Why Shirt Size Matters

In this article, I will explain why shirt size does matter. I don’t mean this in an egotistical way…like “HEY I’m so jacked cause I wear XXL” or “I’m bigger than you because of my shirt size!” Instead, I’m referring to shirts as a tool to assess your various physical features. Everything from muscular strengths and weakness, leanness, and individual build! So let me dissect these facts.

The first thing to understand is that shirts are based off size charts. The letters S,M,L,XL,XXL etc are not random, they are based off actual body measurements! This can include neck size, chest width, shoulder length, sleeve length, waist length, and even body length. As a lifter, these numbers are very telling! Let’s say you decide to wear an XL and it’s tight around your chest/back, but loose around the neck, arms, and waist…what can you learn from this? Simple! Your neck and arms are proportionately lagging, and you likely have lower body fat given the droopy waist. Or you might short or have a small frame, causing the sleeve length to automatically makes your arms look skinnier given the extra fabric. In addition, the torso length adds unnecessary bulk to the waist. With this simple example, you can learn a lot about your muscular strengths and weaknesses! The shirt size tells you what muscles need work, and which don’t. Never forget that measurements are real numbers, they aren’t fabricated or based off subjective aesthetics. If the chest size is 46-48 but your measurement is only 43, the body will not lie to you. The truth will be reflected upon the looseness of the chest area! Use that knowledge to assess progress.

With that in mind, shirt size can also tell you a lot about your individual build. You will find out if you have long arms, short arms, big waist, small waist, or if you naturally have wide or small clavicles. For instance, there are some non-lifters who wear greater shirt sizes simply because of their height and bone structure. In this way, the shirt size starting point can tell you a lot about “good or bad” genetics.

What else does the shirt demonstrate? If you’re making muscles gains or not! If you’re been wearing medium t-shirts for the last 5 years and there’s no difference in how it falls on your body (new clothes, not stretched or shrunk) then you’ve likely stalled. Or if it’s not a plateau, perhaps it CAN be progress if you’re leaner! Let’s say you dropped 20lbs of fat and gained 5lbs of muscle yet you’re still wearing the same shirt size. That is progress, for you did not downgrade. It’s comparable to going through a massive cut yet maintaining strength, except now pound for pound strength is higher. On the other end of the spectrum, if your shirt size increases rapidly but the measurements rise in the wrong areas (like waist), you know that there’s a lot of fat gain going on here. That can be used to assess bulking progress, and it also proves that higher bodyfat is legitimately increasing your measurements hence making you look bigger in clothes. This is why Bear Mode will always look more impressive in clothes compared to a shredded guy.

On a final note, I would like to address those who believe that shirt size does not matter. The main argument is that one should simply downsize or wear tight clothes. This automatically makes your “guns hug the sleeves” while giving the appearance of a fitter frame. This argument does not work in reality. Why? You cannot add what you do not have. If you’re skinny yet wear super tight small t-shirts…guess what? You’re still skinny, and there is nothing you can do to hide that weak frame. Although your sleeves and other areas will be tighter, small muscles will always be apparent. This will be very noticeable when standing next to someone who is similar in frame (height, bodyfat, etc) but is wearing a larger shirt size that is on a similar level of tightness. In other words, if you lack size, the shirt will not make up for it. It can make a difference, but the mass won’t be there.

Although I always recommend wearing the best fitting clothes for you, don’t use that excuse to neglect the important of shirt sizing. I’ve said this for many years now, and I will say it again. Measurements don’t lie! It’s objective, not illusion based. Always dress well, but next time you put on a t-shirt think about what you just read.