The ideal male body didn’t always include chiseled abs.
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Greek statues, the Napoleonic wars and the advent of photography all played a role.
Sports science needs to race towards a different approach.
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The Greek body - white, muscular, masculine and middle class - dominated as an ideal type. This dominance continues today.
What is it that makes Venus a hottie? Is it her hip-to-waist ratio, or just her slenderness?
"The Birth of Venus", Sandro Boticelli c1486.
Is there an ideal body shape that is universally attractive? A recent study shows that beauty is more complex, and diverse, than that.
The virtual bodies around us are so unrealistic that it’s not unusual for people to question whether they’re normal.
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We live in a world of improbable bodies; they populate our television screens, magazines and billboards. If you’re like most Australians, you might sometimes get the feeling your body isn’t normal. But…