What is average shoulder width for a man?
The average man in the United States is 5-foot 10-inches tal, and weighs 172 pounds. His shoulder width is 18-1/4 inches. Using that as a starting number, if your shoulder width is approximately 18-1/4 inches . . . then, your shoulder width is AVERAGE or NORMAL. A little bit goes a long way in shoulder width . . .
18″ shoulders, if you are measuring like garment makers do, is an XXL size. It is quite possible for a woman/girl to have an XX-large frame that is excessively thin. It is also possible for the upper back to be deeply rounded/humped, making the measured shoulder width a larger number without any extra visual width.
Male and Female Average Shoulder Width:
The shoulder width of an average 18-year-old girl is approximately 14 inches. Whereas males of the same age typically have 15 inches of shoulder width.
Shoulder-Span-To-Pelvis Ratio Guide
Normal Shoulders: 1.32. Broad Shoulders: 1.38. Head-Turning Broad Shoulders: 1.42. Crowd-Gathering Broad Shoulders: 1.47+
If you consider absolute size, then broad shoulders start at 130 cm (50–51 inch) depending on the size of the frame.
Multiple studies confirm that women are more attracted to men with large, muscular shoulders — perhaps because they're indicative his status and potential to become a dad. These studies explain why men have to carry the weight of the world—well, you know where.
1 ft = 12 inches. 6 ft = 6*12 inches = 72 inches.
Still, based on biacromial measurements taken in years passed and trends observed by researchers, it's probably safe to say that in the United States average shoulder width is at least 16 inches (41 cm) for men and 14 inches (36 cm) for women.
My family says they're broad (in a good way) but 17 and below is the average shoulder width of a woman.
The final phase of skeletal growth in boys is a broadening of the chest and shoulders. This generally finishes around the age of 20. Boys' muscles go through a phase of rapid development which girls miss out on.
What shoulders are considered attractive?
Instead, work on sculpting broad shoulders. A study by Cambridge University of more than 700 women found broad shoulders were the most attractive male asset. Why? Not only do big shoulders make you look strong but the wider you are up top, the thinner you appear at the waist, creating that V-shape that drives her wild.
Shoulder width can be changed to a certain degree. You can't change your bone structure, which is determined mostly by genetics. This includes the width of the collarbones, an important part of shoulder width. However, you can build up and develop muscular shoulders.
Having broader shoulders is a masculine trait. During puberty, testosterone causes our shoulders to grow broader, whereas estrogen causes our hips to grow wider. Men tend to have more testosterone and less estrogen than women, so men develop more of a V-tapered physique, whereas women develop more hourglass shapes.
Shoulder to Waist Ratio Explained
A shoulder to waist ratio of 1.6 means that the shoulder circumference is 1.6 bigger than the waist circumference. In women, the ideal ratio is considered to be 1.4. The study by Horvath et al.
What is this? To be termed wide-shouldered, you should have a shoulder-to-waist ratio of around 1.618 (or even better). Measure the circumference of your shoulders and back with a tailor's measuring tape.
Because of the added width contributed by these soft tissues, the average adult female shoulder width is just under 17 inches or 43 cm.