If you get a six-pack, you’ll be honouring history

The cultural obsession with ripped abs has a long backstory, and thanks to social media, it’s only set to grow.

It may seem like a relatively recent phenomenon, but Western culture’s fascination with chiselled abdominals can be traced to the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Instagram @eliastahan @matthew_noszka

Conor Heffernan

Jun 11, 2021 – 10.16am

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Today, there’s an entire industry centred on obtaining – and maintaining – chiselled abs. They’re the subject of books and social media posts, while every action movie star seems to sport them. Pressure is also mounting on women to sport six-pack abs as body ideals for athletic women have evolved.

All of this raises the question, when did the six-pack craze start?