What muscles look best on short men (need opinions!)

[onemoretime]

Posted this on reddit but only got 1 response so I'm just looking for a bigger sample:

 

"1st of all I understand the 'cut' look is probably most popular given there's only so far you can grow sideways (as a short guy) before it stops adding to attraction.

But given that cardio can be time consuming, some days it makes sense to lift for muscle gain since it's quicker, muscle can help with boosting metabolism, and it's certainly better than doing nothing.

So which muscles would you consider most important for short guys (or all guys if it's exactly the same)?

[Cherylyn]

No matter if a man is short,  tall or average,  it's overall fitness and good health which is attractive.  Then combine that with stellar character,  a sincere,  humble personality and sound economics and you're a winner! 

Don't focus on particular muscles. 

[onemoretime]

Hey thanks. This was honestly more for fitness advice than dating advice in the sense that sometimes I have to prioritize my time when I do I prefer to do it on things that look better. I understand that isn't the whole picture with dating but it is more relevant as it relates to workouts 

[MissCanuck]

4 hours ago, onemoretime said:

So which muscles would you consider most important for short guys (or all guys if it's exactly the same)?

Women don't think like this, generally-speaking. 

As Cherylyn says above, it's way more about overall health and generally reasonable fitness. It's not as though we sit around going "his pecs are great but his triceps leave a lot to be desired."

Everyone also has different preferences. Your best bet is to work with a good trainer to get the results you desire. 

[onemoretime]

Thanks! To be honest I actually have heard women talk like that before using other words but it's of course better to get more perspectives

[MissCanuck]

18 minutes ago, onemoretime said:

Thanks! To be honest I actually have heard women talk like that before using other words but it's of course better to get more perspectives

I am a fitness-oriented woman. I work out 5-6 days a week and love physical activity. 

I can assure you that even among my fit-fan friends, we're not micro-analyzing men's muscles. I don't know who these women are whom you have overheard sizing up male muscle groups, but I promise you it's not a general topic of conversation when women talk about men. 

[onemoretime]

Yeah when I said other words I meant more casual things like women saying they prefer men with broad shoulders or some saying they like guys with a good butt or others they don't care. Not micro analyzing muscle groups, just general preferences 

[MissCanuck]

I would focus on being the best version of you, whatever form that takes. 

[onemoretime]

Just now, MissCanuck said:

I would focus on being the best version of you, whatever form that takes. 

Hopefully i don't have to focus on all that when I'm just picking what to work out that day though 🤣

[MissCanuck]

1 minute ago, onemoretime said:

Hopefully i don't have to focus on all that when I'm just picking what to work out that day though 🤣

This is why I suggested investing in an experienced personal trainer. They can help you identify your fitness goals and created a plan to achieve them. 

[Wiseman2]

5 hours ago, onemoretime said:

 adding to attraction.

Have an overall well designed fitness and workout routine. That could include weight training, several sports, cardio, martial arts,etc. 

Don't work out for "attraction", work out to stay mentally and physically fit. 

If the point is to attract women, there's a lot more to it than muscle groups.

Get a good profile and pics on quality dating apps and start talking to and meeting women. You'll soon find out that there's plenty of different women attracted to plenty of different types of men.

[onemoretime]

12 minutes ago, MissCanuck said:

This is why I suggested investing in an experienced personal trainer. They can help you identify your fitness goals and created a plan to achieve them. 

I have done that before but it is expensive af. What I'm after here is kind of just like if a woman wants to look cute and she wears an outfit because she knows she looks hot in it. It's a similar concept except I have a harder time knowing for myself so I seek out opinions.  It's not a particularly deep question but just a regular human one

[onemoretime]

16 minutes ago, Wiseman2 said:

Have an overall well designed fitness and workout routine. That could include weight training, several sports, cardio, martial arts,etc. 

Don't work out for "attraction", work out to stay mentally and physically fit. 

If the point is to attract women, there's a lot more to it than muscle groups.

Get a good profile and pics on quality dating apps and start talking to and meeting women. You'll soon find out that there's plenty of different women attracted to plenty of different types of men.

Eh I work out enough that I am physically fit. I think wanting to look good is perfectly fine and healthy too. It's definitely motivating. I can get more cynical about less concrete goals. I understand preferences vary but it also doesn't hurt to shoot for the more common preferences

[onemoretime]

Like for exa

1 minute ago, onemoretime said:

Eh I work out enough that I am physically fit. I think wanting to look good is perfectly fine and healthy too. It's definitely motivating. I can get more cynical about less concrete goals. I understand preferences vary but it also doesn't hurt to shoot for the more common preferences

Like for example, some girls might be into serial killers but if you want to improve your chances of attracting the average girl you meet the "serial killer" aesthetic is probably not the best one on average 😆

[Wiseman2]

1 minute ago, onemoretime said:

 shoot for the more common preferences

It seems like your trying to find out what attracts the most women? It's a lot more complicated than  particular muscle groups. 

Are you dating? Or interested in dating? Or trying to date? Because your question seems to come from the notion that you have to be a certain muscleman stereotype to go on dates.

 

[onemoretime]

1 minute ago, Wiseman2 said:

It seems like your trying to find out what attracts the most women? It's a lot more complicated than  particular muscle groups. 

Are you dating? Or interested in dating? Or trying to date? Because your question seems to come from the notion that you have to be a certain muscleman stereotype to go on dates.

 

Way less complicated than that. Literally just prioritizing workouts because I run into time constraints sometimes. And yes looking good does motivate me. If you turn it into some deep journey of self actualization I'm going to lose interest really fast because that quite simply isn't why I'm there although that's perfectly fine for others!

[Wiseman2]

15 minutes ago, onemoretime said:

 If you turn it into some deep journey of self actualization I'm going to lose interest really fast.

Why not ask around at the gym for answers, since you only got 1 reply on Reddit? 

[MrMan1983]

A short friend of mine smashes crossfit and he's a perfect blend of muscles but toned too.

Also cardio does not have to take ages for example you could smash out a 5k in under 25 mins, or just a 2 mile run a day or two (under 15 mins) however most of the cut aspect would be diet anyway. Running/cardio is great for just being fit/healthy though.

Muscles wise I wouldn't work one any more than others, just try and keep it even but maybe avoid the no neck look being short accentuates it a bit.

[Batya33]

5 hours ago, onemoretime said:

Hey thanks. This was honestly more for fitness advice than dating advice in the sense that sometimes I have to prioritize my time when I do I prefer to do it on things that look better. I understand that isn't the whole picture with dating but it is more relevant as it relates to workouts 

Looking better doesn't mean it's also fit.  I am short and my husband is short.  What looks better to me is a person who has good posture and presence and looks healthy  -skin quality, bright eyed/energetic.  I mostly dated shorter men -my preference -some were more muscular than others - didn't matter to me as long as the man looked healthy and fit and walked with good posture (I've always had good posture and it helps to walk tall when you're short lol).  

I have to prioritize my fitness time too as does my husband.  We do cardio (separate times of day) - I do so daily and he almost daily.  Our short son just finished his first track season so he's continuing to do a short run daily and now is into curls/pushups.  (When he was 7 he used a red marker at his after school program -stealthily - to draw "6 pack abs" on his stomach -sigh).  

I do think with us short people extra weight on us of course shows up more prominently so I also prioritize weight maintenance (I am slim) and cardio and staying hydrated helps with that.  

I would differentiate cosmetic from what is actually consistent with fitness. 

[smackie9]

Be as wide as you are tall. 

[boltnrun]

7 minutes ago, smackie9 said:

Be as wide as you are tall. 

See, and I prefer almost the opposite. If a man is on the shorter side I would find a lean look much more attractive than a bulked up look. I prefer that look on tall men too. I feel that short men who bulk up are overcompensating for their lack of height. 

I almost exclusively have dated tall men (5'9" is short to me) but one of the most attractive men I've ever met was my friend's husband. He's short and lean and has shoulder length hair and some scruffy facial hair but his mind, holy cow! That guy is smart times a million. If he wasn't married to my friend I'd have been all over that lol. 

I'm not sure if what I said is helpful to you if you're looking to build muscle bulk. 

[smackie9]

I'

4 hours ago, boltnrun said:

See, and I prefer almost the opposite. If a man is on the shorter side I would find a lean look much more attractive than a bulked up look. I prefer that look on tall men too. I feel that short men who bulk up are overcompensating for their lack of height. 

I almost exclusively have dated tall men (5'9" is short to me) but one of the most attractive men I've ever met was my friend's husband. He's short and lean and has shoulder length hair and some scruffy facial hair but his mind, holy cow! That guy is smart times a million. If he wasn't married to my friend I'd have been all over that lol. 

I'm not sure if what I said is helpful to you if you're looking to build muscle bulk. 

I'm just generalizing. Just my observation since I worked in a club for 4 1/2 years, women tend to notice bulk. It may not be everyone's preference, but they do get noticed. 

[MrMan1983]

47 minutes ago, smackie9 said:

I'

I'm just generalizing. Just my observation since I worked in a club for 4 1/2 years, women tend to notice bulk. It may not be everyone's preference, but they do get noticed. 

True to be fair more women would be more physically attracted to the same short guy looking athletic with a bit of muscle than the same short guy looking skinny if there was a survey done. Obviously going to be the odd outlier. By athletic though I don’t mean that short no neck power lifter look. 

[Unreasonable]

Well, you want the muscles to overcome the height.  Something that is observable from the outside.  So if you were focusing on a certain muscle, I would think it should be ones visible from the outside.  That pretty much leaves the arms.  Nobody can tell you're ripped under a shirt.  Unless you take your shirt off, in which case an unbalanced musculature is going to look wierd.

In either case I think it's a fool's errand.  I think most women are looking for overall fitness, not buffness.  Probably the first think you should try to get rid of is your gut, if you have one.

[Big Stan]

Women all have different preferences but they all start with being generally fit.  The guy who looks like he's healthy can range from a little on the skinny side to a little bit thicker but strong looking.  Some women prefer more size on a guy muscle wise some like the lean and wiry look.  Some girls like the dudes with a little dad bod action, especially the ones with physical flaws themselves. 

The big thing is not to fall outside of that and you'll find lots of women who will either accept your appearance as sexy enough or outright find it hot.  Be outside of that range and it will be harder to find someone.