The Ideal Man’s Body, According to Women (and Science)

For decades, women have been told what the perfect female body looks like. Tiny waist, beautiful curves, long legs, and on X, apparently, it’s a size 0 with F cups. Which, you know, maybe applies to two women on the planet, but it is what it is. But what about men? As Evie previously explored in “The Most Attractive Part of a Woman, According to Men and Science,” what we think the opposite sex wants isn’t always what the research suggests. And it turns out men might be making a similar mistake. Between superhero movies, fitness influencers, and shirtless Instagram transformations, the ideal male physique has become increasingly exaggerated. Apparently, every man thinks he’s supposed to have the shoulders of Thor, the abs of a Greek statue, and approximately 3% body fat. But here’s some good news for the gentlemen: Women generally find muscular men attractive, but you don’t need to look like a competitive bodybuilder to turn heads. And science has some interesting things to say about why. Men Might Be Overestimating How Muscular Women Want Them One of the most fascinating findings in attraction research is that men sometimes misjudge women’s physical preferences. A 2024 paper published in PLOS One discusses previous evidence that men tend to overestimate the muscularity women prefer, much as women can exaggerate the thinness men find attractive. In other words, the body men think they need to impress women isn’t always the body women actually want. Research has also produced different results depending on how attractiveness is measured. A 2007 study published in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin found that moderately muscular men received the highest attractiveness ratings, rather than the most extremely muscular physiques. A more recent 2022 study found preferences for men with substantial muscle and relatively low body fat, suggesting that a muscular appearance does matter. The takeaway? Women like muscles. But more isn’t automatically better in every study, and there isn’t one magical physique that every woman finds irresistible. Kind of like how men still find billions of women attractive even if they aren’t a size 0 with F cups. Broad Shoulders Are Having Their Moment If there’s one physical feature that appears repeatedly in the research, it’s the classic V-shaped torso. Think broad shoulders, a developed chest, and a comparatively narrow waist. A 2014 study published in Evolution and Human Behavior found that women rated muscular male body types as more attractive than leaner or heavier-set alternatives when evaluating images of men’s backs. Think David Beckham rather than the Incredible Hulk. Another study published by the Royal Society in 2017 found that perceived upper-body strength accounted for more than 70% of the variation in attractiveness ratings among the male bodies researchers tested. That’s a pretty compelling argument for doing your pull-ups. But this doesn’t mean every woman is secretly looking for a professional bodybuilder. A lean, naturally athletic physique can communicate many of the qualities associated with physical strength without requiring the proportions of a Marvel action figure. Think David Beckham rather than the Incredible Hulk. Apparently, Looking Healthy Is Attractive. Who Knew? Here’s where the research gets even more interesting. A 2016 study published in PLOS One asked participants to adjust images of male and female bodies to represent what they considered the healthiest and most attractive appearances. For male bodies, the levels of muscle and body fat chosen for attractiveness generally fell within healthy ranges. In other words, looking healthy and looking attractive were closely aligned. It also suggests that there may be a biological component to attraction. Physical strength, body composition, and other visible characteristics can act as imperfect cues of health and physical capability. Women aren’t necessarily sitting across from men on first dates calculating their body-fat percentages. But a healthy, fit appearance can certainly make a good first impression. Just being a man or woman in good shape immediately places you in the top 5%. Women Don’t Always Want the Same Body for a Boyfriend and a Husband Here’s a particularly fascinating distinction. A 2019 study in Frontiers in Psychology examined how women’s preferences for male facial features associated with muscle and body fat differed depending on whether they were imagining a short-term or long-term partner. Women preferred facial characteristics associated with greater muscle mass when evaluating men for short-term relationships compared with long-term ones. That doesn’t mean women suddenly stop finding muscles attractive when they’re looking for marriage. But it does suggest that the characteristics associated with immediate sexual attraction don’t always carry the same weight when evaluating a potential life partner. Characteristics associated with immediate sexual attraction don’t always carry the same weight when evaluating a potential life partner. Which makes sense. A six-pack might make a woman look twice. But kindness, stability, humor, ambition, and the ability to keep a promise are much more important when you’re deciding who you want to spend the next 50 years with. It's similar to how many men have "wife goggles" and still see the woman aging as the woman they fell in love with. So, What’s the Ideal Male Body? If we had to summarize the research, the recurring physical preferences are fairly straightforward: a strong-looking upper body, broad shoulders relative to the waist, and a generally healthy, athletic physique. But there’s an important caveat. Attraction studies don’t all agree on the ideal level of muscularity, and individual women have wildly different tastes. Some love the lean, athletic look of a tennis player. Others prefer the broad-shouldered build of a football player. There isn’t a scientifically ordained perfect man. Just like how some men think Adriana Lima is the most beautiful woman while others argue it’s Madelyn Cline. You don’t need to weigh every meal, live in the gym, or look like Chris Hemsworth preparing for another Thor movie to be considered attractive. Plus, let’s be real, that involves a lot of steroids. Even actors like Sylvester Stallone have recently come out saying they regret damaging their bodies for roles like they did. Taking care of your health, developing strength, dressing well, and carrying yourself with confidence can go a very long way. Because for women, it’s ultimately about the aura and vibes.