There’s no better way to read between the lines of a man’s grip than by paying attention to the way he hugs you. Different types of hugs serve as a sort of gauge of human emotions. For example, weak, halfhearted hugs are disappointing and can demonstrate that someone is only with you out of obligation or because they’re looking for a distraction. And the hug that goes from friendly to “let’s get a room” in two seconds flat is one we should all be interested in understanding better. If you aren’t sure how the object of your affection feels about you, you can learn how to discern the “we’re just friends” hug from the “something more” hug, and every kind of hug in between. RELATED: 3 Types Of Hugs All Women Experience (& Why Certain Ones Are Red Flags In Relationships) Where does your relationship stand? You can get a better sense of how a guy truly feels about you based on the types of hugs the two of you share.
Here are three different types of hugs, and what each one means about his feelings for you.
1. The friendly hug
These hugs may be longer than a hello hug between friends, but the “we’re just friends” variety works like this: Your arms go below his shoulders while his go around yours. His hands may wander if you stay long enough, but really shouldn’t go beyond your mid-back or upper arms. There may be a quick peck on the cheek, which you can analyze based on previous hugs or if he kisses other girls. Note that a longer hug rarely means anything beyond friendship if one of you is comforting the other, but sometimes it can have deeper meaning. RELATED: 15 Beautiful Reasons To Ditch The Kiss And Get Your Hug On
2. The “something more” hug
If the friendly hug gets friendlier, then there may be something more behind it. When chests touch while both people hug each other’s shoulders, it’s considered a heart-to-heart hug. This is definitely a sign that there’s more where that came from. Plus, chest-to-chest hugs that last at least 20 seconds lead to the release of oxytocin — the love hormone responsible for bonding.
The placement of hands is also key. If hands wander longer and farther than normal, then it’s probably not your imagination, but his!
3. The “make no mistake about it” hug
Whether you’re in a relationship or not, if there is lower-body contact, then you two are either sleeping together or will be very soon. When a guy hugs you from behind (hopefully you know him well), then he can’t wait to be alone with you. Longer and tighter hugs signal intense feelings, and they demonstrate commitment when done in public. RELATED: 7 Body Language Clues That Reveal His Real Feelings About You Tara Block is a writer and the content director of PopSugar. This article was originally published at PopSugar. Reprinted with permission from the author.
