Help on posing

KM · 03-27-2008, 08:24 PM

Hey dungeon bros.

Well, I'm 13-14 weeks out from my show; Central eastern seaboard states. I've been doing posing preparation for a while now, but a few things are catching me..

First, how long do you guys (competitors) hold your poses when training. I can hold the majority of mine for a solid, sweat free 2 minutes. Additional time usually gets me shaking or sweating. So should I keep striving for a longer time or should I keep it within a give range and then just focus on the crispness and intensity in the pose?

Second, the ab and thigh pose. I can't set this up and I can't do it in a way to flex from legs up, keeping the abdomen tight. Any suggestions, tips of pointers for this pose?

Any help would be awesome guys, thanks!

Kev

**kenney** · 03-27-2008, 08:33 PM

im not an experience competitor but i think that if you are practising poses primarily for your competition, then you should focus more on the intensity of the poses and how well it looks rather than how long you can hold it for

the ab and thigh pose is a really hard one to pull off imo unless you are dexter jackson lol

KM · 03-27-2008, 08:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kenney

im not an experience competitor but i think that if you are practising poses primarily for your competition, then you should focus more on the intensity of the poses and how well it looks rather than how long you can hold it for

the ab and thigh pose is a really hard one to pull off imo unless you are dexter jackson lol

True. But if I can't hold it long enough, sweating and shaking will kick in. That's why I ask, I don't want to look like I'm struggling out there, it needs to be natural. But I get what you're saying. Maybe I could incorporate both? Not sure.

Also, in competition, being this is my first one, how long during pre-judging are the poses being held (approx?).

**ibanezman88** · 03-27-2008, 08:49 PM

i depends on the federations but they're usually held for 1 minute each pose.

2 minutes is fine. but if you're shaking after 2 minutes go for longer. try to focus on both keeping your pose crisp for a long time. it takes a while. you don't wanna look good as soon as you hit the pose and have look like shit by the time the judges say relax.
i'm sure you're doing fine because i've read your log and you posing practice was pretty hardcore when you posted them.

remember, you gonna go on stage pumped from lifting light weights in the pump room. that makes it much harder to post IMO. so get ready for that.

the abb and thigh pose is hard because you start shaking after a while. make that a priority. do you mean that you can't keep your abbs flexed and legs flexed at the same time? you have to try.

go for longer times. because although you're not going to be holding the poses for a long time, if you get a lot of callouts (which you're probably gonna get a lot), you might be on stage for a couple of hours and you can't relax when you're off to the side because the judges will be watching you there too.

but i'm by no means an experience competator so don't take my word for it.

KM · 03-27-2008, 10:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ibanezman88

i depends on the federations but they're usually held for 1 minute each pose.

2 minutes is fine. but if you're shaking after 2 minutes go for longer. try to focus on both keeping your pose crisp for a long time. it takes a while. you don't wanna look good as soon as you hit the pose and have look like shit by the time the judges say relax.
i'm sure you're doing fine because i've read your log and you posing practice was pretty hardcore when you posted them.

remember, you gonna go on stage pumped from lifting light weights in the pump room. that makes it much harder to post IMO. so get ready for that.

the abb and thigh pose is hard because you start shaking after a while. make that a priority. do you mean that you can't keep your abbs flexed and legs flexed at the same time? you have to try.

go for longer times. because although you're not going to be holding the poses for a long time, if you get a lot of callouts (which you're probably gonna get a lot), you might be on stage for a couple of hours and you can't relax when you're off to the side because the judges will be watching you there too.

but i'm by no means an experience competator so don't take my word for it.

Thanks bro! Very helpful.

I've always thought about the pump room effecting the strength in my poses. I'm sure it will, so I need to prepare more basically. I also never took into consideration the callouts. So this answers my question. Focus on both!

So maybe I could split it up. One day do intensity and see how long I can last without shaking, then do duration. Sounds good, what you guys think?

By the ab and thigh, I guess I just can't get the form down. That's my problem, the footwork.

**ibanezman88** · 03-27-2008, 10:42 PM

oh the footwork?

just bring one thigh out, i perfer to tilt my toe outward. it gives my quad a better look. and your leg should be slightly bent.

hmm....that's a touch one to explain.

KM · 03-27-2008, 10:45 PM

What about the one with only one arm, that's the one I'm talking about. Like 'Scivation's' Avatar.

**moorey** · 03-28-2008, 07:37 AM

Preparing back stage in the pump up room is a whole different world! you have to judge it right no use having zero energy on stage. The first thing youll notice when on stage is just how hot it is, this zaps the energy.

I agree with the idea of holding madatory poses for about a minute each in practise!but dont think of the pose as just showing the side chest etc, the whole physique is posed. The pose starts from the toes, the calf is flexed, the quads push against each other to make the hamstrings look more flared, the delts held back so you look thicker and the bicep is contracted as hard as possible. Don't rush, when the call is made, take your time, be aware of the others, don't just go into the pose, elaborate, make the pose look a creation and try to time its completion just slightly behind the last person, so your pose is at its peak where others maybe wilting slightly and dont forget on completion to smile, not cockily, but confidently!

mostmuscular84 · 03-28-2008, 01:47 PM

You are up on stage and the judges are below you so make sure the first thing you flex is your legs. That will be the first thing the judges see. When I practiced my posing i went as long as I could. ONce I was on stage though with barely any water in my system and the heat of the lights blasting down on you. I still cramped and shook a little. Put aside at least 20 mins a day to practice all your poses. Find out what poses show your physique the best and make sure they are used in the evening routine. Find out what the mandatory poses are for the federation. Just because that ab and thigh pose looks great for him doesn't mean it will make you look great it could but use your judgement. Your eyes are your best judge. For the ab and thigh that federations ask for is both hands overhead and one leg spiked. What works for me is i stick my leg out right in front of me and then try to push my heel through the floor an raise my toes off the stage. then once my leg is flexed i hit the abs. Lastly posing should hurt like you feel from a workout posing is a workout in itself.

KM · 03-28-2008, 08:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moorey

Preparing back stage in the pump up room is a whole different world! you have to judge it right no use having zero energy on stage. The first thing youll notice when on stage is just how hot it is, this zaps the energy.

I agree with the idea of holding madatory poses for about a minute each in practise!but dont think of the pose as just showing the side chest etc, the whole physique is posed. The pose starts from the toes, the calf is flexed, the quads push against each other to make the hamstrings look more flared, the delts held back so you look thicker and the bicep is contracted as hard as possible. Don't rush, when the call is made, take your time, be aware of the others, don't just go into the pose, elaborate, make the pose look a creation and try to time its completion just slightly behind the last person, so your pose is at its peak where others maybe wilting slightly and dont forget on completion to smile, not cockily, but confidently!

Wow Jim, amazing info! On the side chest, the quads are close together? I really didn't know that. That will help a lot in my hamstring portion of the pose! I've heard about never posing first, you want to watch the others set up. Lights are going to be hot? Which leads me to my next question...

On stage, during a side call out; specifically like a side-tri or side chest, can I choose my side? I can't pose on my left side for shit.