Look for ties to the Fitness Industry.

Attitude has more to do with 'getting it' than any other single factor; by a HUGE margin. This has been known for decades scientifically, and eons, non-scientifically.

If they had interviewed comedians, the musclebounds would have looked like eunuchs.

I suspect that the attitudes of the more fitness-oriented males had a great deal more to do with their being able to get some than their muscles.

wouldn't LIE about their number of sexual partners, would they?

Isn't that why most people go to gyms? I knows it's why I do.

Having had many sexual partners doesn't necessarily mean that you're more sexually attractive, it could just mean that you're more likely to seek new sexual partners.

That part of the study only indicates a link between muscularity and sex-drive; common factor: testosterone perhaps?

Or is that just another way of saying that "attitude" is important?

Indeed, what we have really learned is that muscular undergraduates were twice as likely to _say_ that they have had more than three sex partners than less-built types.

Those who spend a lot of time in the gym honing their muscles obviously have a suspiciously hightened appreciation of the male form. Closet homosexuals in denial, says this weedy geek.

They do a study on UCLA undergraduates, and from that try to generalize and say their results apply to the whole world.

Their results have only been demonstrated as valid for men and women aged 18 to 25, attending university, and living in California!!!

Other people in other sub-cultures have other considerations.

In what way does the research show that women are predisposed to prefer muscularity in men?

The women in the study described muscular men as "volatile, aggressive and dominant", hardly a ringing endorsement.

I reckon attractiveness to the opposite sex is a lot to do with attitude and confidence. Other factors affect it, but only by a fraction.

Confidence is key - if you have a well-toned body then you're going to feel confident, right?

But the body isn't essential - have you seen Johnny Vegas' girlfriend?

I'm a fairly burly bloke, not ashamed of it, I also have a ponch but alas non of us are perfect. Now take into consideration that most men that spend a lot of time in the gym are generally already insecure enough about their own body image to want to change it, it is more than a theory that these men would lie about the number of sexual partners they've had. The same also applies to men who dress up in adoration of the clothes worn by men in Lynx adverts (see the original pulse ad).

Insecurity is one of the largest personality disorders in men, men are generally put in competitive situations where if they aren't successful this adds to an inferiority complex, which as I have found on nights out in the town I live leads to insecurities so great they end up brawling in the streets like 5yr old boys who don't know how to fight.

Thankfully when I left my home town it wasn't like that, I hold that memory quite dear as my home town is one of the only places in england I've found where the general population of men don't want or need to try and turn themselves into a folk hero as a result of their growing complex.

Personally I think the best way to attract women is to show them you're strong in other ways, strength of character, opinion and courage of their own ambitions and convictions are far more important to women in general.

...part of this infallable research was asking the question "how many women have you had sex with?"

Is it difficult getting a research grant?

Er, bollocks. A silhouette will tell you naff all about muscles, and more about body shape. Things like broad shoulders and height are far more effective than muscles in attracting women.

Yes, exercising will help your body shape, but it's constrained by your skeleton and that can't be changed.

Also, as has been mentioned above and in numerous studies, fitness is not an indicator of sexual success. The best that could be said is that it might be true for some male undergraduates at UCLA, nothing else. Another crap study, from a crap university.

I already spent a fortune in those "Gain three inches" mailings I get, I'm quite happy to learn that I won't also need to spend a fortune in those dietary complements for a long term relationship....

... the church of David DeAngelo would be wounded by such rubbish.

Er... allow me to rephrase this absolutely fantastic piece from top-notch boffins:

- when it comes to a quick sh*g, females undergrads look more at partners' muscles and or any other validaly involved part of their body.

- when more mature females envisage, later on, to live with someone, have children as is common, they look more to partner's stability, income and all.

I nominate the boffins for a scientific prize !

http://www.glumbert.com/media/sizematter

That's Southern California, where vain is brought to a whole new level. Venice Beach. Nothing more to be said.

Ross Jeffries, Mystery, Major Mark , Style and many more of us will be laughing at this twaddle.

you OBVIOUSLY did that to get a laugh at the comments section now, admit it!!!

99 male undergrads is nothing for a research publication, and muscular men aren't necessarily the same down that area, if you know what I mean. Maybe they (the woman) mean muscular in "certain" area.

Anyway isn't it a common conception that muscular men have a small ***k? I wonder how many of the woman interviewed are blonde?

"Pretty women out walking with gorillas down my street..."

"Other people in other sub-cultures have other considerations."

Yeah, like sex.

And booze.

"twice as likely to have had more than three sex partners than less-built types"

Jesus, did they interview 14 year olds? I'm tall but I'm certainly not muscled or even particularly good looking and even I shot past the '3' mark without even slowing down. If the buff, good looking guys are impressed by having more than three girls then all the weedy lads must be virgins?! I thought that 'frat parties' were meant to be packed full of drunken white girls, surely even the fat kid can get some...

Is this more true in the US than here, perhaps? This study has, presumably, only covered American women, who I imagine have a different idea of what is attractive than, say, French, or Australian, or Japanese etc.

So all I can see here is that Americans are obsessed with the muscular form. Whether that's a human thing or not is still unproven.

Maybe it's only the male dominated IT geek set that reads El Reg - but the most interesting thing about all of these comments is that where the names have been added there appears to be only 1 (possibly 2 if George is short for Georgina, Chris is not short for Christine in my case) poster using a female name.

Funny how the women-folk have pretty much stayed schtum on the matter.

Cos everyone's told every day by the Idiot lantern (TV) that hunky guys are gorgeous the psychology aspect of it all is surely broken as everyone's been marketeered and brainwashed. Just the same way as everyone's told that a scrawny 12-year-old shaped body is beatiful on a female. Which it isn't.

Then people wonder why there's so much child pr0n and associated activites 'going around'...

From watching friends, and from personal experience, I can attest that attitude is far more important. from honest, actual feedback from several women, (albeit in the 18-25 range) including one I am now engaged to, it seems that many women aren't fond of six-packs and rippling ab muscles, at least in a relationship. Why?

One, they aren't as fond of the look as they are of a simply smooth, toned stomach. Second, a little fat on your abdomen is healthier- having 4% body fat is actually considered to be a dangerous, so as long as it's not to a point of being morbidly obese. Third, they like the feel more. While having rock solid abs is impressive to them, and demonstrates a certain level of physical fitness they like, they want some fat there so that if they're cuddling or laying their head there they have some cushioning between them and the steel that is the well developed muscle. Fourth, having an incredibly cut, muscle bound physique means that you have to spend a fair bit of time maintaining that look. Do you really think they want a long term relationship with someone that's going to have to devote time to that process, in addition to the time they have to devote to work, and time for whatever else they do, and lose the time that they may spend with their significant others, or, down the line, kids?

And no, these opinions have not been given to me because I'm insecure about my current build. I'm one of the group that has rock hard, but slightly covered, abs. If I tense it, you can actually see the muscle defining itself past the fat. However, I've been told (by my fiance' and several good female friends (not that sort, you dirty minded people)) that I am, under no circumstances, to deliberately try to lose that fat.