In a bizarre and extreme fitness experiment that defies all conventional wisdom, a social media creator known as "The Crooked Man" has spent more than 300 days training only one muscle in his body. His goal is not symmetry or peak physical form, but deliberate, pronounced asymmetry.
The 'Looks Minimizing' Counter-Trend
The creator frames his unusual journey as a direct reaction to the popular TikTok trend of "looksmaxxing," where users obsessively pursue physical perfection to enhance attractiveness. He calls his alternative approach "looks minimizing." Explaining his motivation in a video, he said the idea struck him while scrolling through such content.
"I was scrolling TikToks in my Ferrari, and I kept getting these looksmaxing TikToks," he recounted. "And they were like, 'Do this, do that. You'll look more attractive. You'll get more women'. It's like, people have that problem? I have the opposite problem." His solution was to intentionally become more asymmetrical. "What was the best way to looksminimize? Become more asymmetrical," he explained. "Work out one trap, it solved my problem."
300 Days of Deliberate Imbalance
For over ten months, The Crooked Man has focused exclusively on his left trapezius muscle—the large muscle spanning the neck, shoulders, and upper back. The result is a stark physical imbalance. One shoulder now sits visibly higher and thicker, while the other remains in its original, comparatively undeveloped state. Photos from before the experiment show a balanced physique, while current images reveal a torso where the left arm and shoulder dwarf the right.
To fuel this targeted muscle growth, or hypertrophy, he follows a high-protein diet. His daily intake reportedly includes items like sardines, goat yoghurt, protein powder, ground beef, and eggs, all aimed at feeding the single muscle he trains.
Doctors Issue Stern Health Warnings
While The Crooked Man celebrates his success in "looks minimizing," medical professionals have raised serious red flags. Speaking to LADbible, Dr. Suhail Hussain warned that any short-term gains are massively outweighed by potential long-term damage.
"There may be some short-term positives," Dr. Hussain stated, "but there's a clear musculoskeletal imbalance this man is developing." He cautioned that such extreme one-sided training could lead to severe consequences, including:
- Spinal misalignment
- Chronic joint strain
- Compensatory injuries in surrounding muscles
- Long-term chronic pain
"The body is designed for symmetry and balance," Dr. Hussain emphasized. "Distorting that through disproportionate hypertrophy risks long-term orthopaedic problems." He added that there is "no real functional benefit" to overdeveloping one side of the trapezius, as its primary role is support and stabilization, not isolated power. This imbalance could also negatively affect posture and gait over time.
Despite these warnings, The Crooked Man continues his experiment, posting updates as he approaches a full year of one-sided training. He stands as a living, asymmetrical counterpoint to the social media algorithms that endlessly promote symmetry, optimization, and an unattainable perfection.
