Why do women tend to care less about the "six pack/eight pack" than men?

[Dazzle]

I know there's tons of answers from people online but I thought it would be interesting to hear responses from the females here on CDC. But, by all means, men (including younger men') absolutely can contribute.

As for liking a person based on a 'shallow trait', a 'six pack' is one of the least visible traits to have, unless you're constantly having your shirt off, which primarily would be in the summer. So why do men tend to obsess over it, as opposed to women? Why do we THINK that having it is such an ideal thing to have?

Of course, most men have decent to good upper body muscle, so a six pack would seem to complete the package. This would fit the ideal image of what people know as "a man". High school lockers often have male models that are half-dressed plastered on there.

However, what about the other men who put much less emphasis on muscle but stay lean? Are they out of luck for dating?

It seems not.

Obviously not, there are so many factors involved in 'interest', namely personality, looks, race, height income, career, convenience, etc.

There are many 'out of shape' men that can get a girlfriend. Some even prefer a "beer belly", like my best friend (who is a girl).

So, it seems body size or heck, 'size' (for the nether regions) isn't really a strong factor for getting a mate.

What are your views on this? Why is the 'six pack' something so revered? All it is is having a low body fat percentage. It doesn't mean that you're a 'stronger' person, at least not necessarily.

From an evolution point of view, it's seemingly a more recent phenomenon. A six pack wouldn't have been so valuable in prehistoric times...

[Rey]

It's because most people are in the middle class. Media makes it look like, everyone needs to be fit and such, but most people don't care and are too lazy. If the guy/girl, wants a relationship with someone who does have six pack abs, or looks completely fit, he/she will have to keep up.

You can blame social media for making people want to have perfect bodies, and be beautiful and such because taking a photograph is so common these days. No one wants to look bad. Realistically, all humans are ugly. We all fart.

Just, guys are more shallow than girls, and girls mature earlier. There's always the saying, that girls are in it for love, and guys are in it for lust.

[MusclePharm]

Maybe they think it looks good, doesnt have to be for women

[BananaMash]

Maybe they think it looks good, doesnt have to be for women

Yeah, I'm thinking if the only reason you're working out is "looking good for women" then there's another issues here. I workout for myself, because I enjoy being in shape. I'd assume a lot of guys are less worried about their sixpack being hot for the ladies, and more worried about looking how they think looks good so theyre happy with their body.

[Buddhas Hand]

Physical appearance means little to me , I admire people who are intelligent and kind to others.

Beauty is only skin deep ugly is to the bone.

[Dazzle]

It's because most people are in the middle class. Media makes it look like, everyone needs to be fit and such, but most people don't care and are too lazy. If the guy/girl, wants a relationship with someone who does have six pack abs, or looks completely fit, he/she will have to keep up.

You can social media for making people want to have perfect bodies, and be beautiful and such because taking a photograph is so common these days. No one wants to look bad.

It's a bit strange though. Whenever I look at another young person, they're usually visually appealing (or not that far off), with respects to their body shape. More often than not, they have bigger upper body muscle. Sometimes this is contrasted with a beer belly.

I still feel compelled to get a better six pack, even if it doesn't necessarily enhance my athletic ability whatsoever.

[Dazzle]

Yeah, I'm thinking if the only reason you're working out is "looking good for women" then there's another issues here. I workout for myself, because I enjoy being in shape. I'd assume a lot of guys are less worried about their sixpack being hot for the ladies, and more worried about looking how they think looks good so theyre happy with their body.

So why is it that men tend to go for looking stronger?

I don't particularly have a genuine desire to strengthen my upper body muscle, even though I also feel like I ought to, in comparison to everyone else. So, what drives them to 'lift weights'?

Is it an evolutionary process for a man to want to be stronger?

[Gustavo Fring]

[BananaMash]

So why is it that men tend to go for looking stronger?

I don't particularly have a genuine desire to strengthen my upper body muscle, even though I also feel like I ought to, in comparison to everyone else. So, what drives them to 'lift weights'?

Is it an evolutionary process for a man to want to be stronger?

Well, I'd assume that it's partially a societal thing because we're told that real men are built that way, and also partially because they think it looks good to look stronger and want to feel good about how they look.

As far as it being evolutionary, I have no idea. I'm not a musclologist.

[Absent Canuck]

Women want a man for every single reason why we think they do. The difference is women dont put them in the same order of importance as we think they might.

[kyledude]

Girlfriend doesn't care, neither do I.

[Rey]

It's a bit strange though. Whenever I look at another young person, they're usually visually appealing (or not that far off), with respects to their body shape. More often than not, they have bigger upper body muscle. Sometimes this is contrasted with a beer belly.

I still feel compelled to get a better six pack, even if it doesn't necessarily enhance my athletic ability whatsoever.

cause young people get destroyed by peer pressure. In school, there's so much emphasis on social statues, with so much cliques and social groups. People, eventually grow out of it when they are old.

[Buddhas Hand]

This wo

So why is it that men tend to go for looking stronger?

I don't particularly have a genuine desire to strengthen my upper body muscle, even though I also feel like I ought to, in comparison to everyone else. So, what drives them to 'lift weights'?

Is it an evolutionary process for a man to want to be stronger?

Nick Neave the evolutionary Physcologist wrote

Today's women "may be shooting up the career ladder and earning more than the men in their lives, but when it comes to relationships, men still hold the trump card," Neave claims. "I study patterns of behavior dating back to the first human societies and constantly analyze evidence that demonstrates the key differences which have developed between the sexes since men were hunter-gatherers and women were child bearers. Females are smaller and weaker than males, so, in prehistoric times, women and their offspring were prone to being the victims of predators and violence. They needed the support and protection of men who didn't just have brute force but also had social status in the group, either through their sheer physicality or the strength of their personality. That's why women still look for a mate of higher social standing. If a woman had a relationship with a socially dominant male, she would immediately get greater access to resources because her social standing would be elevated, too. As we shall see, modern surveys consistently show that women today ape [no pun intended?] those inherent characteristics by looking for partners who are socially dominant and have the respect of their peers, paying close attention to how men interact with, and are treated by, other men."

"Men have a different reason for choosing a mate," Neave continues. "The caveman needed to be sure he was raising a child who was genetically his. The best way of doing this was to secure a mate and guard her so she didn't get the chance to stray. A man's natural instinct may be to have sex with a different woman every day, but to safeguard his relationship (and secure his progeny), he has been forced into a pattern of monogamy. When couples meet at speed-dating events, typically a man will judge a woman on her looks and youth. His priorities are whether she's healthy, interested in sex, and can give him children one day. He doesn't care how much she earns or her social status. Typically, however, a woman's first question will be: 'What job do you do?' It sounds a friendly overture, but what she really wants to know is his social position and earning capacity. Is he an industrious, hard worker, capable of providing for her and their children? Because of his power, even the ugliest politician on the planet has women lining up to go to bed with him... As American statesman Henry Kissinger put it: 'Power is the ultimate aphrodisiac.'"

Neave goes on to quote a study in which the researchers (from Syracuse University and University of Toledo) presented women with photographs of men. The first group, described as doctors, wore designer ties, smart shirts, and sported Rolex watches. The second wore plain shirts and Swatch watches and were described as teachers. The third group wore Burger King uniforms. Women repeatedly picked doctors as potential boyfriends — even though many of the men in the third category were actually more handsome.

Says Neave: "Quite simply, to women, a man's looks are less important than earning power and social standing."

[BananaMash]

Women want a man for every single reason why we think they do. The difference is women dont put them in the same order of importance as we think they might.

And "women" aren't a single entity. I'm sure there are women who put a lot of value into their partners muscles, and then there's some that don't. Just like every guy doesn't have the same tastes.

[TOMapleLaughs]

1. Ripped muscles + 'Acting nice' = Gaydar blips.

2. The guy who spends all of his time loving his own appearance may not have time to appreciate yours. And the woman may want to be the most-attractive one in the relationship.

3. Finances matter. Muscles, few clothes, a tan and physical appearance doesn't indicate a huge bank account. In fact it may indicate a beach bum.

4. 'Mimbo' factor. Most of them have great abs. Most are also a waste of breath.

5. Is it real people who find these physical attributes attractive? Or are we being told that by corporations who want us to spend cash on ways to improve ourselves.

6. F it. Beauty is a light switch away.

[Rey]

So why is it that men tend to go for looking stronger?

I don't particularly have a genuine desire to strengthen my upper body muscle, even though I also feel like I ought to, in comparison to everyone else. So, what drives them to 'lift weights'?

Is it an evolutionary process for a man to want to be stronger?

Competition. Boys grow up believe that they should be strong, therefore lots of guys try to look big. Girls are the same, except it's looks instead. Every girl wears make up these days. a lot of it and they start young. Like Middle school young. Ever notice that lots of middle school kids look older than they are these days?

[Down by the River]

A girl friend of mine said that a lot of girls are insecure, and if they are in a relationship with a guy in really good shape, they constantly worry that he will be able to find someone more attractive than herself.

[Tortorella's Rant]

If you work out just for the ladies you're going to have a bad time. I know of and see some fat and or out of shape losers with hot women.

[Captain Aerosex]

Well, I'm a naturally lanky guy. I wasn't blessed with big muscles or broad shoulders. The only really 'above-average' things about my body are my giant hands and feet, black guy butt, and I always have defined abs year-round. I get compliments here and there about my abs from girls, every now and then. But my ass is revered as a golden idol. At parties, girls are always grabbing my ass. I also get girls wanting to compare their hands and feet to mine a lot. The 6-pack really isn't fawned over that much.

From my experience, most girls like these body features the most (not counting face): wide backs, broad shoulders, muscly butts, and height. Physical features like that are indicators of good genes; strength and size to protect them with. All a 6-pack indicates is that you have low body fat, which in fact might not necessarily be good thing from a natural selection standpoint (remember what they say about fat being revered in less affluent cultures?)

So, I think what makes a 6-pack attractive is the time and place we live in. In a culture where most of us have more food than we need, it shows you take good care of your fitness, the same way really nice clothes show you take care of your finances (even though those nice clothes might've been impractical to wear back when in the wild). The scrawny guy making 6 figures doesn't exactly trigger that primal urge in a girl, but money means power nowadays and so the best way to get yourself a 'mate' isn't to have big muscles but a big wallet.

As for a male-male perspective, some guys just want to look strong and dominant not necessarily to attract women but to be intimidating or impressive. I don't think many women find bulgy traps and swollen biceps attractive, but it sure looks f**king scary. Most of them find a 6-pack to just be a 'cherry on top' sort of deal compared to other body features. But it shows you exercise and looks powerful. Status is important to some people. I find I've had more guys compliment me on my abs than my girls if I'm being completely honest.

[McBackup]

It really boils down to the sexes having completely different priorities and ideas over what the other wants.

For example, the same can be said for how women care so much about how their makeup/hair/whatever looks when most guys won't even notice.

There is also the fact that everyone has different preferences for what they find physically attractive in a partner. For example I know guys that think Taylor Swift is a 10/10 but I'm not attracted to her at all. That doesn't mean she's extremely attractive or ugly, just that people like different things.