The smooth contours of the Russian presidential chest prove that middle-aged men should make the effort to stay trim, argues Clair Woodward. No way, counters Celia Walden, for whom those perfect pectorals smack of the fitness fanatic who is too much ego and not enough fun

For: Clair Woodward

Vladimir Putin: huntin’, shootin’ Action Man type

It wasn’t just the incongruous sight of Vladimir Putin’s solid torso on show to the world during a fishing trip in Siberia — in the unlikely company of Prince Albert of Monaco — that caught the eye. Nor was it his pneumatic (and, to my mind, curiously rubbery) set of pectorals. A leader who chooses to take on the West single-handedly would have to be something of a huntin’, shootin’ Action Man type, and Putin looks seriously pumped up. But — here’s the biggest shock — he’s a smoothie, too. Even tough guys can wax.

The American comedian Rita Rudner once said: “A man will go to war, fight and die for his country. But he won’t get a bikini wax.” Having your chest hair ripped off with cloth strips that could then double as coconut doormats is the closest a man will ever get to experiencing what women go through.

Many women work hard to keep fit, post-50, and Putin, at 54, is proof that middle-aged men should keep up the effort too.

Even without his fur coat, he’s all Russian bear. It’s like having Ray Mears (a wilderness survival expert) running the Russian Federation. Chunky and muscular; yes, he has the slightest hint of man boobs, but who cares when you know he’s got a black belt in judo?

George Bush probably only has a black belt with an eagle on the buckle.

But Dubya looks after himself too, a keen athlete who runs a seven-minute mile. Perhaps it’s a power thing?

When in office, tennis-loving Tony Blair was spotted on his frequent holidays showing off a toned torso in a pair of Vilebrequin shorts. Heat magazine once considered him worthy of featuring in their Torso of the Week section.

But recent holiday snaps suggest Blair is on the brink of letting himself go, all “ripples and nipples”, according to one commentator.

It happened to Bill Clinton who, until his heart bypass, certainly became portlier once he left the White House. Statesmen out of office are not the same virile beasts they once were.

So what of David Cameron? With all that half-hearted commuter cycling, he’s not nearly as much of a fitness fan as Mr Blair. But when he popped his top off on a break in Corfu, he revealed a buff upper body, and one that gave the distinct impression of having been waxed.

Hurrah, I say for men who take care of themselves and are not afraid of the salon. No woman really wants to be held in the embrace of what feels like an overstuffed horsehair sofa.

I suspect Nicolas “Speedy” Sarkozy, the first fit French president, would probably make female hearts flutter a little more if he was seen en deshabille (in other words, wearing less) during one of his sweat-drenched running sessions.

We like men who don’t take their appeal for granted and are prepared to work at it — but it’s nice to see the results now and then.

How about a charity calendar of the world’s leaders, topless? Would Gordon Brown make the grade? With his holidays in rain-hit Britain being interrupted by national crisis after crisis, chances are we’ll have to wait till next year to see if the tartan torso measures up to Putin.

Against: Celia Walden

Vladimir Putin, the 54-year-old Russian President and contender for Heat magazine’s Torso of the Week slot, owes his hulking frame and trim waistline to a fondness for throwing people around.

“He’s been doing judo since 14,” says Mike Shallcross, deputy editor of Men’s Health, “a martial art that offers a cardio workout as well as good resistance training”. By maintaining a powerful physique into his mid-fifties, Putin is more than just posturing; he is guarding against health niggles in later years.

“Men start losing muscle mass at the age of 30,” says Shallcross, “and regular weight training helps retain it. Plus, the greater your muscle mass, the more fat you’ll burn during exercise. It’ll help fend off osteoporosis, too.” But at Putin’s age, he can afford to start taking things easier.

“As you get older, you should adapt your routine. In your fifties, as you start to become more injury prone, you should focus on maintenance.... Watch those weight-bearing joints like knees and hips. In your mid- to late-fifties, you start to lose water — you’re literally drying out — so you need to take in greater amounts of liquids while exercising.”

It’s a reasonable moment to stop worrying about keeping trim. “Guys in their fifties can still be active,” says Shallcross, “just give up the squash in favour of cycling and swimming. You could try tai chi, and yoga’s good, too.”

(Who is our fittest politician? Tell t2@abpmail.com)

Here’s what grooming expert and t2 columnist Achla Sachdev had to say about what it takes to carry off Putin’s shirtless, hairless look....

I think the metrosexual mantra has changed the equation of men and waxing. Sure, in photographs and movies a waxed bare chest looks gorgeous (and, if I may add, Putin looks super sexy), in real life natural is the way to go. Personally, and here I speak on behalf of most women, minimal hair is okay — not too much but definitely not too little. So all you men out there, before you step into a haute salon, here’s a quick check on whether the waxing strip is right for you:

Do you have a good body?
Do you like walking around with your shirt buttons open?
Do you wear your attitude?
How old are you?
Are you a model or a banker?
What kind of clothes do you like to wear?