From The Straits Times    |

Everybody’s had a Mr Perfect who fell from grace because of his poor skills in bed. On paper, he’s the man who was everything you needed, but a slobbery lover otherwise. If only there were some sort of warning signs to tell you that Mr Perfect was actually Mr Don’tgo- there in disguise.

Some women claim to have cracked the code. They say a man’s love-making talents can be seen in the hands. Others say it’s in the feet, yet others claim the secret is in their height. But do these theories hold true, or are they nothing more than urban legends? Who better to consult than our girlfriends in the know. Read on.

Myth 1 Big Hands, big feet, big digits
Verdict Oh yes!
Apparently it’s true what they say about men with big hands. But the consensus is that it’s the fingers and toes, to be precise, that hold the secret. “I’ve noticed that it’s the guys with big, broad toes who usually impress with their size. I look for that footballer’s toe, it’s wide and juicy. That theory’s never let me down,” Tara says, proudly.
 
Similarly, fingers are another good gauge. Stephanie, 32, a public relations executive, always looks at fingernails. She happily describes her ex, whom she refers to as Mr Big: “He was nicely endowed in that department. And he had really broad fingernails, and thick fingers. In a couple of other relationships, my partners had sizeable equipment, and when I checked their hands, they always had the same wide nails! It’s tried and tested!” she says.
 
 
Myth 2 Vegetarians are dud lovers
Verdict False
Real men eat meat, or at least, that’s what women think. But if conventional wisdom says that men who eat meat are strong and more virile, then does that leave vegetarians destined to have no sex drive? Hardly.
 
The stereotype is that without the zinc that meat provides, a person cannot produce high levels of testosterone. But dietitian Bibi Chia, from nutrition and dietetics consultancy Eat Wise, says there is no scientific correlation between meat intake and sex drive. Valerie, 32, a happily married sales executive, has living proof of that in the form of her vegetarian husband, Jack. “He always wants to get it on. Sometimes we’re at it once when we wake up and then again before we sleep. So this idea that not eating meat makes you a lousy lover is baloney. Pun intended,” she says.
 
Myth 3 Good dancers have all the right moves
Verdict Oh yes!
Shakira was right, the hips don’t lie. Why are men who can dance better lovers? Because they have rhythm, and they know how to move – two virtues that are central to good love-making. They’re also self-assured. “A good dancer has confidence, and when it comes to sex, a confident man is always a better partner than someone who’s insecure and self-conscious,” says Ann, 25, a broker.
 
Having all the right moves is one thing, but you should also pay attention to how well he moves with you. Do you have fun in bed with him? How does he hold you and touch you? “The connection you have when you’re dancing is so important. Some guys can really groove but they can only be solo dancers so they trip over themselves when another person shows up,” says Gemma.
 
 
Myth 4 The nose knows
Verdict Maybe
The next time you’re sizing him up, approach your prey from the side and get a long hard look at his profile – because it’s all in the nose. “I find that if he has a nose that’s big or distinctively shaped then he’s quite well endowed,” says Tara.
 
The others are quick to agree. Ann recalls one of the best lovers she’s ever had, a Swedish ex-boyfriend who had a large nose. “He was able to do things to me that I had never even imagined before. I had multiple orgasms! I shudder just thinking about the mind-blowing sex we had,” she says.
 
Janet, a 31-year-old in the beauty industry, has been married for two years. She is even more exacting about the nose rule. “From my experience, the guys who have sharp noses with very high bridges have the length, but not the girth,” she says
 
 
Myth 5 Short men are small
Verdict Not always!
Short men are not lacking down there, and in fact many say the opposite is true. “There are lots of men out there who are below average height in stature but far above average where it counts,” says Jean, a leggy 31-year-old. “On the other hand, I went out with a guy who was six feet tall and very well-built. I guess his height had me expecting him to have length in other places too, but what a disappointment!”
 
Janet, however, warns of the dangers of pigeonholing. She says: “There are so many exceptions to the rule. I’ve dated a really tall fellow with skinny fingers and toes who had a great package. Really, sometimes you just can’t tell.”
 
Then again, finding out whether he’s the real deal is half the fun of dating, isn’t it? So what’s a woman to do but take the risk? Forget the size of his toes; just keep your fingers crossed and hope for the best.