T Nation

Posing Advice

Bodybuilding
#1

So i really getting into this bodybuilding lark…!

Since i decided to myself i want to compete, and possibly in the next year - depending on how it goes… well it has given me a lot more direction. I like it, alot.

So anyway, at the moment, i am concentrating on the compulsories.
I got the basics going and only at the beginning stages of practicing and memorizing them.

The quarter turns…
Front Double Bi
Front Lat spread
Side chest
Rear double Bi
Rear lat spread
Side triceps
Most Muscular
Abs and Thighs… from memory! Woo-hoo!

Anyways…
So i am trying to practice, most days… no rush as is, but i want to really put the time in TBH, so i look confident, fluid, sleek. I know alot is decided on the posing, it is the medium through which the judges see you (No i didnt read that!)

I have been looking at alot of present and past routines on Youtube, and got alot of reading info for my leg placements, tips etc… and it is going quite good.

I am yet to ask the old Mr GB for a hand with it, as i haven’t seen him.

But the reason for the thread was simply to ask those who have competed… (i know prisoner has, dirty gerdy and i am sure loads more…) where did you learn your poses and how did you polish them and your routine?
Research and practice? A “coach”?

Just so i can steal any tips if possible!

Next time i put updated shots on my T-page, i will try use the compulsories.

Thanks!

Joe

#2

I only competed a couple times and it was over a decade ago, but I feel a coach is a must.

In my first show it was obvious who had a coach and who came up with their routine/poses from watching/looking at pros. So get a good coach, someone that will tell you when you suck.

As for practicing, my coach had me practicing the required pases twice a day for at least 10 minutes each session. Later I was to do posing 3 times a day, 1 required and twice routine. These sessions should be difficult. By difficult, I mean your should be sweating and breathing hard at the end of each.

The best thing about practicing posing is you actually learn better motor control (maybe you don’t need this, I did) and it replaces some of your cardio. :slight_smile:

Last thing, most guys let their legs relax some when they are switching poses, you need to learn to always be tight everywhere…and make it look like your relaxed.

That’s about all I got, others can likely add more. Good luck and keep us posted.

#3

Thankyou very much!

Joe

#4

Ya dood I had a “coach”, actually several of them. Two of which were competing in a different class but same competition as I was so we all made it as part of our training. We would lift/protein shake/ then pose for a good 20-30 mins. By the end of posing you felt like you just completed some cardio. lol

We used the aerobics room because there were a lot of mirrors. I learned my poses by doing them and critiquing myself, once in the position I wanted to be in I would try to remember what my body felt like. After I was pretty good at throwing up a pose I would close my eyes and throw it up, open them and see what I looked like and made corrections then until I could pose w/out the mirror.

We would then all take turns posing facing a wall so we couldn’t see ourselvs. One of us would be calling out the poses and the other person would go through them.

After learning the poses and getting them down we would practice the transitions from relaxed to the pose. This is what gives you a fluid look. Also remember here this is where you can choose to smile or make sure you aren’t making a bitter beer face or something. lol

Let’s see what else…lol My coach was a few rows from the stage and during prejudging would yell at me if I wasn’t flexing my legs or abs or something. A simple “LEGS!!” would remind me to do it. On stage I try to be the last person to hit the pose so the judges see me at the end instead of overlook me from being the first one who hit the pose. Everybody does this so its kind of funny to see how long it actually takes some people to hit the pose. lol I don’t yell like some do but I do exhale fairly hard when hitting poses like abs n thigh and m/m. I try and get the judges attention.

Getting closer to the competition we would go to the locker or aerobics room and without a mirror we would go through the entire thing from relaxed, to quarter turns, to mandatories with one of us calling them out as if we were competing. After this I brought my ipod and speakers and went through my evening routine immediately following.

Have fun with your evening routine. Although you don’t want to blow this off completely it doesn’t matter near as much as pre-judging. Pre-judging is when you want to make sure to hit your poses perfectly. Your routine is for you so I always liked to throw out some different poses. lol My last competition I chose to throw out a lot of the old poses that people don’t often use anymore. I had a couple vacuum poses, etc. lol So have fun with it. As I said focus more on the quater turns and mandatories then worry about the evening routine.

Gerdy

#5

Thats great Gerdy Thanks!

Really helpful.

I am also thinking of using vaccuum… i love frank zanes routine… of all the routines i have seen i thought zanes was really amazing. Artistic even. I guess thats why he is who he is…!

Thanks!

Joe

#6

[quote]Dirty Gerdy wrote:
We used the aerobics room because there were a lot of mirrors.
Gerdy

[/quote]

This also reminded me. You have to remember that when practicing you are usually in front of a mirror and/or a couple people. The judges (and crowd) will have a broader view so you must consider your appearance from all angles.

I hope more people post in this thread, it’s an interesting topic. Thanks for starting it Joe.

#7

[quote]Ruggerlife wrote:
Dirty Gerdy wrote:
We used the aerobics room because there were a lot of mirrors.
Gerdy

This also reminded me. You have to remember that when practicing you are usually in front of a mirror and/or a couple people. The judges (and crowd) will have a broader view so you must consider your appearance from all angles.

I hope more people post in this thread, it’s an interesting topic. Thanks for starting it Joe.[/quote]

Exactly. Also remember that the judges are usually down angle so a slight lean can make a huge difference. turning to show all the judges is also important. If you throw a side chest and have no rotation at all there will be 2-3 judges that only see your back side of the pose instead of the full on chest/obliques, etc.

JOE: and yeah dood zane was awesome. There was a guy at the last comp that had the vacuum pose nailed. He even did it during prejudging. I’ve found that if you have impressive lats from the front and decent legs the vacuum pose front lat spread looks awesome. I’m not wide enough to get it down yet but hope to someday.

Gerdy

#8

Definitely I like this topic I hope some high level competitors like prisoner and a few others who have competed come on and shed some light as well.

Gerdy

#9

Me too - i have really dived into the topic at home, with print-offs and clips on Youtube etc… Plus practicing.

Thankyou both for your input also, it has already been educational, and i shall be printing off this thread once it has come full circle to study some of the points more.

Joe

#10

I think bodybuilding.com has a video on there where Bob Chicharillo (sp? lol) is showing you how to hit the mandatories. It may help and even if it’s stuff you already know it’s just another peice of info.

Gerdy

#11

Don’t forget the small things like the color of your posing trunks. Pick one that will compliment your coloring.

#12

[quote]Fulmen wrote:
Don’t forget the small things like the color of your posing trunks. Pick one that will compliment your coloring.[/quote]

on this topic the color of your skin as well. I tried dream tan, pro tan, and a few others. I finally stuck with jan tana’s kit. I also know somebody who airbrushes and it looks way better than the traditional way of applying. ohhh I wanna compete again this is bringing the itch! lol

Gerdy

#13

[quote]Dirty Gerdy wrote:
I think bodybuilding.com has a video on there where Bob Chicharillo (sp? lol) is showing you how to hit the mandatories. It may help and even if it’s stuff you already know it’s just another peice of info.

Gerdy[/quote]

Here you go;

#14

Shit… i saw it briefly, and was looking for a decent copy on youtube… but couldnt find it.

I fucking love you lot!

Joe

#15

Hey Joe, Im not a bodybuilder myself but maybe this will help: http://www.zone-training.net/articles/BBGuide.pdf Good luck!

#16

you fuckin kidding me? I LOVE IT! it is like a present!

cheers fucker!!

Joe

#17

[quote]Fulmen wrote:
Don’t forget the small things like the color of your posing trunks. Pick one that will compliment your coloring.[/quote]

Ya i saw that, i read that black is good, as it is non-attracting and negates the waist area…
But other than that, how the fuck would i know what colour suits me?! Ask the wife?

Joe

#18

[quote]will to power wrote:
Dirty Gerdy wrote:
I think bodybuilding.com has a video on there where Bob Chicharillo (sp? lol) is showing you how to hit the mandatories. It may help and even if it’s stuff you already know it’s just another peice of info.

Gerdy

Here you go;

[/quote]

Ya, just watched a little… real good, that is really helpful.

And that book… jesus! that is EXCELLENT. really, thanks fella!

You guys are fantastic.

Joe

#19

Anytime! Glad to help.

#20

[quote]Joe Brook wrote:
Fulmen wrote:
Don’t forget the small things like the color of your posing trunks. Pick one that will compliment your coloring.

Ya i saw that, i read that black is good, as it is non-attracting and negates the waist area…
But other than that, how the fuck would i know what colour suits me?! Ask the wife?

Joe[/quote]

haha ya dood bring your wife when you try it on. Although tell her to pick one for the competition and not the bedroom! :stuck_out_tongue: lol jk

Gerdy