Submitted 3 hours ago by PlzGivHugs@sh.itjust.works to [deleted]
Basically any word or short phrase I can think of to mean “a lot of muscle” also implies skinny or almost no fat. Fit, or lithe bring to mind more a track athlete’s body, and buff, ripped, jacked, muscular, ect. generally are though of more like a body builder. The closest thing I can think of dad-bod but thats obviously still pretty far off as well as being male-specific. Is there even an English word for this?
Strongman-build? Barrel-chested?
Bulky
Beefy
I’ve actually seen people use the word “powerlifter” for this purpose. Id est using it to describe someone’s physical build even if they are not a full-on powerlifter.
“stout” is the first that comes to mind and isn’t immediately discarded. But because those other forms are so easy to call to mind I’d rather describe the power-lifter as they differ from those norms.
“He was no body-builder. Powerful, yes, but he had traded aesthetics for even more strength. Muscles built upon muscles like layers of a brick house, and nearly as solid.”
Jacked as fuck
does it have to be a single word?
Or sort phrase. The sort of thing you might introduce a minor character in a book with. Something that would fit in a phrase like, “He was a tall, buff man.”
i think you already have a bunch in the OP - just choose what fits best and add what will cancel misinterpretations of your words.
rumschlumpel@feddit.org 3 hours ago
Stocky, stout, barrel-chested? I’d say “buff” would fit, too, it definitely allows more leeway for bodyfat content than words like “athletic” or “ripped”. Also just the good old “very strong”.