Experts Reveal How to Look Bigger Than You Really Are

What do Superman, Bart Starr, and every character Arnold Schwarzenegger played in the 80s have in common? They're tall, sure, but they're also straight-up dominant. Science provides some evidence that those traits—height, masculinity, and "dominance"—are bound together. So if you're curious how to look bigger, there is a formula.

In one study published in the journal Perception, scientists altered photos of 25-year-old men to appear up to 3 inches taller, 10 years older, or "more masculine" and asked study participants to give their opinions of the men. The kings of the hill: Tall, masculine guys who look like they're about 35 years old. 

It's also a defining factor in picking Hollywood's leading men—like, say, 37-year-old Michael B. Jordan, who stands a burly 6'0" and 34-year-old Bill Skarsgard at an imposing 6'3" who just so happen to be some of the top movie stars these days. Two other guys who land close to the mark: Liam Hemsworth (6'3", age 35) and Austin Butler (6'0", age 33), who play Geralt of Rivia (The Witcher), and Feyd-Rautha (Dune: Part Two), respectively. 

So, as far as anecdotal evidence goes, Tinseltown is backing up the science.

Of course, height and age aren't exactly something guys can really control. The solution? Hit the gym, where targeting particular muscles can help sculpt your dimensions and achieve that dominant effect. 

Here's how to look bigger than you actually are and how to build a more "dominant" physique.

1. Boost Your Shoulders

Training your delts and traps will add much needed width across the top. Especially if you’re a taller guy, width is going to be a major standout feature that dictates whether you’re deemed “skinny” or “big.” Putting beef on your shoulders and neck is a good place to start. 

Your best bet is to perform 2 to 5 workouts per week that hit your shoulders from all angles. Aim for 12 to 24 sets each for your traps and front, side, and rear delts. Keep in mind that any push or pull exercises will hit your front and rear delts, so if you include plenty of those in your program, spending more time on side delt isolation exercises is a smart move.

Key Exercises

• Shoulder press
• Lateral raise
• Barbell shrug

Related: 50 Best Shoulder Exercises of All Time to Build Cannonball Delts

2. Blast Your Upper Back

Put bench press and biceps curls on the back burner and focus on adding width to your upper body. A broad upper back will have much more impact on your presence than an overtrained chest will. And because all the back training will open up your shoulders and improve posture. You’ll look wider just because you’re standing taller and more open.

Aim for 10 to 20 sets of back exercises spread over 2 to 4 workouts per week. Split your volume between horizontal and vertical pulling exercises so you hit all areas of your back.

Key Exercises

• Pullups
• Dumbbell rows
• Straight arm cable pulldowns

Related: 50 Best Back Exercises to Build Serious Mass in 2025

3. Cut Body Fat

Balanced eating and tapering down at the waist is a great way to accentuate the V-taper and overall “X” shape of the body. Plus, the lean look will not only be limited to the waistline but also the whole body, making your muscles look more defined and ultimately more prominent. 

Dropping body fat is a gradual process that is best sought after with a combo of exercise and diet. Don't go overboard with cardio, but aim to be active every day, say an average of 10 to 12K steps on top of your strength training sessions. Sprinkle in some more intense cardio or lower your calorie intake to speed things along when you hit a plateau. 

Key Exercises

• Sprints
• Running
• Rowing

Related: 10 Best Cardio Workouts for Weight Loss to Melt Body Fat

4. Train Your Legs

Getting a good set of wheels will not only encourage the entire body to grow, but it will also complete an “X” shape. Filling out a pair of jeans and growing a pair of glutes will aesthetically convey much more athleticism than someone who just has some muscle on the upper body alone. Healthy legs let the viewer know that “this guy must train.”

Aim for 2 to 3 leg workouts per week that hit your glutes, quads, hamstrings, and calves for 5 to 15 sets each—on the lower end for glutes and hamstrings and the higher end for quads and calves, which recover faster and typically need more volume to grow.

Key Exercises

• Barbell back squat
• Romanian deadlift
• Calf raise

Related: 50 Best Leg Exercises to Hammer Your Entire Lower Body

5. Dress Right

Although it might be tempting to wear big, bulky clothes, it's best to avoid excessively baggy clothing. Clothes that accentuate a smaller waistline will bring out the width of the shoulders. You can, however, add texture (tweed, corduroy, flannel) and layers that add size and visual interest.

As far as colors go, lighter tones and horizontal stripes can help draw the eyes toward the body’s widest points. Fitted clothing works, but don’t go too fitted. Too tight will defeat the purpose and lose the illusion. Good examples: Henly tees, structured blazers, chunky knit sweaters, and well-fitting pants (i.e., not skinny jeans).

Stay Consistent

Getting big is a process, but applying these tricks of the trade will speed it up and make that process slightly more enjoyable as you begin to see results. Of course, there’s no shortcut to the real thing, so keep working hard and earn the benefits of your effort.