Men Smashed Bones for Looks: Experts Warn of Danger

Young men are being drawn to masculinity influencers who share extreme self-improvement advice, with some identifying as 'healthmaxxers' or 'looksmaxxers.' These online personalities use terms like 'mogging' and 'ascending' to describe improving one's appearance, often narrowly defining attractiveness by chiselled features and muscular builds.

Research indicates that a significant portion of young men aged 16-25 in the UK, US, and Australia regularly consume this content. However, a counter-movement of qualified health professionals is emerging. They use their platforms to critique these trends, highlighting the dangers of practices like 'bone-smashing,' which can cause blunt facial trauma, bleeding, and bruising.

Prominent looksmaxxing influencers, like 20-year-old Braden Peters, have promoted harmful methods, including alleged steroid use and even methamphetamine for fat loss. Peters recently made headlines after appearing to collapse during a livestream, requiring hospitalization. Despite TikTok banning the term 'bone smashing,' searches for related phrases remain high among young men.

Registered nutritionist James Brash criticizes the 'influencer overreach' where advice lacks evidence, often preying on fear. He also points to influencers promoting outdated and sexist views on masculinity. Organizations like Beyond Equality are working in schools to counter these narratives, advocating for broader definitions of masculinity that include care and kindness.

Some influencers, like Steven Abelman, focus on 'primal lifestyles,' emphasizing diet and exercise as means to combat perceived societal weakening. This contrasts with initiatives promoting community and diverse expressions of strength, such as yoga in prisons, aiming to foster healthier, more positive self-perceptions among young men.