Physical Attributes Entry: MUSCULAR CHARACTERS

Physical description of a character can be difficult to
convey—too much will slow the pace or feel 'list-like', while too
little will not allow readers to form a clear mental image. If a reader
cannot imagine what your character looks like, they may have trouble
connecting with them on a personal level, or caring about their plight. 





Muscle Dominator via photopin cc

One
way to balance the showing and telling of physical description is to
showcase a few details that really help 'tell the story' about who your
character is and what they've been through up to this point. Think about
what makes them different and interesting. Can a unique feature,
clothing choice or way they carry themselves help to hint at their
personality? Also, consider how they move their body. Using movement
will naturally show a character's physical characteristics, keep the
pace flowing and help to convey their emotions.








MUSCULAR




Descriptors : brawny, beefy, built, stacked, burly, hulking, robust, powerful, sculpted, sturdy,

strapping, rugged, hard, potent. Muscular individuals go beyond toned muscle structure and verge into defined, well built curves often visible through clothing. Muscles strain against fabric at the forearms, biceps and chest. Calves are bulkier than normal, the back broadened with muscle layers and a neck may appear wider at the base. Muscular individuals are not that way naturally, and so either go to the gym or work in an environment that requires strength, building them up over time. Muscular characters can take their desire for a sculpted look too far and become a mass of veiny, bulges that many find unattractive.


Things Muscles Do:  


Flex: jump, bulge, ripple, jerk, strain, swell, rise, balloon
Harden: tense, firm, freeze, set, strengthen, knot, bunch

Key Emotions and Related Muscle Movements: 


Anger: when angry or frustrated, muscles tense in aggression. The body naturally takes up more space, creating a bigger target and sending a message to opponents that one should not be messed with.

Fear: When experiencing fear, a person feels the desire to shrink and make oneself less of a target, aligning with flight-or-flight. Muscles may loosen as one tries to make oneself smaller, or tighten in an attempt to shield oneself from harm.
Pride: Creating a muscular build takes time, effort, and discipline. Often the person feels pride and confidence as a result, especially males. This pride can escalate to overblown self-confidence or narcissism.

Simile and Metaphor Help:                           



 Metallica came on and Randy began flexing his bulky chest muscles to the beat. Valerie and I roared; they jittered like twin bowls of Jello left on the counter during an earthquake.
Holy cow, is that Alicia? I almost didn't recognize my high school chum by her sage eyes and sweet smile, so distracted was I by the knotted lumps beneath her leathery fake tan. I'd heard she'd gotten into body building, but unless she was moonlighting as a baseball stadium storage bin, it looked like she'd taken her fitness just a little to far.


Clichés to Avoid : muscles the size of beach balls, a muscle-bound body builder with no brains, flexing an arm muscle to impress, etc.




BONUS TIP: The
Colors, Textures & Shapes Thesaurus in our sidebar might help
you find a fresh take on some of the descriptors listed above!