A person entering into a bodybuilding competition for the first time must perform eight mandatory poses, which are used to display the muscle of the body to the judges of the competition. Each of the eight poses are designed to exhibit certain muscle groups within the body, and the competitor must perform each of the poses in a specific order to allow the judges to properly view the physique. The first pose that must be performed is the front double bicep pose.
For this pose, the bodybuilder must lift both arm and flex their biceps to exhibit the peak of the muscle. Additional requirements for this pose is that the chest and waist of the bodybuilder should be highly and tight, respectively, as this pose will exhibit the bodybuilders arms, shoulders, and chest to the judges. The second pose to be performed is the front lat spread pose.
The Eight Required Poses for Bodybuilding
For this pose, the bodybuilder must push their elbows back to exhibit the latissimus dorsi muscle. While the front double bicep pose exhibited the thickness of the bodybuilders physique, this pose exhibit the width of there chest, allowing the bodybuilder to exhibit these two dimension of their physique to the judges. The third and fourth poses are side poses.
These poses are required of bodybuilders because they exhibit the thickness of the bodybuilder’s physique. The third pose is the side chest pose. For this pose, the bodybuilder must turn their body to exhibit the projection of their chest and the shape of their triceps.
The fourth pose is the side tricep pose. For this pose, the bodybuilder must flex their triceps to exhibit the horseshoe shape of their triceps. These poses are especially important for bodybuilders whose physiques is broad from the front view but may not be as visually impressive from the side view of the physique.
The fifth and sixth poses are performed while the bodybuilder is on their back. These poses are performed to exhibit the muscles on the back of the body. The fifth pose is the back double bicep pose.
For this pose, the bodybuilder exhibits their lats, traps, and deltoids. The sixth pose performed on the back is the back lat spread pose. For this pose, the bodybuilder spreads their back muscles to exhibit their lats to their widest extent.
Because the bodybuilders cannot view the judges while performing poses on their back, the bodybuilder must ensure that both sides of their back and body is even with each other; any difference in evenness between the two sides of the body will be visible to the judges. The seventh and eighth poses are used to assess the conditioning of the muscles. Conditioning of the muscles is a measurement of the amount of body fat that covers the muscles.
The seventh pose, known as the most muscular pose, requires the bodybuilder to contract each of their muscle groups at the same time. The eighth pose is the abdominal and thigh pose. For this pose, the bodybuilder must vacuum their waist, and flex one of the quadriceps muscles.
The judges use this pose to determine whether the bodybuilder’s muscle is covered by body fat. Additionally, the most muscular pose is used to exhibit the judges whether the muscle of the bodybuilder is tight. Beyond these eight mandatory poses, bodybuilders may perform optional poses.
The judges dont score these optional poses. Examples of optional poses include the stomach vacuum pose, the overhead ab crunch pose, and the single arm bicep pose. These poses are used to highlight the strongest features of the bodybuilders physique.
Additionally, only two or three of these poses should be performed since the bodybuilding routine should be short and contain the essential poses rather than a longer routine that may not adequately highlight the physique. The poses must be practiced every day. Each bodybuilder should practice their eight mandatory poses for fifteen minutes every evening in front of a mirror.
Performing each of the poses daily will train the stabilizing muscles of the body. Additionally, performing each pose daily will enable the bodybuilder to learn to breathe while maintaining a tight waist and body. Finally, bodybuilders must also consider their stage presence and the tan that they will use while performing these poses.
For instance, smiling at the judges indicates that the bodybuilder feels comfortable in the competition, and performing poses with a tan will allow the stage lights to highlight the separation between each of the bodys muscles. By mastering each of the poses and following the routine described here, bodybuilders can ensure that they are exhibiting their muscles as cleanly as possible to the judges.
