Muscley Manly Men

Silverfish

brianthebard wrote: »

I would've said the exact same things if this thread was about women who lift and then the examples were all Ms. O winning bodybuilders. Its not the personal preference I am bothered by, its the lack of information that people have and the use of stereotypes that I find unnecessary and counter productive.There was no ranting or raving and I don't see why the discussion has to move towards these terms and attitude.

But look at any thread started on men's opinions on women, they're FULL of stereotypes. There's plenty on AH, BGRH, Slydice, BSG, whatever other tv subforums. I've yet to see ANY of the males there being made to justify their opinion to a bunch of females. All personal opinion is based on bias. Biased against brunettes, or small girls, or tall girls, or whatever.
Yet somehow on tLL, here we are.

I know a good few guys that work out, some a lot, huge rippling muscles and in my admittedly LIMITED experience, all 3 of them did it for the ladeez to some degree of success. Now in my experience, that makes it 100% of the guys I know who work out to that level who do it for female attention.

I know some who work out just to keep in shape, I;d say a 5/50 split of them doing it for themselves and doing it for women, to varying degrees of success with the ladies.

However, whatever their reasons, this is not a thread from their point of view, it is a thread based on what women think of these men, the ones who work out a lot, for themselves or for others, to the ones who work out moderately to still display muscle or whatever.

I don't like either. I really don't.

brianthebard

Jemmy wrote: »

I have to agree with this, my sisters boyfriend is into lifting and trains alot but is skinnier and slightly shorter than me. They arent all beefcakes like ppl are making out.

Em your a boy right? Fair play! :D

Thanks for backing up my point. I love lifting but I've yet to have anyone accuse me of looking like a lifter. That's not the reason people do it, at least not always. (oh and I'd totally go gay for chabal! :pac: (oh wait that emoticon isn't a good choice in this situation. ))

Silverfish wrote: »

But look at any thread started on men's opinions on women, they're FULL of stereotypes. There's plenty on AH, BGRH, Slydice, BSG, whatever other tv subforums. I've yet to see ANY of the males there being made to justify their opinion to a bunch of females. All personal opinion is based on bias. Biased against brunettes, or small girls, or tall girls, or whatever.
Yet somehow on tLL, here we are.

Lazy stereotypes somewhere else makes other lazy stereotypes here acceptable? If you feel people are saying silly things on AH, why not call them out on it? Playing if you can't beat them join them doesn't help anyone. Why do you assume that this has anything to do with the forum this thread is in?

Galvasean

So the general consensus is not being attracted to the giant Arnie style muscle men, but what of those muscle men who are a bit smaller (ie: can fit into a suit and still look in proportion), but still 'buit' such as Daniel Craig or Christian Bale?

Silverfish

brianthebard wrote: »

Lazy stereotypes somewhere else makes other lazy stereotypes here acceptable? If you feel people are saying silly things on AH, why not call them out on it? Playing if you can't beat them join them doesn't help anyone. Why do you assume that this has anything to do with the forum this thread is in?

Em, because its personal opinion. I'm not going to go find posters who like tall blondes and scream them out of it for being biased against small brunettes or tall redheads. It doesn't matter to me at all. It's not going to change what they like. Being attracted to one person's appearance to the expense of another's does not make you ignorant or silly, it makes you human.

Jemmy

Galvasean wrote: »

but still 'buit' such as Daniel Craig or Christian Bale?

1. buit : slang term for retarded mouse with a broken leg


Daniel Craig is a mouse? :eek::p

brianthebard

Silverfish wrote: »

Em, because its personal opinion. I'm not going to go find posters who like tall blondes and scream them out of it for being biased against small brunettes or tall redheads. It doesn't matter to me at all. It's not going to change what they like. Being attracted to one person's appearance to the expense of another's does not make you ignorant or silly, it makes you human.

No one's been screaming. This hasn't been a personal attack on you, I don't know why you read it like that. I never called anyone silly, and if you read my first post you'd see the use of ignorance in that context was not the same as calling everyone ignorant. Really if all this is just about defending people's personal opinions, then getting worked up at my personal opinion seems self defeating.

Silverfish

brianthebard wrote: »

No one's been screaming. This hasn't been a personal attack on you, I don't know why you read it like that. I never called anyone silly,

Em, you said if I saw people doing 'Silly' things, I was pointing out that those 'silly' things were people giving their opinion on 'I find this attractive / I don't find this attractive' ..... that's where I got the 'silly' from. Here.

If you feel people are saying silly things on AH, why not call them out on it?

It is about defending personal opinions, its the fact that we (ladies) shouldn't have to do it here (the ladies lounge) to men when we are stating our personal opinions on attractiveness, I'm not seeing what your issue is

Jemmy

I think you should take your little disagreement to the ranting thread tbh...
Off topin at this stage...

WindSock wrote: »

Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jean-Claude Van Damme, The Rock, Vin Diesel, etc. Do you find these types of guys attractive, or do you prefer the other type of men. you know... the non pumped up in the gym types? Personally I am turned off by giant sweaty muscles. I do like natural lean ones that a man has from doing a bit of work such as gardening though...:pac:

telemachus

This is really just developing into a case of crossed wires, I don't think ayone on this thread is saying it's wrong to have an inherent physical preference and yet it keeps being brought back to this.

When i posted I didn't intend to berate anyone for their physical ideals, I did so because there seems to be a lot of confusion over what weightlifters/gym goers are, typified by comparisons to Arnie and so on, and the majority opinion seems drasticly at odds with the lengthy "Drool" thread on this forum the occupants of which everyone seems to assume have come by their physique via gardening, saving old women and bodily sweeping women off their feet, all honest pursuits, on the basis that they don't look like Arnie.

Me personally, I like the solid tangible achievement of being stronger than I was last week, of simply being able to pick up something heavier than I ever could before. I imagine this has something to do with picking up the hobby while losing my mind doing five years of philosophy study, there's a wonderfully simplistic beauty to it in the midst of an awful lot of intangible nonsense that is life.

ps I've gone up a couple of inches in waist size this last month or so (bastard hot cross buns, so delicious...) so i neither look like Arnie, nor a droolably honestly muscled fellow

edit: sorry, the previous poster is probably right, i'll shut up, and for the record on topic, I *heart* Arnie, one day I too aspire to the crushing of enemies and the lamentation of women.

Silverfish

Alright crikey, you all have lovely bottoms.

Yes, I can see the appeal in working out and weightlifting, and I mean proper proper weightlifting, not my 3lb dumbells which are only around to be dropped on my foot when I move house.

I would love love love to be able to do that. I'd love to lift heavy stuff. Okay, I can and do lift heavy stuff. I've to play with boys all day. But fair play. I would never mean to imply that any man who does it is not a towering fabulous wonderful example of manhood. He is. Really.

Whenever any of the lads in work show me their muscle(s) (some only have one, from not lifting as much heavy stuff as me or whatever) I always say 'oooh'. Pretty much the same way as I'd say 'Yes, Aunt Muriel, I LOVE the new wallpaper'. I feel about as much physical attraction to that as I do to the wallpaper. Its the same amount of decoration.

That's not to say that these men do it FOR decoration, it serves a purpose. Unlike wallpaper. Its something to strive towards, and through, and past.

But it will not ever be physically attractive to me ever. I just don't like the feeling of (what I deem) too much muscle. Its like hugging a table. I know there's women that'd claw through my body to get to that table, and that's grand, I'll step aside if they ask. But its just not for me. And I know personally that if its not for me, there's a lot of other women who feel the exact same way.

Scarinae

sam34 wrote: »

im not sure what it is that makes them attractive - my sister maintains its the suggestion that he'd be well able to support himself while ridin' ya :pac:

One of my friends told me that she read somewhere that some women find forearms attractive because it is connected to their, um, girth... Not sure how true that is, but I do find it funny!

It is particularly forearms that I find attractive, however I have to say I am partial to nicely toned upper arms as well - nothing like a good firm bicep, yum

Galvasean

Jemmy wrote: »

1. buit : slang term for retarded mouse with a broken leg


Daniel Craig is a mouse? :eek::p

Erm, 'built' :pac:

Fishie wrote: »

One of my friends told me that she read somewhere that some women find forearms attractive because it is connected to their, um, girth... Not sure how true that is, but I do find it funny!

So, if I hit the gym and work on my arms, my girth will increase... *noted*

Scarinae

Galvasean wrote: »

So, if I hit the gym and work on my arms, my girth will increase... *noted*

Oh, definitely. And I'd know, I'm a scientist

telemachus

This thread is steadily depressing me more and more . I naturally have slim girlish wrists/forearms (and apparently a matching appendage ). Ontop of this I am loathed by half group A (furniture haters) for lifting weights and probably equally loathed by group B (the table lovers) because while the vestiges of a "table" may be buried in me somewhere, I am a table in disguise, covered in a large thick rug consisting of hotcross buns, I am more beanbag than table.

Also, i think i'm going to cry at the sight of another metaphor.

Jules

Ok guys.. and i mean GUYS, this thread was started by a woman who wanted to see what body types, in particular "beefcakes" other WOMEN liked. Now that does not mean every guy can come in and start saying that "guys do it for x and y" or whatever, it was a simple discussion on if they thought it was attractive or not.

So lets get back to it and if another guys posts and it isnt along the lines of "n no im not into that sort of thing, or oh holy jebsus yes i love a beefcake" they will be infracted for bring the thread off topic.

On topic, i don't like the big muscles etc i like my men more soft around the middle

Scarinae

Don't get me wrong, good forearms aren't necessarily muscly ones! I find some slender forearms really sexy as well - this is what confuses me, I can't quite explain what makes one set of forearms more attractive than another set! Anyone else with a forearm fetish able to explain it?

pow wow

Not much into muscles but big broad shoulders....well hello.

b3t4

I don't like very built guys as they would make me insecure about my own body. I like a guy to be on the soft and cuddly side with some muscle and confidence thrown in for good measure.

I do, like some other posters, like strong arms. Nothing sexier. (Himself improved his by simply following a press up programme he found online) There is something wonderfully comforting about being wrapped up in those arms, strong yet gentle.

I've come to really appreciate strong legs as himself is very much into his mountain biking.

A.

WindSock

Oh dear. Those examples I gave seem to have got people all in a flutter. They were just examples of big muscley men that are well known. Regardless of whether they are on steroids are not, them taking the steroids are not dissimilar to a woman having a boob job. It's all done to enhance a stereotypical view of what a man/woman should look like in order to be deemed attractive. Only the thing is, more men seem to be attracted to larger fake breasts, than women are to larger pumped/steroided arms. The exception seems to be Gay men go for this look moreso (Generalising, I know. But, meh).

g'em

Dammit why do I always get to the good threads so late

First off, my bf is a bodybuilder so I guess that answers the question as to whether or not I find that "look" attractive. But he'll look ripped and super-lean for literally only a couple of days of the year, the rest of the time he just looks big and broad and altogether gorgeous with some soft bits here and there just like any of the rest of us.


Okay, not quite like the rest of us, but like a big gym bloke

liah wrote: »

Nah, overmuscled men who are so that they look unnatural don't appeal to me, mainly because they're probably ridiculously vain and spend altogether too much time either ingesting muscle enhancement drugs or at the gym.. or both.

In my personal experience I find 'metrosexual' or highly fashion-conscious men a lot more vain that guys who work out all the time. My bf spends around 7-10 hours per week in the gym, but that's the same as me so I see nothing wrong with it at all. He has no beauty regime, he doesn't spend hours preening himself, actually he's one of the most "wash'n'go" people I know.

liah wrote:

That being said I like pretty much any body type so long as they're not morbidly obese, and if the beefcake guy had a nice face, was a sweetheart, and was by some strange stroke of luck not spending altogether too much time on his physique, I probably wouldn't say no..

That's him in a nutshell really, his heart is bigger than his muscles, and that's saying something

Of course, the fact that his 20" arms make phenomenal cushions to lie up against doesn't hurt either.

pierrot wrote: »

I never understood why some guys go crazy in the gym building up muscles when i have never met a woman who professes to like such a physique

You've never met me, but I'm one. It's not just the physique though - it's the lifestyle that goes with it. While it may not be to everyone's taste or inclination, I completely appreciate the hours that go into building a body like that and it compliments my own goals quite well. I work hard, long hours in the gym to better myself - strength is my primary goal, physique is no. 2, but the dedication and motivation required for either is still the same. So to me, it's not just a 'look', it's a lifestyle, and I love it in my man. I love that we can talk training, bounce ideas of each other, nether of us will look at the other like they've ten heads where some of our more unorthodox dietary regimes are concerned. I admire and respect his training ethics and he likewise with me.

LivingDeadGirl wrote: »

Beefcake, no way, screams 'meathead/imbecile' to me, as stereotypical as that may sound.

Incredibly stereotypical. There's stupid and clever people in every walk of life and in every lifestyle imaginable. Successful training comes down to intelligent choices and great kinesthetic awareness - stupid people (as in any other pursuit) will simply not go very far at all.

Silverfish wrote: »

I would never mean to imply that any man who does it is not a towering fabulous wonderful example of manhood. He is. Really.

Why the need to belittle those who make that choice though? Why assume that it all comes down to needing to prove their manhood?

WindSock wrote: »

Regardless of whether they are on steroids are not, them taking the steroids are not dissimilar to a woman having a boob job.

Not that similar imo - steroids are not just about aesthetic enhancement, it's very much to do with strength gain also; that is, there's a goal in mind and in order for steroids to 'work' a hell of a lot of work has to be put in behind the scenes (diet/ training/ rest etc.). Plastic boobs are... well, just plastic boobs.

nomorebadtown

<snip> Against charter and trolling, next one is a ban <snip>

Silverfish

g'em wrote: »

Why the need to belittle those who make that choice though? Why assume that it all comes down to needing to prove their manhood?

G'em, I really don't see where I belittled anyone. In fact, I'm feeling very much that I am being belittled for not being physically attracted to this type.

g'em wrote: »

Why assume that it all comes down to needing to prove their manhood?

I gave my examples of where I felt the people I knew who worked out did it to prove their manhood, but I did state that was my own experience based on what they told me themselves. I can't do anything about what somebody else has told me. Perhaps I should have just not mentioned that these guys told me that, but I felt it was relevant to explain where I formed my opinions from.

g'em

Silverfish wrote: »

G'em, I really don't see where I belittled anyone. In fact, I'm feeling very much that I am being belittled for not being physically attracted to this type.

I think the part of your post I quoted could be read that way but if that wasn't the way it was intended, fair enough.

Silverfish wrote:

I gave my examples of where I felt the people I knew who worked out did it to prove their manhood, but I did state that was my own experience based on what they told me themselves. I can't do anything about what somebody else has told me. Perhaps I should have just not mentioned that these guys told me that, but I felt it was relevant to explain where I formed my opinions from.

Well if those guys in particular felt the need to show off their lovely muscelz then yeah, they probably were being insecure idiots. I'm surrounded by very big, very muscular men in the gym I go to (which has the grand total of 5 female members ) none of whom would feel the need to display that kind of behaviour (in fairness, you only need to look at them to see how big they are) so I guess we're coming at it from very different experiences? I guess that's all anyone can base their opinions on.

DancingDaisy

I'm not really keen on muscles, purely an aesthetical choice. I like slim, lean guys, preferably with long hair!!!

Silverfish

g'em wrote: »

I think the part of your post I quoted could be read that way but if that wasn't the way it was intended, fair enough.

It certainly wasn't meant any other way than genuine.

Ginny

I have no attraction to skinny hair straightening blokes, and I'm not attracted to the overtly muscular guys either, give me an inbetweener anyday..:D

shellyboo

I just like men, really. All shapes and sizes. I'd have one of each if I could :P

LightningBolt

Silverfish wrote: »

But look at any thread started on men's opinions on women, they're FULL of stereotypes. There's plenty on AH, BGRH, Slydice, BSG, whatever other tv subforums. I've yet to see ANY of the males there being made to justify their opinion to a bunch of females. All personal opinion is based on bias. Biased against brunettes, or small girls, or tall girls, or whatever.
Yet somehow on tLL, here we are.

I know a good few guys that work out, some a lot, huge rippling muscles and in my admittedly LIMITED experience, all 3 of them did it for the ladeez to some degree of success. Now in my experience, that makes it 100% of the guys I know who work out to that level who do it for female attention.

I know some who work out just to keep in shape, I;d say a 5/50 split of them doing it for themselves and doing it for women, to varying degrees of success with the ladies.

However, whatever their reasons, this is not a thread from their point of view, it is a thread based on what women think of these men, the ones who work out a lot, for themselves or for others, to the ones who work out moderately to still display muscle or whatever.

I don't like either. I really don't.

You go into a gym and you'll spot the guys who are doing it to pull looking at themselves in the mirror and the guys just doing it to stay healthy will be the ones working away.

Wibbs

Any of the guys I've known that do it, may have started off as a way to get bigger, thinner, or get women etc, but the ones that stick with it, it's defo for the love of it and an end in of itself. It would have to be, I mean I like women as much as the next man, but even that strong drive would not keep me punishing myself with the unreal hard work these guys(and women who do it) put themselves through.

A thought occurs.* A question for any woman who don't like a muscly guy(not just the huge guys), is some part of it that it will make you feel more body conscious if he's ripped and "perfect"? So if he's a bit "soft around the middle" it will make you feel more comfortable kinda thing?

I've actually seen that from the other side. Know a woman who is a major gym bunny. Very dedicated and has a fantastically fit body because of that. Buns of steel, fitness model stylee etc. I know men have been put off by her and two have actually admitted in one way or another that the reason why is that they would come up short in the naked dept.





*mark this one down for the books:D

shellyboo

Wibbs wrote: »

A thought occurs.* A question for any woman who don't like a muscly guy(not just the huge guys), is some part of it that it will make you feel more body conscious if he's ripped and "perfect"? So if he's a bit "soft around the middle" it will make you feel more comfortable kinda thing?

Hmm, sort of. Like, if a guy was into me I wouldn't be questioning it... I'd have some sort of confidence that he was into my body since he's with me. That said, I'd be more comfortable with a guy who's soft around the middle, more from a guilt point of view. I'd feel bad being with a guy who kept himself in top shape when I don't, basically.


It's to do with lifestyles as well, like g'em said. I'm never going to be able to have a good relationship with a guy who's mad into fitness and the gym, because I just don't *get* that. It would lead to all sorts of fallings out over the gym and the importance of the gym and why can't he spend time with me instead of going to the gym... clash of personalities and priorities methinks.