Move over, Mr Muscle

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Women prefer average guys like HIMYM’s Ted Mosby

Bulging pecs and six-pack abs — they are the most coveted signs of masculinity. We asked the ladies however, and it seems a beefed up body won’t get you anywhere with women these days. In fact, they prefer the average guy over the macho, muscular dude. Read on to find out why you might want to reconsider doing that extra set of weights...

Nobody wants a guy who’s built like a wrestler, says singer Tanvi Shah. “Those specimens belong in the WWE. I think men definitely have the wrong impression that we like muscles. Truth is, I don’t even know the difference between a six-pack and an eight-pack. In my opinion, they only work out so much so that they can wear tight T-shirts,” she says. While that makes for great trophy boyfriend material, most women prefer a real man, adds Tanvi, “Someone like Abhishek Bachchan, for example.”
While it’s usually women who are stereotyped, men are also labelled based on their looks, admits actress Neettoo. “We do tend to think that guys who are all brawn have no brains. And that’s because all they talk about is protein shakes and weights. They’re obsessed with their bodies. Who wants to be with someone like that,” she says. According to the Sandalwood star, the ideal guy is someone who is “Health conscious and fit, but no rippling muscles please.”
Like it or not, there is some truth to the muscle man cliché. Model Mitali Rannorey states, “In my industry, there are a few really smart male models. But I have to admit, most of them do turn out to be pretty dumb. I guess you’re lucky if you get the complete package.” However, the best pick is not the body builder, nor the model, she feels. “The gym guys are too bulky and models are too skinny. Both are cases of going to extremes for the sake of looks but what women really want is an average guy who’s somewhere in the middle.”