I'm not sure which route to take. I'm 5'6 and 150 lbs. I have a decent body, I'd say by body fat is around 12-13%. However, even though I'd like a little more bulk, any fat I seem to store goes straight to my cheeks and gives me a 'hamster' look. Therefore, would it be better to try and get ripped, even though with clothes on I wouldn't be such a presence, or get bigger and accept I'm going to go through a phase (maybe a year or two) of bulking up and looking a bit chubbier?

I'm also aware of 'short-man syndrome' so would getting leaner as opposed to bulking make sure girls don't look at me and think "Yep, that guy's not comfortable with his height and now looks like a short Mr Blobby!" (For those of you who know who he is!)

_________________
"If you don't try, you'll never succeed. If you do try, you never fail, simply learn."

Same height as you and I'm living in a country full of giants where a colleague of work who is 5'10 became really happy when I arrived to work there because he was not the short guy of the department anymore...

Anyway predicting that girls will think when they see you: "Yep, that guy's not comfortable with his height and now looks like a short Mr Blobby!" is just BS... really there are infinite things that can come up to their heads when looking at you, so there is no point of analyzing that.

If you want to bulk or to cut off you have to do it for yourself and not to try to get attention from others... I mean you are the one who will feel the hunger, the pain, boredom, tiredness, etc of your workouts...
what do you think will make you feel happier, prouder and better about yourself, being slim but ripped or short and buff?

Some girls will like the slim version, some others the buff version that does not matter, what matters is to feel proud and like the image that you'll see everyday in the mirror.

It's a coincidence how I'm also 5'6" at 165 lbs. Being short has it's disadvantages but you make use with what you have.

Like Mystery said, "I've been trapped in this body - I'm 6'5", I'm slender, and what you can't fix, you feature, so I wear - often times, skinny stuff. Women I've discovered do not respond to a man's looks as much as they response to a social status and any indicators that link to his social status so if he speaks well, then that's going to be an indicator of that. You do the best you can and accept the reality that has been presented. This is who you are. Dress nice, cut your hair, be well groomed."

I am above average in the muscle zone per say, but I make do with what I have. I get a lot of women by the way I act and present myself.

All in all, don't think muscle is the key to being a MPUA.

_________________
- Class