For thousands of years, artists and sculptors have depicted the image of the ‘ideal’ man as an athletic and muscular figure. Think Greek statues such as Doryphoros dating back to circa 440 BC1 and Leonardo Da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man in 1487.2 Today, performers such as Zac Efron and Hugh Jackman are portrayed as body icons, with both featuring on the front pages of magazines across the world. Research indicates that there is an ‘emphasis on lean and well-defined muscle mass’ when it comes to male body shape,3 and that the majority of women prefer men’s figures to be muscular.1 According to a number of authors, muscularity may be seen as the physical manifestation of specific traits such as discipline, dominance, resilience, attractiveness, sexual experience and the absence of imperfections.3
Of course, regular exercise and maintaining a healthy lifestyle can offer men an ‘ideal’ physique, but some men may not have the time or inclination to spend hours lifting weights. Additionally, how…
