I’m not into skinny guys because if a woman is slim, the man should be physically stronger and bigger than me. But I shudder at those bulky, walking steroid labs — that swollen, veiny muscle mass isn’t attractive. I prefer when a man’s muscles don’t scream “gym rat” but are earned organically, say through chopping wood or doing manual labor around the house.
I think women generally aren’t fans of extreme muscle because it’s not natural. In the 1940s, the world’s most muscular men looked like today’s average muscular guy, since anabolic steroids and growth hormone injections — which create today’s muscle towers — didn’t exist yet. I checked, and surveys show 79% of women wouldn’t date a man who uses steroids. Twenty-one percent said it’s not a dealbreaker but definitely a "red flag". Less than 0.5% saw it as a positive.
The good news for men is that the body type most women like is fairly achievable with average genetics.
