Posing in the gym

[Juggertha]

I've seen this come up a few times… mostly with disparaging overtones. Some guy commenting on how the young guys are always flexing and posing in the mirrors.

But here's the thing, I love to pose. If I'm training a given body part, I'll often hit numerous shots (mostly from the compulsories), to see if that given part is popping. I sometimes do it for "others" - as in, if I've got a few buds there, we'll run through certain shots and see how things look, but most of the time, I'm just doing it for myself. NOT because I look GREAT, but because I want to see HOW things are looking. I find this especially true with body parts that I sometimes have trouble recruiting.

Luckily, my gym is a bodybuilding gym. During contest season, you'll often see guys strip down and going through their poses - sometimes in a side room, sometimes on the main floor - and I dig that. Reminds of of the (very) old days.

So, here's the call out - are there any of "posers" out there, or am I all alone?

[bradandblake]

I don't care really, just get out of the rack. Ha!

[peacesells]

I lift at home and pose all the time. More benefits of lifting at home.

How else do you know if you are improving? Plus it is motivating to an extent.

That being said..would never do it in public.

[ArchAngel'73]

My last contest the manager caught me practicing my routine in the...
posing room (I was around when the gym was originally built, what is now the spin class room and loaded with mirrors was the posing room way back when)
and threatened to kick me out.

"Shirts must be worn at times! Blah blah blah" -manager
"You know that in every contest the MC introduces the athlete and states what gym they're from?
I'm going to tell them I train at Goodlife." (a competitors chain gym) -me

Nope, no more posing for me. Whether I'm competin' or just showing off.

[drudixon]

Working out at home I do sometimes. I'll set my phone on video, then pull out any pics I like. Haven't done it in months tho.

[kitpapa]

Not a guy, but a competitor. I go to a commercial gym and I DO pose (figure) in between sets in the weight room. Sometimes people look at me like I'm crazy and it creeps me out if they stare, but I do it anyways. I am not in anyones space or way so I feel like it's ok. It was hard for me to get over people looking at me weird but now I don't care.

And it's not like I go to the gym in yoga pants and tight shirts or whatever. Moderate to long running shorts and sleeveless Ts are my thing so I doubt ppl are staring cause they're mirin..just saying

Edit: I realize I can't "see" a lot of my muscles this way but muscle memory is a wonderful thing. I can feel when a pose is right and the hold helps me work that muscle even more.

[hmmmm16417]

I lift at home and pose all the time. More benefits of lifting at home.

Lol true dat!

my wife laughed when I got several mirrors in the basement with the lifting equipment. (Two of them ae 48x36)
why do you think they out mirrors in gyms? If someone says they don't watch themselves in the mirrors at the gym. ...they lie lol

Full out posing is different. But its a great way for people to see themselves as others do....especially before a competition.

When I was a teen I used to practice dancing in front of a mirror lmao say what you want. ...it makes you better

[kimm4]

There were a lot of times I would hit the mandatory poses after my training sessions. I'd go find a corner and practice for a good 15-20 min. It's a good workout after your workout...

[kcmoto]

I sneak a pose now and then.....I mean you gotta see right?

[Tmax55]

When I workout in the morning the gym is literally two min drive from my house so I do it at home on those days sometimes. My afternoon gym is too far for this but I will do it in the locker room which some people think is weird...but the over weight saggy skin with syrosis old men who walk over to you or shave at the mirrors in the buff aren't strange.

I should add I just hit a pose or two if I am at the locker room I don't run through a big routine.

[soccerdad5]

That is funny you bring this one up. I went into the "aerobics" room to do some posing for the first time ever today at 24 Hour Fitness. There were 2 people in there stretching but just went ahead and posed. I didn't take my shirt off but did pose.

One of the reasons I did not do as well as I should have at the Texas State Championships was my posing. Physique is a joke compared to bodybuilding posing but I did not work on it at all and it definitely showed up on competition day.

I have decided that I will be posing at least 3 times per week until my next show. If people think I am crazy, I don't care.

[Juggertha]

My last contest the manager caught me practicing my routine in the...
posing room (I was around when the gym was originally built, what is now the spin class room and loaded with mirrors was the posing room way back when)
and threatened to kick me out.

"Shirts must be worn at times! Blah blah blah" -manager
"You know that in every contest the MC introduces the athlete and states what gym they're from?
I'm going to tell them I train at Goodlife." (a competitors chain gym) -me

Nope, no more posing for me. Whether I'm competin' or just showing off.

This type of thing pisses me off.

I know PLers get mad at gyms having no squat rack - or not allowing dead lifts… but for me, not allowing posing, especially with a shirt on, seems so wrong to me.

[SteveWright1]

Guilty as charged
I am not or never will be competing
I am doing it because I want to look better

and in order to know if I do in fact look better, the shirt will come off and the mirror consulted at the end of a training session

with the blessing of the PT at the gym, who suggested 'if you ever have issues with the weights your trying to move, take the shirt off, stand where you can see yourself in the mirror and you may find that motivates you enough to achieve the lift"

[Smelly bull]

Many times on these boards, powerlifters using techniques such as board presses rack pulls, are viewed as ego lifters.....bb in a gym posing are viewed as egomaniacs. Both are using vital tools.....

Either stand out and be yourself, or be medicore like most of the gym rats....

Non poser here....

[SleeperService]

I don't see the problem with people posing in the gym. Posing is part of the bodybuilding sport - it is a skill and discipline in its own right and, like any other skill, the only way to improve is to practice. I doubt most people have the mirror and lighting arrangements most gyms have, so it makes sense to do it there.

[sytun]

There is a difference between posing and just constantly staring at yourself in the mirror, I see guys with their necks cranked around to watch themselves in the mirror as they do a set on a machine that is not directly facing the mirror, like if they lose eye contact with themselves something terrible might happen.

I can understand striking a pose or flexing out at the end of a set, but the guys that literally stalk themselves in the mirror like prey just look ridiculous.

[antpitt]

There is a difference between posing and just constantly staring at yourself in the mirror, I see guys with their necks cranked around to watch themselves in the mirror as they do a set on a machine that is not directly facing the mirror, like if they lose eye contact with themselves something terrible might happen.

I can understand striking a pose or flexing out at the end of a set, but the guys that literally stalk themselves in the mirror like prey just look ridiculous.

I with you on this. No problem with the posing, especially when prepping for a show. But walking around with your chest all puffed and arms flared out staring at yourself in the mirror constantly is going a little overboard.

I am personally a little shy with this sort of thing and prefer to hit an aerobics room with mirrors when it is empty.

[tyrsnbdr]

I pose when I get home. My Wife HATES it. She thinks I'm obsessed. I don't compete, but like to see the progress.

[mcarthey]

Not in the gym, but I do watch my form pretty heavily. I like to make sure I'm hitting the muscle correctly which is, admittedly, as much a feeling as anything. I may pose at home to check progress but otherwise I'm just there to lift. Maybe when I cut down I'll be more motivated.

[tobymax123]

There is Men's Physique competitor in my gym who sometimes poses when he's pumped after his upper body work (he does no leg work). It's not bodybuilding posing, but what I call "stand and pose". You know the way physique guys stand on stage at sort of a 1/4 turn, head up, chest out, big smile. He's a very handsome black guy with a great big smile and overly-whitened teeth, so when he does this it sort of looks like he's smiling with satisfaction at his view in the mirror. Before I knew he was a competitor I thought that's what he was doing -- smiling at himself -- and it rubbed me the wrong way. But now I know it's just part of the pose.

I rarely even look in the mirror at the gym. The only thing I do while standing in front of the mirrors is shrugs, and it is kind of cool because holding the 75 lb dumbbells or 185 on the trap bar makes the arm veins get freaky.

[jopheso]

If someone works out at a commercial gym...how can they see their physique while pumped if not at the gym? its kind of ridiculous to not let someone pose.

[TouaregV8]

If I do it I make sure no one is around, or I go into one of the empty group fitness rooms. I don't want to be perceived by anyone as narcissistic because that's not who I am. I get agitated when I see small guys posing in front of everyone, but if I saw someone that looked like they competed it wouldn't bother me.

[scullin]

Working out at home I do sometimes. I'll set my phone on video, then pull out any pics I like. Haven't done it in months tho.

This^

[PhantomMaxx]

gotta sneak a few — I call it self motivation