Having muscles that you worked so hard for doesn’t mean you should settle for dressing up like any common character. Oh, no! Check out the long list of DIY costume guides that will help you to show off your bulging biceps in just the right way. This collection of burly characters are perfect for muscular and buff guys like you who are looking for a different type of costume this year. Choose from favorites like the cast of Stranger Things, Street Fighters, and even favorite Game of Thrones characters for a few costume ideas. Browse through these costume featured costume guides to figure out exactly how to recreate your favorite macho man’s look!
Akuma is the demon from Street Fighter II who was a hidden boss in the journey. He is intimidating with his red hair, sharp fangs, and crazy poppin’ muscles! It’s pretty surprising that the other fighters don’t walk away whenever Akuma is next in line to fight because he’s tough to beat.
Showing off your muscles is what Halloween is all about, right? You worked for them, so now it’s time to show off those biceps! Akuma’s costume is easy to recreate on your own because it only takes just FOUR items! Get an all-in-one Akuma costume, and then all you need to add is a bead necklace, hemp rope, and a pair of sandal slippers.
Bane and muscles are right next to each other in the dictionary since they’re synonymous with one another. Bane’s character is a strong cosplay choice if your muscles are anything like Tom Hardy’s. Bane is one of the enemies of Batman and made a massive appearance in the film The Dark Knight Rises.
Since you already have the muscles needed for Bane’s costume, you only need seven more items to complete his look for Halloween. You’ll need a Bane gunmetal mask, a military green Bane vest, a brown leather shearling jacket, tactical pants, a bald cap kit, a leather wrist brace, and a pair of men’s jungle boots.
Axel Stone is known as the main character from the Streets of Rage gaming series due to his quick moves and muscles. While he keeps everything else covered up, there’s no way of containing his biceps! His character is fun and a different way to show off your muscles this Halloween. Do a little research if you don’t already know his moves, then you will be able to pull off this Axel Stone costume.
Once you have mastered Axel’s fighting moves, the only thing you have left to do is put together the pieces for his simple, yet recognizable costume! Grab a pair of jeans, a brown belt, and a white muscle shirt that you probably already own. Go out and find a pair of red and white high top sneakers, a blue headband, a gold-blonde wig, and a pair of half-finger boxing gloves. Now, it’s time to fight!
Who doesn’t love a lifeguard running around and showing off their muscles? The old-school version of Baywatch or even the newer film starring Dwayne Johnson and Zac Efron are both great cosplay ideas because everyone will instantly know who you are. The lifeguards in the movie aim to save every life they can all while looking their best!
The newer version has a more of a modern feel to it, so here are the few items you will need to recreate the lifeguard look. A pair of red board shorts, a navy blue tech quarter-zip shirt, some aviator sunglasses, a plastic whistle, and a Baywatch lifeguard float, and fanny pack. Flex those muscles and save a life!
Any costume that doesn’t require a shirt means it is that much easier to recreate! Childish Gambino sports a bare chest and shows off his fit body in his music video, This is America. Childish Gambino is the stage name of Donald McKinley Glover, Jr. who you most likely recognize from the hit television comedy, Community.
No shirt, no problem! Here are the other pieces you will need to get Childish Gambino’s costume. Obviously, skip a shirt, throw on a pair of grey pants, a pair of yellow loafers, a gold chain necklace, a black beard, and a tight afro wig. That’s all it takes to get the look from This is America.
Daryl Dixon is the zombie killing machine that everyone knows and loves from The Walking Dead. Daryl is a little rough around the edges, but he quickly became a fan favorite for his loyalty to his group, killing the walkers with serious skill, and his muscular arms. The Walking Dead is one of the most successful television franchises, so choosing Daryl as your next costume should be a hit.
Get your own Daryl costume by recreating it with just a few bits and pieces. Start with a sleeveless denim button up, a pair of straight jeans, waterproof boots, a shaggy brown wig, and a Daryl Dixon vest. Accessories pull this look together, so add on some zombie makeup, a solid red bandana, Daryl’s cosplay crossbow, and a squirrel and raccoon dog toy to show off from your most recent hunt.
Drax the Destroyer is a superhuman character from the Marvel Universe and plays a big part in The Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy. Drax died in an accident and returned as a superhuman with unique gifts. His mission in life quickly turned to avenge his family of the one who killed them.
Drax the Destroyer is one big guy! If you’re built like this superhero, go shirtless with a little body paint for the artwork on his body. If not, you can find the entire Drax costume including the muscle shirt. If you want to put this look together on your own, then get a pair of black leather pants, a black studded leather belt, buckle boots, concrete knee pads, a poly tool holder, grey spandex gloves, and a Drax the Destroyer cosplay dagger.
Duke Nukem is known for his powerful muscles and superhero-like strength. He can lift to 600 pounds on his own! Duke isn’t just a muscle-man though, he has put a stop to every alien species that has ever tried to take over Earth in the Duke Nukem video game series that he stars in.
Show off your biceps by recreating Duke’s costume with a red sleeveless t-shirt, a pair of men’s black jeans, jungle boots, a blonde wig, black retro sunglasses, a law enforcement pistol belt, a shotgun sling, soft bullets, a cigar, and a pair of fingerless gloves. You’re bound to save the world with a look this good!
Gene Jenkinson is the camp chef at Camp Firewood from the hilarious Netflix series Wet Hot American Summer. He’s a little crazy being that he has Vietnam flashbacks from time to time, but he is one of the funniest characters on the show. Gene sports a sleeveless shirt so that you can see the muscles he probably earned from the war. This character is perfect for showing off your biceps!
Get Gene’s camp style with a purple sleeveless shirt and a purple headwrap. Throw on a pair of light blue jeans, classic white Van slip-ons, a server apron, and a fake butcher knife—he’s a chef after all. Take a look at some of Gene’s quirks throughout the series to bring this character’s personality to life along with the costume.
Goku from the Dragon Ball Z series is not only quite muscular, but he’s also charming! He is an advanced fighter in the series, and is known as the main character throughout the show. When it comes to his family and friends, Goku will do anything to save them—even if it meant sacrificing his own life.
Goku’s signature look is natural to recreate, and if you have the muscles as he does, then this is the perfect way for you to show them off! All you need is a Goku costume, Goku shoes, a Saiyan Goku wig (or the standard Goku wig), a set of Dragon Balls, and a bag of Senzu beans. Now you are the savior of the earth—with some impressive arms as well.
Greg Sestero knew from a young age that he wanted to become an actor and make a name for himself. You recognize his name and face from the film, The Room. The movie didn’t receive the best reviews initially, but it quickly became a cult classic, and Greg Sestero’s name was humming around Hollywood.
Sestero’s look from the movie is now a popular cosplay choice! You can recreate his look with items that you most likely already have stuffed in your closet. Take a look to see if you already own a red sleeveless workout top to show off your muscles, a pair of relaxed fit jeans, slip-on loafers, and a football! Grab a dirty blonde wig from the costume shop to pull the look together and have Sestero’s classic look to take you back to 2003.
Hawkeye is the former special agent who joined S.H.I.E.L.D. and then later became a part of The Avengers. He is known for his skills in archery, being a master marksman, and having witty comebacks. Worked alongside Black Widow and Nick Fury, Hawkeye quickly became an asset to The Avengers when fighting alongside Captain America.
Hawkeye not only shows off his archery skills, but his muscles are a significant part of his attire in the films. Show off your biceps with a Hawkeye costume for your next cosplay night out. All you need is a Hawkeye vest, racing pants, Hawkeye costume boots, Hawkeye gauntlet, an Elite Duty belt, archery armguard, an arrow-back quiver, a bow, and black sunglasses—that’s the Hawkeye look!
Hulk Hogan started his celebrity days by making a name for himself on WWE where he became a twelve-time champion! His signature handlebar mustache and energetic personality made him a hit among the WWE fans. He then went on to star in the reality television shows, Hogan Knows Best, with his family. Oh, and you can’t forget about his crazy costumes!
Show off your own muscles and wrestling moves by dressing as Hulk Hogan this Halloween! One of his most popular outfits is red and yellow tie-dye! Check out this costume guide to find all the pieces you need to be your version of Hulk Hogan. Start with a “Hulkamania” yellow tank top, red and yellow tie-dye wrestling pants, a red “Hulkamania” bandana, a Hulk wig and mustache, red wrestling knee pads, white athletic tape, a red wrestling belt, and tall yellow boots.
Jack Black portrays the character of Ignacio in the film Nacho Libre. Ignacio always dreamed of being a luchador, but he is a chef in a monastery where wrestling is forbidden. When he finally decided to follow his dreams and wrestle under the name of Nacho, he began to realize where he wanted to be in his life.
Dress as Ignacio for your next Halloween costume by going shirtless to show off your wrestling bod with a pair of blue men’s compression pants, red wrestling boots, men’s red underwear, sew on oval patches for your knees, a red cape, and a Nacho Libre wrestling mask.
Become a superhero in training like K.O. from the Cartoon Network animated series OK K.O.! Let’s Be Heroes. K.O. is an honest, loyal, and compassionate character who dreams of being a superhero even though he doesn’t have superhero strength or laser beams shooting out of his eyes. That doesn’t stop him from training his very hardest to be the next superhero.
Recreate K.O.’s costume for any cosplay event with a white tank top, a casual blue vest, teal shorts, pink leg warmers, a red headband and wristbands, and a brown mullet wig. Learn some of K.O.’s favorite fighting moves to become the next superhero from the Cartoon Network show!
Khal Drogo from Game of Thrones is known for his warrior demeanor and broad, muscular build. He is the husband of Daenerys Targaryen, the Mother of Dragons, and he is the fearful leader of the Horse Lords. His only soft spot is for the love of his life, and he shows no mercy to anyone else that he crosses paths.
Pull off Khal Drogo’s strong character by showing off most of your upper body with body paint on your chest and dark makeup around your eyes. Wear a long warrior wig and long beard, faux leather armor, armbands and wrist guards, fisherman wrap pants, and a pair of men’s captain boots. Get someone to tag along with you as your love, Daenerys Targaryen, and the costume will be complete!
If you’re looking to show off your muscular build, Radicles is a fun cosplay option! He is another character from Cartoon Network animated series, OK K.O.! Let’s Be Heroes. He is obnoxious and tends to annoy K.O. as often as possible, but he is secretly a sensitive and affectionate boy looking for love and friendship.
Get your friends together to dress as heroes in training from the Cartoon Network show, and grab the pieces you need to recreate Radicles look! Start by using blue body paint to cover your body, then add a green wig and an alien antenna headband. Add a blue sleeveless shirt to be able to flex your muscles along with pink tights and a pair of knee high boots.
Kip may not have the most massive muscles to flex, but that doesn’t mean you can’t show everyone what he would look like with a little more meat on his arms! Kip is the older and hilarious brother of Napoleon from the insanely popular film Napoleon Dynamite. You should have plenty of time to get this look together since Kip has all the time on his hands, being thirty-two and still living with his parents.
Get a friend to dress as Napoleon, and the two of you can be a dynamite duo for Halloween! Start recreating Kip’s style with a blue sleeveless shirt, grey fleece sweatpants, slip-on casual sneakers, purple wristbands, Rubies Ninja Sais, aviator style reading glasses, and a brown mustache.
Little Mac is a perfect costume for buff guys since he is a fighter! He is one of the top characters from the Nintendo video game, Punch Out!! All of his powers are jam-packed in his fists, so he knows how to pack a punch. Get your boxing moves ready for this cosplay idea!
Start getting Little Mac’s look with some boxing necessities. You will need a pair of green training shorts, green boxing gloves, a basic black tank top, black boxing shoes, and a short black wig. This look is nearly effortless to recreate because it only takes a few items and some of Little Mac’s punching moves!
If you have been a lover of Mortal Kombat from the very beginning, then you will know that Liu Kang is one of the original ten characters from the first video game. He is a ninja warrior with the some of the best Kung Fu moves among all of the characters. Get some of your friends to tag along dressed as other Mortal Kombat characters.
Go shirtless to get Liu Kang’s signature style and add in a few other items for his ninja warrior look. All you need are combat karate pants, ninja shoes, arm bracers, Kung Fu sashes, a headband sweatband, and a dark shoulder-length wig. Now you’re ready to fight other characters from the hit video game!
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson portrays the characters of Robbie Weirdicht A.K.A. Bob Stone in the film Central Intelligence. Robbie was an outcast in his high school days but grew up to be a rough and tough CIA agent who now goes by the name Bob Stone. Don’t let his outer appearance fool you; Bob still has a soft heart as you can tell by his innocent, childlike outfits that he sports.
Get Bob’s outfit for yourself as a cosplay option with only a few items from this costume guide. You will need an Always Be You unicorn shirt, a men’s full-zip fleece hoodie, denim shorts, yellow sneakers, a black watch, and a black fanny pack. Now you are ready to go on CIA missions dressed as Bob Stone!
Ryu looks like someone you wouldn’t want to approach, which is true if you’re looking to fight against him in the Street Fighter games. Ryu’s large muscles and fighting skills aren’t as welcoming as you would imagine.
Once you have some of Ryu’s fighting moves figured out, then all you need is his costume! We have everything you need in this costume guide to recreate his style- minus the muscles, but you already have those on your own! Grab a cotton sleeveless Karate jacket and matching Karate Gi pants to start building his look. Add your accessories including a red headband, a black karate belt, half finger fighting gloves, and a pair of scissors to rough up the look of your costume.
Sagat is another character from the video game series, Street Fighter. In the original game, he wasn’t just a regular fighting character to choose from–he was the final boss! He’s a big guy and a big deal. His fighting focuses around the Muay Thai style. He will put up a fair and honest fight with everyone until they show any signs of cheating or dishonesty.
Recreating his look may be one of the easiest cosplay costumes you have ever made on your own–it only takes five items! Start turning yourself into Sagat’s character by wearing a pair of red and purple boxing shorts. Then, add a black eye patch, athletic tape, costume blood, and fake scars to get the marks of a real fighter.
Salt Bae (whose real name is Nusret Gökçe) is the social media sensation who brought to our attention there are much better ways of salting meat than simply sprinkling seasons on it. He is the chef and owner of restaurants in Dubai and Turkey, but is known for his “salting” video going viral of him taking a dash of salt, letting it bounce off of his forearm, and landing oh-so-nicely onto a beautiful cut of prime rib.
Show off your charming looks and salting skills by dressing as Salt Bae for your next cosplay costume. Get ready with a black biker ponytail and matching goatee, a white v-neck t-shirt, black pants, black work clogs, round vintage sunglasses, a black leather belt, and a black watch. The look isn’t complete until you have a steak dog toy, fake knife, and a small container of salt to sprinkle whenever you feel the desire!
Spartacus is the newest version of the historical figure that you can watch the fight in the gladiator arena on the Starz original television show called Spartacus. He is a Thracian warrior, just like we all learned in History class. But, his battles and drama keep us much more entertained as he fights his way through the kingdom as an escaped slave.
It is your chance to show off that gladiator body while adding a few pieces here and there to get Spartacus’ historical style. You will need a Spartan costume, Gladiator sandals, body armor, Roman wrist guards, and a shield and sword to be prepared for battle.
Sub-Zero first made his first appearance in the original Mortal Kombat video game, and he has been the only character to be in every game since in the series. He has a signature blue and black costume and is a deadly assassin who can control and manipulate ice. His competitors don’t stand a chance!
Get Sub-Zero’s look with a full Sub-Zero costume, a pair of black jungle boots, a Mortal Kombat airsoft mask, and a Sub-Zero and Ice Sword. He shows no mercy with his enemies as he doesn’t hold back and brutally kills his opponents. Sub-Zero is prepared to finish anyone that he crosses paths!
When we think of a superhero with strong muscles, naturally Superman comes to mind! He shows off every Kryptonian muscle he has with his tight blue and red costume, so that makes this costume a perfect choice for you to flaunt and flex as well! When has Superman never been a cosplay hit?
Dress as the flying superhero with x-ray vision for Halloween or at your next cosplay event! Finding a men’s Superman costume is always an easy task, and you only need to add a Superman wig, red boots, and a Kryptonite crystal shard! Get your friends to tag along as Supergirl, Wonder Woman, or any of the other DC comic book hero!
Thanos is seen as a villain in the Marvel universe and is most recently known for his appearance in The Avengers: Infinity War film. Thanos’ mother believed he would wipe out humanity and decided to attempt to kill him instead—Thanos survived and ended up on a mission to destroy half of the universe. While The Avengers used this as a reason to stop him, they later found out he was only doing this because he thought it would save the remainder of the universe.
Dress like the one and only Thanos if you’re prepared to play a larger than life cosplay role! You will need a purple jumpsuit, Thanos vest and mask, the Infinity Gauntlet, high top boots, and a pair of military pants.
In the video game, Fatal Fury, we learn about the main character—Terry Bogard. He is an American Fighter who lived his childhood as an orphan but learned martial arts while living on the streets. His dream is to win the fighting tournament called The King of Fighters.
Show off your fighting moves and muscular build as Terry Bogard for cosplay or Halloween! The costume doesn’t take much and some of the items you can likely find in your closet. Start with a pair of straight-fit jeans, a white muscles shirt, a sleeveless red denim vest, a red and white trucker hat, red Converse high tops, a brown leather belt, leather motorcycle gloves, and a long blonde wig to braid all the way down your back.
Tonto is the right-hand man of John Reid who is the Lone Ranger. While the Lone Ranger is known not to be messed with, Tonto is just as intimidating. Walt Disney Pictures brought these two characters back to life in the 2013 film The Lone Ranger.
Dress as Johnny Depp’s character from the film by recreating Tonto’s fascinating costume. Grab a friend to dress as John Reid, and then you will need to put together Tonto’s outfit with a Native American wig, an American chest piece, black Halloween crows, brown fringe, ringneck pheasant feathers, a Native Warrior beaded necklace, brown pants, suede slippers, and black and white face paint. Put all of these pieces together by following our costume guide to get Tonto’s signature look.
Young Greg Universe is the version of the character before he had his son, Steven Universe who is the main character of the Cartoon Network show by the same name. Young Greg always knew he wanted to live the life of a rockstar, but then he was introduced to the Crystal Gems. Greg met Rose, who ended up being the mother of his child!
Young Greg has a lot more hair than the modern version of himself, but he still likes to show off his arms in his cut off shirts! For your next Halloween costume, dress as Young Greg by following the tips on this DIY costume guide. Get his look with a Greg Universe t-shirt, a pair of loose fit jeans, blue flip-flops, silver earrings, a long brown wig, and a toy electric guitar. Don’t forget to have some of your friends tag along as Crystal Gems to finish off the look!
Aquaman is the newest DC Comics installment based around the Atlantis King, Arthur Curry, or Aquaman! Arthur must learn the ways of the sea all while protecting the underwater and surface land from his evil brother whose aim is destroying everyone and everything he can.
Dress as the muscular underwater superhero with two options: find a muscle suit or show off your own Aquaman-like pecs! Go shirtless if you prefer, and use the other items from an Aquaman costume to start creating his popular DC look. Add a black beard and mustache set, a long wavy black wig, an Aquaman trident, and some ocean animal toys to get the full effect.
One of our all-time favorite Fast and the Furious characters is none other than Dominic Toretto. He made his first appearance in the original film of the series and was later just as much a significant character in the following movies. Dominic is the toughest guy on the block and the fastest street racer around!
Dom is known for his street racing skills as well as his muscular build. Which makes him pretty popular with the ladies! If you want to dress as Dominic for your next Halloween costume and show off your muscles at the same time, then you’re in the right lane! Throw on a men’s tank top, a leather vintage biker shirt, straight-leg jeans, black leather boots, a cross pendant necklace, and a giant plastic pipe wrench because Dom is known for using one for more than working on cars.
When John Matrix retired from the special forces, he had no idea that he had another mission to accomplish. A group of mercenaries set out to kill John, failed, but kidnapped his daughter instead. Big mistake. John has his own built-in weapons (his muscles and fighting skills) and also a collection of actual weapons to assist.
Get ready to fight for and find your daughter on your next Halloween or cosplay adventure! Get a pair of paratrooper fatigue pants, jungle boots, a black ranger vest, a black expedition watch, and a fake grenade launcher. John likes his accessories, so add a pistol triple mag pouch, camo binoculars, a thigh pistol holster, toy hand grenades, a training knife with sheath, spring shotguns, and some face paint. Now you’ve got everything covered to be John Matrix!
Wreck-It Ralph’s name comes along for good reason—he’s a big guy that destroys just about everything that he comes in contact with him. Ralph is super sweet, but is placed into an arcade game where he is the bad guy who is forced to squash everything in sight! Now, all he wants is to hang out with the rest of the arcade characters and be one of the guys, but that’s more difficult than he expects.
Get Ralph’s costume with muscle chest shirt to be as muscular as possible! Throw on a green t-shirt underneath an orange shirt, ashed duckbill overalls, a fabric pen red marker, and a fake unibrow. Don’t forget a pair of Ralph smash hands and jumbo bare feet shoe covers to make sure you’re large and in charge!
Halloween and cosplay events are a great excuse to show off your muscular body, and now that you have these options to choose from—which character will you be?! Whether you prefer superheroes, scary characters, or even guys with beards, you don’t have to have to cover up those biceps to get the perfect costume. Make your outfit just like the actual character by following these costume guides above for some helpful tips and tricks. And with these costumes, you can flex your muscles all night long without and fit right in.
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