# Are women attracted to overly muscular men? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 6, 2015, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-women-attracted-to-overly-muscular-men/730183 "2015-09-06T16:17:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![RebrandingHumor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/22d042/32.png) [@RebrandingHumor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RebrandingHumor)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2015, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-women-attracted-to-overly-muscular-men/730183/1 "2015-09-06T16:17:20Z")
I mean bodybuilder or powerlifter types, do women feel attraction for big backs, muyscular legs, wide shoulders, etc? I often hear women prefer the skinny types or rather slighty chubby than muscular… Are women kiind of afraid of overly muscular men? ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2015, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-women-attracted-to-overly-muscular-men/730183/2 "2015-09-06T16:24:08Z")
Afraid? Doubtful. What I get when I see overly muscular men is that though the a big muscly guy can be attractive, overall he’s probably not much fun to be around and potentially a pain in the ass. You don’t get a body-builder physique without spending a ton of time on your exercise & diet plan, and I want a guy who will kick back, have fun, and have a beer and eat a normal meal with me. In other words, I see them as the male equivalent of the model-type woman; someone who spends a lot of time on appearance to the detriment of what I find important in a mate. I don’t mean to say that health and appearance aren’t important; I’ve just found that the extreme amount of effort that goes into THAT MUCH muscle isn’t really of interest to me. ---
**Author:** ![Marion\_Wormer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d07c76/32.png) [@Marion\_Wormer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marion_Wormer)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2015, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-women-attracted-to-overly-muscular-men/730183/3 "2015-09-06T16:31:38Z")
I suspect that if all that attracts a woman to a man is his physique, she’s probably not worth having. Physiques fade, just like looks on a woman. Ditto for guys who only like women because of their looks. It’s possible that some women may be attracted to men who remind them of their fathers. > **[Women Prefer Men Who Look Like Dad](https://www.livescience.com/1611-women-prefer-men-dad.html)** > > They prefer men who resemble dad, if they got along with him. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2015, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-women-attracted-to-overly-muscular-men/730183/4 "2015-09-06T16:40:21Z")
Yep. > [@RebrandingHumor](#): > > Are women kiind of afraid of overly muscular men? Yep. Probably not the same women, though. ---
**Author:** ![MoonMoon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moonmoon/32/2959_2.png) [@MoonMoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MoonMoon)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2015, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-women-attracted-to-overly-muscular-men/730183/5 "2015-09-06T16:42:31Z")
> [@RebrandingHumor](#): > > I mean bodybuilder or powerlifter types, do women feel attraction for big backs, muyscular legs, wide shoulders, etc? I often hear women prefer the skinny types or rather slighty chubby than muscular… > > Are women kiind of afraid of overly muscular men? _Some_ women are attracted to muscular men. _Some_ women are attracted to waifish men. _Some_ women are attracted to average men. _Some_ women are attracted to wiry men. Personally, I like strong, muscular men, but I don’t prefer them to be ripped and cut. Like Athena said, it takes insane dedication to build muscle while keeping your body fat extremely low, and I prefer someone who’s more relaxed and easy-going about food and their appearance. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2015, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-women-attracted-to-overly-muscular-men/730183/6 "2015-09-06T16:42:45Z")
Some women are attracted to serial killers… ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2015, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-women-attracted-to-overly-muscular-men/730183/7 "2015-09-06T16:55:21Z")
Bear in mind, too, some of the physiological side-effects of excessive use of steroids… ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2015, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-women-attracted-to-overly-muscular-men/730183/8 "2015-09-06T17:16:10Z")
> [@billfish678](#): > > Some women are attracted to serial killers… Those tend to be a little harder to pick out of the crowd, though. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2015, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-women-attracted-to-overly-muscular-men/730183/9 "2015-09-06T17:34:04Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > Those tend to be a little harder to pick out of the crowd, though. Who needs to pick them out of a crowd? Hybristophilia finds plenty of people already in prison. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2015, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-women-attracted-to-overly-muscular-men/730183/10 "2015-09-06T19:53:41Z")
Figure 4 in [this article](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3134786/) might be of interest to the op. Based on a survey of 842 college undergraduates anyway men felt women preferred men to be a bit more muscular than women actually did. Both were way down from a hypermuscular body builder physique. ---
**Author:** ![eclectic\_wench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ac91a4/32.png) [@eclectic\_wench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eclectic_wench)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2015, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-women-attracted-to-overly-muscular-men/730183/11 "2015-09-06T20:31:38Z")
Why on earth would women be afraid of overly muscular men? I don’t expect them to feel the constant urge to punch people out of nowhere just because they’ve got muscles. Like Athena, though, I’m not attracted to them, because I assume that level of muscle takes a kind of dedication that means the guy isn’t going to be interesting to me. The very muscular guys I’ve known spent large amounts of time at the gym, \*very \*large amounts of time talking about fitness, and large amounts of time eating depressing-looking stuff out of Tupperware. Building muscle was central to their lives and their thoughts, to a point that ruled out most of the stuff I enjoy in a relationship. I like to be healthy and in decent shape, but it’s not the - or even a - central part of my existence; when I’m not actually exercising or food shopping, I almost never think about it. The guys I find attractive tend to be the ones who look like they feel the same way. ---
**Author:** ![Sahirrnee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sahirrnee/32/13937_2.png) [@Sahirrnee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sahirrnee)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2015, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-women-attracted-to-overly-muscular-men/730183/12 "2015-09-06T20:43:45Z")
I like a nicely muscled man, but it needs to look natural. Men who do physical labor, like construction workers, look muscled but it’s not over done. If that makes sense. A little bit overweight is better than underweight. Love handles are cute. Body builder type bodies look plastic to me. Six-pack abs are okay. A little padding is okay though. I’d rather cuddle with a pillow than a rock. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2015, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-women-attracted-to-overly-muscular-men/730183/13 "2015-09-06T20:57:25Z")
> [@Athena](#): > > I don’t mean to say that health and appearance aren’t important; I’ve just found that the extreme amount of effort that goes into THAT MUCH muscle isn’t really of interest to me. [I didn’t make him for YOU!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=siPxyOxeQBc) ---
**Author:** ![scootergirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e99b99/32.png) [@scootergirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scootergirl)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2015, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-women-attracted-to-overly-muscular-men/730183/14 "2015-09-06T21:08:50Z")
I am not. I most definitely appreciate a toned body, but I am not physically attracted to overly muscular men or women. My guy is almost 60, skinny, in good shape and bald, and I find him absolutely hot!😃 ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2015, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-women-attracted-to-overly-muscular-men/730183/15 "2015-09-06T23:37:06Z")
> [@PatrickLondon](#): > > Bear in mind, too, some of the physiological side-effects of excessive use of steroids… Not to mention the psychiatric effects. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2015, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-women-attracted-to-overly-muscular-men/730183/16 "2015-09-06T23:55:18Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > Not to mention the psychiatric effects. Tell us about them. Please. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2015, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-women-attracted-to-overly-muscular-men/730183/17 "2015-09-07T00:28:08Z")
> [@Athena](#): > > Afraid? Doubtful. > > What I get when I see overly muscular men is that though the a big muscly guy can be attractive, overall he’s probably not much fun to be around and potentially a pain in the ass. You don’t get a body-builder physique without spending a ton of time on your exercise & diet plan, and **I want a guy who will kick back, have fun, and have a beer and eat a normal meal with me**. In other words, I see them as the male equivalent of the model-type woman; someone who spends a lot of time on appearance to the detriment of what I find important in a mate. > > I don’t mean to say that health and appearance aren’t important; I’ve just found that the extreme amount of effort that goes into THAT MUCH muscle isn’t really of interest to me. How _YOU_ doin’? 😉 (Bolding mine) ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2015, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-women-attracted-to-overly-muscular-men/730183/18 "2015-09-07T00:33:07Z")
I read a study once that found women like muscular men more for flings and one night stands, but prefer a less muscular one for a longer term relationship. No idea how that relates to overly muscular men. ---
**Author:** ![GrumpyBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2015, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-women-attracted-to-overly-muscular-men/730183/19 "2015-09-07T00:39:07Z")
Some women are attracted to overly muscular men, obviously. Doesn’t do anything for me – my attitude toward workouts is only slightly more enthusiastic than it is toward my annual pap smear/mammogram combo. I’d rather hang out with a guy doing…well, almost anything else. Guys who work construction look good; guys who are a little soft over muscle look fine. I like how a number of tall and skinny guys look (think David Tennant), too. ---
**Author:** ![bobkitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c67d28/32.png) [@bobkitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobkitty)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2015, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-women-attracted-to-overly-muscular-men/730183/20 "2015-09-07T00:44:03Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > Tell us about them. Please. …seriously? How many peer-reviewed cites would you like? And would you prefer cites for folks who are using recreationally, for athletic performance, or medical reasons? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-women-attracted-to-overly-muscular-men/730183.md?page=2)