Male body image - then and now

I've never gotten the whole thing, I quite frankly find muscles repulsive.

 

Same here. But I prefer people who are thin to the point of skinny (more along the James Dean lines, but perhaps even thinner), so there'd be a lack of muscle definition. If anything, the most muscle I can think of finding attractive would be 'normal'.

 

Skinny guys are totally my type <3 and it is sobering to see what was considered ideal back in the day. Those physiques are much more attainable than today's movie stars' and provide some solace from body image issues most "average" people might have.

 

I personally don't like over muscular men, it looks sickening, in a medical way.........like they have some sort of debilitatiing disease or something.

Some guys actually do look good with that type of body, but I think it's more along the lines of the right type of body structure for them, than being all muscle. (Hugh Jackman, Ryan Reynolds, Sam Worthington, Liev Schreiber)

Other guys that have "6 packs" or "12 packs" are extremely grotesque and nauseatingly ugly. It looks like they have tumors all over their bodies. It creeps me out and makes my skin crawl.

If I had the money, I'd make movies with "normal" people who are the stars. Fat guys who are super heroes, and not just in comedy movies. Women who kick ass and don't take prisoners (Sigourney Weaver rules in this category).

It has gotten to the ludicrously farcical stage. Todays male "stars" are nothing more than clones of each other. They have no perception of themselves as individuals or creating their own personalities in their characters. It's all about the muscles. Which makes it a lot easier for writers to pump out garbage......all you need is a "hot man" in the role, and you really don't need a good story line, much less one at all.

I just started watching the new TV show "Daredevil". I've kind of fallen for this guy.
Although he is thin, he is by no means "buff". He also isn't "drop dead gorgeous", or "GQ", or even "Calvin Klein"...........which makes him super yummie to me. Plus I like hairy men. Mmmmmmmm

Uh......geez, lost track there of what I was saying......


Oh, yeah.......todays male stars aren't stars for the sake of fine acting talents....well, except for Hugh Jackman. He was a stage and screen star before he got famous in his Wolverine role.......so he was a seasoned actor beforehand. Mmmmmm.....Hugh Jackman.

Oh shit, there I go again!!!

Anyway, yeah.......you don't need any acting skills anymore to be a "star". You either need to be a whore, or have a "buff bod from hell"......and even better if you have both.
Hollywoods new slogan......."NO TALENT NEEDED".


I had really hoped that when Roseanne was popular for so many years, it would have changed the facet of role models all across the board.....having more "normal types" in roles......but no luck there.

 

I'm actually not really that attracted to guys who are very skinny. I guess I like normal weight, or even slightly above normal weight (only slightly). I do also like muscles, but there is a point where a guy has too much muscular definition.

 

Channing Tatum is considered big? he does not even look like he lifts in that picture... Chris Evans and Ryan Reynolds are fairly buff in those pictures and Vin Diesel looks just a little bigger than those two. But even then, plenty of guys bigger than all of them just at my local gym so really not anything spectacular. These physiques hardly require "hours at the gym every day" to acquire, more like maybe one hour three times a week. I would hardly consider those physiques parody level, when actors start boasting physiques approaching those of Bob Paris or Serge Nubret, then things will have reached parody level.

 

I like guys that work out and are toned/ripped but too many guys take it too far nowadays.

 

I hate these negative images because they make me hate my body. I am overweight, but my medications are largely responsible over the years. I get judged by my weight all the time. I am going to try to workout, but it is really hard with some of the underlying problems I have.

 

James Dean would be considered too skinny now..? Then I guess I'm considered too skinny too. Oh and my boyfriend too, definitely.

Personally, my prefered body type is like that (might be a bit skinnier, as long as the person looks healthy) and I like seeing the muscles. :icon_bigg They don't have to "clearly" visible, but I like to see at least the shape (a bit more than usual). =)

 

Ryan Gosling's body is not attractive IMO. Don't like how his waist goes in. Looks odd. Chris Evan's is too bulky. Channing Tatum has a nice body.

But really, I don't even like excessively defined abs. They look too harsh. I prefer bodies like David Beckham.



Mmmm..

or Robbie Rogers..



Don't mind if I do..

A lot of guys would probably consider me skinny because I'm not bulky, but I am satisfied with my body. No complains thus far.

 

I like skinny and bulky. I really can learn to like any body types, it all depends of the attitude of the person carrying it. My bf is never going to be a model, but he has a huge heart.

 

I like most healthy body types. Excess fat is off-putting, but a bear-ish muscly big guy is a-okay.

 

I guess time changes and people's opinion on beauty also differs compared to the past. I can see where you are coming from but I feel like you are discrediting these men who have obviously worked hard on their body and it takes a lot of disciple which requires diet,exercise, lifestyle etc. You are right about not having much diversity in our films when it comes to different body types but to shame a body type in order to praise the other is a little off.

 

Women have been advocating for more realistic body image portrayals in the media for a long time and this is one area that does not really see too much progress.

 

I demand realistic boobs in my porn! Oh shit that's not gay enough

 

Not only males, females also went under serious change in body image department. Male one is only just more reccent that's all.

Body image has no bearing on my liking of guys. To be honest I would prefer someone who isn't obssesed with their body or hair or their clothes. Being moderate in these things is what makes a guy down to earth in my eye... which is very attractive.

 

I went this week to my first "bear run." I was great to see a number of people embracing a body image that most consider far from ideal. Yet sexy comes in all sizes from the tiny Asian chasers to muscle bears to the everyday body types to the obese. I personally think the bear community is to be commended for being so very inclusionary, but needs to get a hold of the fact that there are serious health issues involved in carrying around such excess weight. Agree or disagree I prefer some meat on my men.

Not that skinny doesn't escape the psychological and physical issues as well.

 

Now, I don't want to sound to aggressive here, but.... No, you could look bigger than Channing Tatum working out three times a week for an hour. Of course you wouldn't if you were to do that terrible "Spartan" routine in the link you posted. With only 8-12 weeks of training its simply not possible to put on much muscle unless you are a complete beginner, that program seems much more focused instead on trying to lean people out since it is basically a long cardio-session with various high-repetition low weight exercises. If however you took a reasonable routine from Jim Stoppani's Encyclopedia of Muscle and Strength (A book I highly recommend to anyone looking to get in shape) and stuck to it for a year or two while eating right, you could easily get bigger than Channing Tatum is.

Looking at that "Bony to Beastly" site isn't very impressive to me, most of these pictures seem to be about "transformations" after a meager six months at most. Many of those pictures are even as low as 10 weeks. Maybe its just indicative of our current "I want it NOW" culture where if results aren't near instantaneous, people give up. The reality is with consistent dedication over time it is not difficult to achieve a good physique. A 5x5 Strong-lifts routine only requires you to workout roughly 45 minutes to one hour three times a week and said routine has been extremely successful for many people. Building muscle isn't something that happens overnight, it takes time and dedication, but if you are willing to stick with it, achieving a Channing Tatum-esque physique is hardly out of reach. Getting as big as Vin Diesel may be somewhat more challenging for people with especially bad genetics, but still not impossible.