Perfect Shoulder to Waist Ratio & Body (According To Science) | 1.6 | Calculate & Measure (2024)

These are legitimate questions that many men tend to obsess over, and they're legitimate questions to ask, but only once you've built a solid foundation.

But a lot of those questions boil down to personal preference, both from what you want, along with what your potential mate wants.

As far as attraction goes, there is a nearly universal law that applies though:

Women are attracted to a "V" shaped torso on men. Men are attracted to an hourglass figure on women.

The “V” body shape means having broader shoulders that taper down to a slimmer waist. This is also referred to occasionally as a “Swimmer’s body”.

An Archives of Sexual Behavior study reveals that women are most attracted to muscular men whose shoulders measure 1.6 times the size of their waists.

If you've ever heard of the golden ratio, this shouldn't surprise you.We’re going to use math to get you a good looking physique.


What is the golden ratio?

The golden ratio, 1: 1.618 is said to be the most pleasing ratio to the eye. You can find this ratio hidden in works of art and occurring naturally throughout the world. It can be found in some of the most beautiful things: Seashells, the Mona Lisa, the Giza pyramids, and even galaxies, just to name a few. It also occurs naturally in our bodies.

A very good example of this can be seen in our faces. The most attractive faces have the golden ratio all over them. I'll go into more depth on facial attractiveness at a later time. But as an example, here are just some of the measurements we can look at. The closer to ratio is to 1: 1.61 the better.

  • With to length of your face

  • Pupil to teeth to chin

  • Hairline to eyebrow to eye

I want to add that this has been studied extensively and put in use by modern plastic surgeons when evaluating clients. However, most of the studies done in this area have been geared toward women. As more men start to put effort into their appearance, I suspect we will see more studies done with male subjects in the future.

How to Find Your Ratio

For this purpose, we will give your waist a measurement of 1. This means your shoulders should measure to be around 1.61.

The closer you can get your waist/shoulder ratio to 1/1.61, the more aesthetically pleasing your body will be.

To find out your ratio, measure around your waist, then the circumference your shoulders, (You're probably going to need some help with this part) then divide shoulders/waist to get your ratio.

Example: 30-inch waist, 49-inch shoulders = 1.63

This will give you a good idea of what you need to work on to reach that magical ratio.

Maybe you need to bulk up your shoulders a bit or cut down on the love handles.Whatever it is, this will give you a good idea of how you should structure your training in the future.

Focusing on this will give you a near-universally attractive body, aside from personal preferences.

Like this? Cool. We can get even more detailed, covering your style from head to toe. Check out the assessment where I give you expert advice on things you can do to make improvements right away. You’ll even get a personalized video where I walk you through it all. Sign up here and I’ll talk to you soon.

Perfect Shoulder to Waist Ratio & Body (According To Science) | 1.6 | Calculate & Measure (2024)

FAQs

Perfect Shoulder to Waist Ratio & Body (According To Science) | 1.6 | Calculate & Measure? ›

The closer you can get your waist/shoulder ratio to 1/1.61, the more aesthetically pleasing your body will be. To find out your ratio, measure around your waist, then the circumference your shoulders, (You're probably going to need some help with this part) then divide shoulders/waist to get your ratio.

What is a 1.6 shoulder to waist ratio? ›

This is how big your waist should be. to look more attractive. The ideal shoulder to waist ratio for men is 1 to 6, meaning the shoulders are a lot wider than your waist. So if you're a guy with a 30 inch waist, ideally you wanna aim for a shoulder circumference. of 49 inches around.

How do you measure your shoulder to your waist? ›

This length is taken from your shoulder point to your waist line. Hold one end of the tape at your shoulder point and stretch it over and along the shape of your bust, down till your waist line marking.

How to calculate body ratio? ›

Here's how.
  1. Measure at the smallest point. Wrap a tape measure around your waist at the smallest point, usually around your belly button. ...
  2. Measure your hips. Next, wrap the tape measure around your hips at the widest part. ...
  3. Divide. Use a calculator to divide your waist size by your hip size. ...
  4. Record your ratio.
Jul 21, 2023

What is the ratio of the perfect body? ›

Since the time of ancient Greece, mathematicians have tried to figure out what makes things perfect and right. This led to the development of a set of measurements that led in turn to the ratio 1: 1.618, which is now often called “The Golden Ratio.”

What is the golden ratio for a woman's body? ›

Results: There is a golden ratio in the distances between xiphoid to waist and waist to the abdominal crease that is close to 1:1.66, and the waist is at the junction of the upper 2/5th and lower 3/5th of the height from xiphoid to abdominal crease.

What is the most attractive waist size? ›

Never mind perfectly sculpted cheekbones, enviably arched brows or a pert derriere, a recent study has discovered the most attractive female attribute is a cinched-in waist: one that measures a fraction under 26½ in (the equivalent of a size eight).

What are the perfect body measurements for a man? ›

Ideal Body Measurements for Men Based on Height
HeightIdeal ChestIdeal Waist
5'2″ (157 cm)37-39″ (94-99 cm)29-31″ (73-78 cm)
5'4″ (163 cm)39-41″ (99-104 cm)30-32″ (76-81 cm)
5'6″ (168 cm)40-42″ (101-106 cm)31-33″ (78-83 cm)
5'8″ (173 cm)41-43″ (104-109 cm)32-34″ (81-86 cm)
2 more rows
Jan 12, 2024

What is the ideal hip size for a man? ›

Men don't have a known ideal or most desirable hip measurement, but their optimal waist-to-hip ratio is 0.87 or lower, like a 34.5-inch waist with 39 and 1/2-inch hips (3). An extra inch on your waist would still be low risk.

What is the most attractive chest to waist ratio? ›

One of Swami's studies shows that women prefer a chest-to-waist ratio of 1.4 instead of one in which the two measures are closer to each other. (It's a smaller ratio than 1.6 since your chest is narrower than your shoulders.)

Which body shape is best for females? ›

The perception of the ideal female body shape varies across cultures and changes over time. Historically, hourglass figures with a waist-to-hip ratio of around 0.7 have been idealized.

What are the perfect body proportions for a woman? ›

The specific proportions of 36–24–36 inches (90-60-90 centimeters) have frequently been given as the "hourglass" proportions for women since at least the 1960s (these measurements are, for example, the title of a hit instrumental by The Shadows).

What is a healthy waist size? ›

For your best health, your waist should be less than 40 inches around for men, and less than 35 inches for women, although it may vary depending on race or ethnicity. If it's larger than that, you may want to talk with your doctor about what your next steps are, including losing weight.

Is 1.5 shoulder to waist ratio good for men? ›

Research shows ideal shoulder-waist ratio is 1.6 for men.

What shoulder to waist ratio is considered broad? ›

The ideal shoulder-to-waist ratio is said to be 0.7 for women and 0.9 for men. This means that a man with broad shoulders would have a waist that is about 70% the size of his shoulders, while a woman with broad shoulders would have a waist that is about 90% the size of her shoulders.

What should be shoulder to hip ratio? ›

Unlike WHR, SHR was unrelated to all measures in females. For women, WHRs of 0.67–0.80 are perceived as most attractive and healthy, with an ideal around 0.7 (Singh, 1993). For males, the attractive range is typically 0.85–0.95, with an ideal of 0.9 (Singh, 1995).

What is the ideal arm to waist ratio? ›

Summary: To achieve the ideal male body, you want your flexed arms and calves to be 2.5 times larger than your non-dominant wrist, your shoulders to be 1.618 times larger than your waist, your chest to be 6.5 times larger than your wrist, and your upper leg to be 1.75 times larger than your knee.

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