The men I’ve dated have ranged in height from 5’3" to 6’4" (I’m 5’9", but don’t mind shorter men so long as they don’t mind Amazons).
They have ranged from 120lbs to 220lbs.
Some have been hairy, some have been hairless.
None of them–repeat none of them–have been ripped. Scrawny skinny, I can do. Lean and toned, I can do. Pudgy, I can do. Just generally cuddly teddy bear type, I can do. Ripped? Nope. Never had a strong attraction to one. I like Gerard Butler, but when he was all beefed out in 300 he quite honestly did nothing for me. The hottest guy I ever dated was 6’3" and 140lbs at his heaviest. Lord, he was skinny, but he was hot.
I like long, lean and lanky–think Rob Petrie. I’m ok with chest hair, but no back hair, please. I prefer some muscle definition to slabs of flab, but I’m not at all interested or impressed by your “guns”, 6-pack or how much you can bench press. I never was. I want someone with intellectual curiosity, an ability to laugh at oneself and the absurdities of the world and someone who thinks I’m the cat’s pajamas.
Oh, and he needs to be at least 5’9" and employed.
I was at the gym earlier with my boyfriend, and this other guy and his girl were there and I thought of this thread. The girl was maybe 5’8’’, thin and fit, but not so thin, just looked like she took care of herself. Her boyfriend was shorter, I would guess 5’6’’ and he was ripped. He was also doing lunges around the inside track that is a quarter mile for the hour and a half I was there, and she was walking slowly beside him texting on her phone. That about says it all. Too high maintenance, although honestly, she should have just done something else, couldn’t figure out why she was boredly walking around with him.
Brad Pitt in Snatch is the only ripped body I have ever liked, has more girth than Fight Club. I agree with people that say they like guys with muscles that looked like they got them from outside work, not hour and a half worth of lunges around an inside track. I also always assumed Men’s Health was for gay guys, and what they liked, so take anything I said for what it’s worth. As a straight girl, those bodies are fine, but mainly a turnoff because of what else is usually going to come with that body, in terms of how they view themselves and their self-worth, and the maintenance. I can think of better ways to spend a Sunday afternoon than watching my man lunge around an inside track on a beautiful day. My boyfriend is 6’2’’, and I am guessing 200, has a little bit of tummy, and strong arms and back and legs, that is great to me!
I like moderately ripped (like the aforementioned Brad Pitt) to skinny guys. My husband is about 5’9" and 125 lbs. I can’t think of any comparable celebrities, except maybe some of the skinny hipster frontmen of various indie bands. Very ripped and bulky or hairy and burly do nothing for me.
I’m not particularly skinny myself–I’m about average for a 27-year-old woman, anywhere from size 8 to 12 in clothing. But I like skinny guys, yes I do. My husband says it’s not a very desirable figure for men, most of whom would like to be more ripped, which I never knew. Huh.
‘Back in the day’, when I was single, I was ‘attracted’ to guys with what was called a Swimmer’s Build; slim, but somewhat cut.
These days, I can appreciate a good six-pack (Usher, I’m looking at you! But I’m sure you aren’t looking at me. . .)
But my weak points have always been. . .pretty eyes, crow’s feet (seem indicative of a good sense of humor) and a guy who’s taller than me. Fortunately, my hubby, even though he’s picked up maybe 50lbs since we married more than 20 years ago, possess all of these characteristics.
In short, a ‘good body’ is nice, but it’s no substitute for personality and chemistry!
A ripped body is a nice picture to look at, but for a boyfriend? I MUCH prefer a man with some extra cuddliness. I’m biased thanks to my experiences, but I very much find a skinny man to be a huge turn off (Disclaimer!! ROMANTICALLY speaking and for my own tastes people!!! I’m sure all or most all skinny men are fine citizens and humans, thank you), primarily because every one that I’ve dated, or known in a social sense enough to know his dating personality (and one I didn’t date but who was my dance partner briefly), was very critical and mean regarding their attitudes toward women and their relationship style.
And conversely, every chubby man I’ve dated, had a crush on, or had the opportunity to observe regarding his actions in a relationship (and old boss and his wife for instance) has had an equally cuddly personality to go along with his cuddliness!
I’ve known many ripped men as well, they’re attractive and I’ve found their personalities to be mostly pleasant, but turn on wise, I just prefer the chubby guy (one caveat, he HAS to be big and strong under the chub!).
I’ve always been attracted to very thin guys with single-digit body fat and not a lot of muscle (I’ve been called a vicarious anorexic or an “anorexiphile”). So most of the guys I see are either too heavy or too muscular for me. My partner is extremely tall (6’10") and lanky, and I have no complaint whatsoever. But the amazing thing is that he considers ***me ***perfect! I’m 5’10" and weigh a “bearish” 210 and certainly not everyone’s type. We do get some “What’s he doing with him?” looks from people. My partner, by the way, not only has gaydar, but also what we call “beardar.” He can spot a bear three blocks away.
But before we met, my exes ran the gamut of body types. I had to kiss a whole lot of frogs before finding Prince Charming.
Yep. This is nice, but about my limit too. But it’s not that the mucles that are the problem aesthetically, but with visible veins which go along with being bulky.
Straight male here but thanks for bringing attention to the fact that men sometimes have body-image issues too at least partly due to entertainment media, and women don’t hold a monopoly in this area.
That being said there’s no doubt any body that’s in shape looks better than one that’s not (male or female).
Great subject and I always think about pictures of “hot” muscle men from the 50’s (or anytime before the late 80’s) and have to laugh…they wouldn’t be considered anything but “fat” today.
I used to work out at a gym in West Hollywood…the Gay mecca of body builder/porn star/Gay bar image…and would see some guys with the proverbial six pack, but the hottest guys were those with good pecs, strong arms and average stomachs. The six pack look was fun to look at, but to get there, most of those guys were obsessed with working out seven days a week. Most Gay men I knew considered the six-packers somewhat freakish and didn’t want to be bothered with obsessive gym rats.
Example from my post above: here is a photo of Rock Hudson, shirtless in a towel…not bad, but he ain’t gonna be on the cover of any Gay porn rags today, looking like that.
I was the guy who started the thread that inspired this one (Skinny girls and attractiveness). I was kinda hoping someone would start a thread with genders reversed
I’m pretty skinny (ironically), but I work out about twice a week and have now got to the stage where people sometimes compliment me on parts of my upper body. Sounds like going to the next level of musculature won’t make me more attractive to most women.
Which is a relief, because working out is sooo boring for me.
Which brings me to the only thing I can really add to this discussion: Some posters have said that they prefer a body toned by exercise to one toned by gym work. In my experience, you can spend a lot of time doing sports and such and still look stringy. Body building worked for me in a way that more fun activities did not.
Hmm, just noticed how vain my previous post sounds.
It’s not that I’m vain (hopefully), it’s that I’m single, and so I’m perhaps more conscious of how I appear. And trying to look better isn’t the only reason I work out.
There’s no upper limit for me; the more muscle, the more attractive they are. (My boyfriend is 290 pounds with 12% body fat, and I absolutely love it!)
I wholeheartedly disagree. One of my biggest turn-offs ever is when guys have hair spilling out from the collar of a dress shirt. But maybe that’s taking it to the extreme.
In still pictures, I can appreciate a slim musculature. But in real life or video? Someone like Till Lindemann (the one with the cane and is singing) is what makes me feel quivery. Someone who has a large frame but isn’t fat. Is muscular and strong but not rock-hard. Funny thing is that in still pictures? He (and his general type) is mostly ‘meh’ to me. But seeing in action? Humina humina!
That being said, my fiance is more of a naturally slim build and I love him just fine.
Hey, I’ll pay more attention to the pictures if they’re all Brad Pitt shirtless. Or capoeira players…
But seriously, having read both Glamour and Men’s Health, they’re counterparts to one another. It’s like the lists in Men’s Health compliment those in Glamour. It can be entertaining (you’re laughing at the articles).
But I like the odd recipe listed in Men’s Health better, reads tastier.
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