May 1, 2003

Perfecting the Art of Posing: Part Two

In my last article I explained the importance of learning how to pose and why it is crucial to start today! This time I am going to give you a few tips on how to avoid the pitfalls some competitors fall into, and I’ll also give you some hints to help you show the best aspects of your physique -- and how to hide the rest.

Rules are meant for…

The most common mistake competitors make is thinking there is only one way to pose. This is usually reinforced by inexperienced trainers or other such "experts" who learn one way to do a pose and then force it on every competitor they help. This is simply wrong. The reason is that every competitor is unique -- whether it’s her body’s shape, height, or weight. So, if someone like this is helping you and has taught you the one way to pose, the first thing I suggest is to stop asking them for help. The next thing I suggest is to read further into this article. If you noticed, the article is called "Perfecting the Art of Posing," not "Perfecting the Science of Posing." Posing variation is not only acceptable, it’s encouraged.

The truth of the matter is that in national-level fitness competition in Canada the rules have much more flexibility than most competitors ever realize. By not knowing this a competitor does herself an injustice.

That is not to say that it is a free-for-all. Certainly, when you do your "quarter-turns" you have to face in the direction the head judge tells you to face, and you have to hold yourself in a position that generally resembles the pose the judges want. However, within those limits there are subtle and not-so-subtle things you can do with your shoulders, arms, hands, feet, hips, and even your fingers, to flatter your physique and move yourself up into the final rankings. All these little things are hugely important and you only have to watch topflight competitors who know how to pose to see how much they matter.

Searching for your strengths and admitting your weaknesses

Every competitor must know her strengths and, as hard as this may sound, focus on her weaknesses. Although the latter part is tough for some people to do, you must get used to it, because once you do you are going to look a whole lot better. The goal is to find creative ways to show your strengths so they pop-out for the judges while being equally creative with your weaknesses so they can go unseen. I have never seen a flawless competitor, but I have seen competitors who appear flawless.

Just as there is no single way to do a pose, I cannot give you poses that will suit everyone. As I said, everyone’s body is different and the little things that must be done to bring out the best and hide the worst will be different too -- but I can tell you some general things that are "universal truths" in physique-type competitions.

Whether it is a man or a woman, wide shoulders and a small waist look better. A high shoulder-to-waist ratio is what gives the body a tapered look and adds drama to a pose. Some competitors have this kind of taper naturally, but most, surprisingly, do not. The key is: almost everyone can look as if they do with a few nifty tricks.

Let’s take the front pose, for example. The worst thing a competitor can do is stand slouching, hands flopped by her sides, with her shoulders rounded. Do this and even the widest shoulders in the world will look narrow. The first thing to do is stand almost at attention with your feet only an inch or two apart. Do this and your chest should naturally come up, your shoulders should go tight, your lats should be flexed and spread out, and your head should be raised as if you are going to start marching. While this might feel awkward, or at the least, fairly rigid, believe me, your body will have suddenly snapped to attention and you will already be looking much better. You will have gained shape by simply improving your posture. And if you do this properly your hands should automatically come away from your sides. This is important but I’m going to digress for a minute or two before I tell you how far away from the sides they should be.

Now that you’re in that "alert" position, the next thing to do is get your waist in check. At the very least, you should not be standing there with your belly hanging out. You can, of course, do a whole lot more. What you might have to do, though, may surprise you.

What you shouldn’t be doing is trying to push down on your abdominals, flexing them in this position -- that’s all wrong since you will end up slouching and destroying your body’s taper. You want to suck the stomach in, but not so far that your head looks like a balloon ready to pop. You have to use the muscles around your midsection to pull everything in comfortably -- in bodybuilding it’s called a vacuum, and in fitness there’s no reason not to call it the same. Doing a vacuum isn’t easy, but with practice you get better and better. The critical part is: the more you do it, the better you get and the smaller your waist will look. You want to work on this almost daily so that when you get onstage you will look absolutely natural with the most miniscule waist possible.

Now let me touch on two more often-overlooked things: the hands and the hips.

First those hands. The exact position of the hands varies for every competitor, but somewhere between resting on the sides of your legs and way out to the sides as if you’re trying to fly there is an ideal position that keeps your shoulders looking wide, your waist looking small, and your entire pose looking natural. In general, the position is about six to twelve inches from the side of your legs. Take note, though, that the exact position will vary by person, and will also depend on how much bend you have in your arms. (You don’t want your arms straight; you want a natural-looking bend of about 30 degrees.)

Determining the exact location of your hands is something I will leave to you, but don’t worry, it’s easy to figure out. Simply stand in front of the mirror, get into the pose as I described -- remembering to hold that stomach in -- and start moving your hands freely to each side to find the best position for them. You’ll know it as soon as you see it. And remember, time in front of the mirror is free, so take as long as you need and try as many positions as possible. Be your own best judge as to what looks best, and when you think you have the correct position ask a friend or your spouse for their opinion -- just make sure you tell them to be honest!

Now the hips. I have been describing the main forward-facing pose with the feet very close together and the body facing straight-ahead. For some competitors this will be flattering enough. For others, the waist may still not be looking small enough or the curves of the body may not be as apparent as they can be -- this is particularly true for women with very slender hips. This is where the hip-twist comes in. A subtle shift of one foot ever-so-slightly forward with the slightest kink in the hips, hardly noticeable to anyone, can go great lengths to add flattering curves to many physiques. It may not seem like much, but it can add plenty. As with anything else, trying is free of charge and if you don’t try as many positions as possible, it will only cost you in the end.

With feet placed too far apart the waist appears wider and the shoulders look narrower...

...but a simple shift in hand and foot position can make the physique appear dramatically different. (Model: Chantal Dicaire)

Understanding how to curve your body to achieve a small waist helps immeasurably, not only when you’re being viewed from the front, but also when you do a quarter turn to the right and the judges are assessing your physique from the side. Perhaps you look good simply facing straight-ahead when you’re turned this way, standing as though you are ready to march, but most people look better with a twist to the side so that their legs are still facing sideways but their shoulders and head are tilted toward the judges and audience.

To add a little twist to the side pose simply do all the things I mentioned in the front pose. Hold your head high, get your arms the right distance away from your body, and hold your stomach in a comfortable vacuum position -- and then, keeping you legs facing forward, do a little twist with your upper body in the direction of the judges. That little twist, like turning the cap on a bottle, is what gives the illusion of a much smaller waist and gives you amazing curves. It’s critical, though, to know just how much twist you can put into your poses. Rules can always be bent a little bit, but there’s always a point where they’ll break -- and you must know where that point is.

Some competitors look good facing straight-ahead...

...although a twist at the hips can add plenty of shape and curves. (Model: Chantal Dicaire)

One final thought: use your head

Most competitors think only about their body when they think about posing. The position of your head and your facial expression are crucial to how good your pose looks. As I already said, if you are sucking in your stomach to the point that your head looks as if it will pop, it’s not good. Sure, your waist will look small but will anyone be able to get over that look on your face? If you are standing with wonderful precision but you have the dourest expression, it will likely be a contradiction the judges and audience won’t be able to accept. From the neck up must match what is down below. So, if you are posing strongly and confidently, your facial expression must communicate it and your head must be held in a position that breathes absolute confidence. Every face tells a story, and you want yours to be a good one.

Practicing this is simple, but here I don’t recommend using a mirror; I recommend enlisting an honest friend or your spouse. Why? We’re simply bad judges of our own expressions when we look in the mirror. Achieving the correct look is simple, just ask someone, "Does my face look natural and confident?" Again, tell them to be honest with you.

With these two articles posing has gone from being a thing that nobody even thinks about to yet another integral part of contest preparation. But don’t let that scare you. Mastering posing is relatively simple, taking only practice and patience. Work it into your routine bit by bit and you’ll be thanking yourself next time you get onstage. More than likely you’ll be the best poser in the group, too.

...Doug Schneider
das@seriousaboutfitness.com

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