Correct posing help

[mewells]

Hey guys! I figure this forum has the most experienced people to answer these. I am entering the Garden State Classic in May and I heard last time that there was a few things I could be doing better in this competition season. I have some questions for anyone who is experienced in bodybuilding and any advice would be great!

1.) I am currently just above 160 with under 10% body fat at this point. I am five months out. When should I start really cutting down to drop another 3-6% body fat? (I was told last time I started too early)
2.) When you are doing a front lat pose, should you still flex your abs or no? Would flexing them take away from attention being set on lats?
3.) Same question as #2, except with front double bicep pose.

I appreciate any help. Thanks guys

[FAN0FdaSport]

It depends on how you wanna look when doing the pose. If you feel your abdominals look great in said pose then go for it. But if you feel hindered then don't really bother with it. A front double bi can benefit from flexed abs or you can pull a vacuum and try to make your waist appear smaller.

Look at other people hitting poses and try to see what you prefer.

[mewells]

It depends on how you wanna look when doing the pose. If you feel your abdominals look great in said pose then go for it. But if you feel hindered then don't really bother with it. A front double bi can benefit from flexed abs or you can pull a vacuum and try to make your waist appear smaller.

Look at other people hitting poses and try to see what you prefer.

Thanks man I appreciate it!

[BartPimpson]

I find that when I flex my abs, those poses look overly stiff and rigid. Take photos of you flexing your abs and relaxing your abs, and see which one you like best.

As Captain Planet said, the power is yours.

[mewells]

I find that when I flex my abs, those poses look overly stiff and rigid. Take photos of you flexing your abs and relaxing your abs, and see which one you like best.

As Captain Planet said, the power is yours.

To start off, you have quite possibly the greatest account name. BartPimpson. Genius. But I appreciate the input. I was told that sometimes if you are flexing your abs during those poses, it often takes the emphasis of the pose away from your lats or bi's. I mean I am no Pro and it's not like the judges will care all that much but I am trying to make some baby steps towards getting better. Thanks for the input! Oh, and well done on the quote too ^-^

[tsiparlanaeht]

Cool video here for you, help for beginners. Walks you through all the poses and how to do it.

http://www.viddler.com/explore/Fitne...tic/videos/60/


See the following link for examples on the FDB variations and how to do it:

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/frontbiceps.htm


Stomach Vacuum - Video on how to hit pose

http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercise...stomach-vacuum



For all poses in depth see this link :

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/posing.htm



Info on posing - http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/bbin...singandflexing


Posing Tips - http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/begi...ng_success.htm


More tips - http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/buyi...ing_trunks.htm



Goodluck!

[mewells]

Wow. This is insanely helpful. Thank you so much for spending the time to do that man. This is exactly what I was looking for

[tsiparlanaeht]

Wow. This is insanely helpful. Thank you so much for spending the time to do that man. This is exactly what I was looking for

Any time.

Good luck.

[BartPimpson]

^ The stuff mod reps are made of. Great post.

[Terminator84]

you need 2-3 months of dieting, 5 months for only 10% is big no.

when you do the lat spread you need to flex arms, lats, pecs, chest, quads, no abs included, just dont relax the belly

[Groggery]

What bugs me from those links is that the vacuum video isn't really a vacuum. You can't physically breathe during one. Although i know how to hit em i can't quite do it during a FDB, any links on that Stercs?

[tsiparlanaeht]

What bugs me from those links is that the vacuum video isn't really a vacuum. You can't physically breathe during one. Although i know how to hit em i can't quite do it during a FDB, any links on that Stercs?

Hey mate, see the following links or read quotes I selected to give you a hand hitting the vacuum FDB.




http://www.musclesportmag.com/2009/0...-bodybuilding/

http://www.musclesportmag.com/2009/0...ilding-part-2/

http://www.musclesportmag.com/2009/1...ilding-part-3/

Credit to: Michael Manavian

Part I - Just an Illusion

Bodybuilding on stage is about creating illusions. Doing what it takes to give the appearance of having more volume in some areas and less volume in others by manipulating your body when viewed. Note I said volume not size or weight. It's not about the scale rather the volume of space one can occupy.

That is the end all. The presentation of body manipulation all the while taking into account the viewpoint of another - be it a judge or observer – is what you are striving to effect.

The human brain is very keen in picking out and noting differences of the dichotomies.

Light - dark

Big - small

Fast - slow

etc…

It is imperative to play on these observations in order to positively affect the emotions of the observer in your favor.

Most every show I've entered, I was the smallest guy in the class, but even with that I was able to win my share of events.

Remember flexing is a contraction – when things contract they get smaller!

Think about what you're doing in a front double bicep shot:

- Bringing your hands IN

- Flexing your pecs IN

(which the above two pull on your lats hunching you forward and down)

- Flexing your abdominals IN and DOWN



On paper, the pose is ill suited to show ones physique!!!

But this all changes if you know how to offset these contractional shrinkages by using your ribcage effectively.

The area of the torso is the make or break area. By volumizing the chest cavity, you create a stable base to flex against! Think about it, when you raise your rib cage you're:

- Posture gets better

- Your head goes back

- Your chin goes up

- your shoulders raise and go back

- your chest is pushed out

- your lats appear

- and your arms raise.

And that's just standing relaxed! Now go into the pose with a high ribcage you have a something to flex your arms against. As your arms are contracting in, your ribcage is pushing out against your shoulders in turn pushing against your arms – creating a stable balance between the muscle's insertion and attachment points. You ribs also are pushing against your lats popping them out.

By doing this high ribcage shot, the poser now can create the dichotomies within. A high ribcage pulls the skin covering the abdominals and shrinks the volume of the waist. Now you have a superman/wonder woman cartoony look, with a small waist and high torso bringing everyone's attention to the difference in size; not necessarily the size of one or the other. People can't put their finger on what it is, and remark that the person has a small waist or a big chest when in fact he may not have either, but it sure looks likes he does.

Now that's the why one would hit a high ribcage shot. Now to answer the most common bodybuilding question I get asked - How the hell do you do that????



Part II Hoover or Dyson

I was very fortunate to be introduced to weight training focusing on structure first before building muscle. During my first 6 months of training a majority of my exercises were geared towards manipulating the bone and cartilage of my torso. Once this is formed then you can pack on the muscle – otherwise it's too late. You cannot go back and change structure once muscle is developed.

The cornerstone exercise used to achieve this look with me was dumbbell pullovers. The key to this exercise is to expand the ribcage thru stretching and breathing using relatively light weights at first. (I started with a single 15 lbs weight that I struggled to do 8 reps with!) Laying flat start by taking a deep breath filling your lungs with as much air as possible, raising your ribcage to the ceiling. As the weight lowers over your head attempt to expand your chest by increase your lung capacity even though you've started with full lungs. It will feel you're your breathing though not getting air in. This is not about repping out or throwing around weight. Its about maxing out your lung capacity then adding more air! At the bottom of the rep, release all the air but keep the volume of the lungs the same size – huh? Yes! Keep the volume of your lungs big, but exchange out the carbon dioxide for a new breath of oxygen. As the new breath flows in, push the weight up against that breath as you increase your lung/ribcage volume. It's completely counter intuitive. Your resistance becomes not only the weight pulling on your arms but your chest pushing against your breath. Direct your effort to getting your ribcage towards the ceiling the entire rep. You can relax at the top when you bring the weight back to the starting position – up in front of your chest.
- Hide quoted text -

If you're feeling a sharp piercing pain in your ribs in your back you're doing it right.

Between sets grab underneath your ribcage and using your hands like meat hooks and pull on your ribcage upwards.

Switch up the workouts using dumbbells, barbells, and med-low bar on a cable.

Keep your head at the edge of the bench to give the most leverage.

Use a flat bench (both on it and across it), an incline bench (on the smallest incline), and moon bench (if available).

Start by doing 8-15 reps 15-25 sets a day – everyday! Because you're not building muscle here rather stretching tendons/ligaments and cartilage, this can be worked on daily.

To really perfect this:

Always expand your ribcage on every exercise possible during your workout.

Keep your ribcage up always!

Never walk around with bad posture!

Minimize serratus work. Why build a wider waist?

The next level is to learn how to pull the vacuum AND show abs underneath. It takes time to learn how to contract your abs without crunching your ribcage.

All this work is key, so that when you get to the stage you're not thinking about it or suffering.



Part III Showtime

To hit the vacuum on stage, set your legs by lifting your knee to flex your inner psoas muscle. DO NOT LET GO OF THIS FLEX.

Look down and bring your hands together making 2 fists. These fists will flex your biceps automatically for you.

Exhale all the air OUT of your lungs.

Suck your diaphragm in and up into the back of your neck as your arms go overhead.

Jam your fists down as far as possible down your back, keeping your biceps to the sides of your head. It will make you look thicker with less space showing next to your head.

Push your fists into your back while they're down there, and learn to use this push to pop your lats out.

Learn to flex your upper pecs by bringing your elbows slightly towards center. It's an impressive shot to see striated pecs , flexed biceps, and your psoas in this shot.

And most importantly SMILE AND MAKE IT LOOK LIKE IT DOESN'T HURT!

[tsiparlanaeht]

In praise of vacuums by Arnold Schwarzenegger

Ask a bodybuilder today what it means to vacuum and he'll most likely talk about sucking up dirt from a carpet. But pose the same question to Leroy Colbert, Reg Park, Frank Zane or Ed Corney and they're sure to give you an entirely different response. Rather than sucking up dirt, their version of vacuuming involves sucking in the gut.

Way back, it was common for bodybuilders to perform vacuum poses as part of their routines. What is a vacuum pose, you may ask? Hitting a vacuum pose involves simultaneously expanding your rib cage while blowing out all of the air from your lungs. The effect is a hollow below your ribs, where your stomach used to be. The effect is dramatic--a massively muscled upper body perched atop a narrow abdominal column.

I worked hard to perfect the vacuum in my posing and employed it in several poses, most notably the front double-biceps and side chest shots. Others, like Frank Zane, turned the vacuum into a pose of its own. With his hands clenched behind his neck and his elbows held high by his ears, Frank's vacuum pose made it appear as if his torso was floating above his hips. Truly an impressive shot.

These days, it seems almost nobody does the vacuum anymore. Shawn Ray used to vacuum up when hitting his front double-biceps pose. More recently, Richard Jones has done the same. But that's about it. Why has a posing technique that was once practically mandatory within bodybuilding now such a rarity? I suppose that with the increased bodyweights of competitors come bigger midsections and, as a result, less ability to suck up into a vacuum.

I, for one, am disappointed by the ever-expanding waistlines I've seen in bodybuilding over the course of the past few decades. Whereas at one time having as small a waist as possible was part and parcel of being a bodybuilder, this element of the total physique is now often an afterthought. There is such an overemphasis on getting heavy that too little attention is paid to controlling the growth of the waistline.

Of course, not every pro bodybuilder has gone this route, and I commend athletes such as Troy Alves, Melvin Anthony and Darrem Charles, among others, for carrying on the tradition of making aesthetic concerns a top priority as they sculpt their physiques. I'm confident any of these fine athletes are capable of hitting a vacuum, and I encourage them to do so as a way of separating themselves from those who clearly cannot.

So how does one go about performing a vacuum shot? For one thing, you have to have well-developed abs and have control over them in order to suck up into a vacuum properly. It also takes practice.

Following is an exercise I would regularly perform to improve my vacuuming ability. First, bend at the waist and support your upper body with your hands on a table, dumbbell rack or something else around hip height. Now, take in a deep breath of air and then blow it out forcefully. With your lungs devoid of air, pull your abdominal column in, as if you're trying to touch your navel to your spine.

Feel the way your whole midsection becomes inverted. It will be an awkward sensation at first, as if your muscles are turning inside out, which, in a sense, they are. However, after practicing this movement a few times, you will find that your abs begin to settle into a "groove" and that it becomes progressively easier each time you attempt to do it.

Once you've experienced how an abdominal vacuum feels, you can begin to incorporate it into poses, like the front double biceps, or even before crunching down into an abs and thigh pose. The effect is dramatic, to say the least.

The new IFBB advisory (putting renewed emphasis on shape and trim waistlines) seemed to work out pretty well at last October's Mr. Olympia, and from that platform perhaps we can return to a day when bodybuilding competitors regularly perform vacuums onstage. If things go really well, maybe we can get them to vacuum backstage after the show, too!

[tsiparlanaeht]

Vacuum Your Waist- Frank Zane

Watching the ’03 Arnold Classic men’s pro physique competition, Reg Park, who was sitting next to me, remarked that just about every contestant had a big waist. “Guess it’s not only me who notices this,” I thought. “Whatever happened to the quest for a small waist?” The distended gut, or “blabs” syndrome, is commonplace among today’s top competitors. In their endeavor to get as big as possible by eating vast amounts of food and engaging in excessive pharmaceutical enhancement, they’ve caused everything to grow to colossal size, including their waistlines. True, there are a few exceptions—Shawn Ray, Kevin Levrone, Dexter Jackson and Chris Cormier. But those guys aren’t winning. I wonder what might happen if the stomach vacuum pose were made mandatory.

The vacuum is a lost art in today’s big-time competitions. I haven’t seen anyone do it onstage in a very long time. At the ’03 Arnold Classic, Chris Cormier, who was leaner than I’d ever seen him, probably could have pulled it off. He did some impressive abdominal rolls and isolations, and if he’d added the vacuum to his presentation, his routine would’ve been even more exceptional. In the 1970s and ’80s Arnold always vacuumed when he hit his front double-biceps pose; Mike Mentzer had an impressive vacuum pose; I always finished my routine with the vacuum because it was considered my best shot—and it always brought the house down. But bodybuilders today have such big muscular waistlines that they can only let them hang out. There’s just too much to suck in. Here’s how to develop an impressive vacuum pose.

If you don’t have good serratus development, you can forget about getting an impressive vacuum pose. The most important exercise is the dumbbell pullover, which you do while lying across a flat bench. I’ve been doing that ever since I began working out at age 14 in my basement in Pennsylvania. I used to lie across a huge log then, but now I’ve settled for a flat bench. With your head hanging off the edge and the base of your neck touching the bench, hold a dumbbell between both hands over your face, take a deep breath and with your elbows slightly bent lower the dumbbell as far as it will go toward the floor. It’s important to get a very deep stretch. It develops the serratus and rib cage as well as the posterior head of the triceps. Keep your elbows bent slightly at the same angle throughout the exercise. My best pullovers were done with a dumbbell of 90 to 120 pounds for sets of 10. I did them on chest day. As your serratus develops, you’ll find that all of your arms-overhead poses from the front will look more impressive.

You can practice the vacuum in four positions, each more difficult than the one before. The easiest is lying on your back with your head declined. I use a traction table, but you could use an abdominal slant board declined 30 degrees. Gravity enables you to pull your stomach in more easily. You could also use gravity boots and hang upside down. That may be even easier due to the force of gravity—but it’s the furthest removed from how you’ll actually be doing the vacuum onstage.

The next position is lying flat on your back. Exhale completely, forcing all the air out of your lungs and squeezing your abs at the end to get all the air out. Now instead of inhaling, suck your stomach in so far that you eventually feel as if it’s touching your spine. It’s best to have an empty stomach. Practicing vacuums when you’re hungry is an excellent way to get your stomach smaller and derail hunger temporarily. After you suck your stomach in, put your fingers on the bottom your rib cage, lift it, and suck in even more. Hold it as long as you can safely.

Vacuuming is really a yoga Pranayama technique for breath control. I was able to hold a stomach vacuum for almost a minute when I competed in the ’70s and early ’80s.

The next step is to do the stomach vacuum with your hands on your thighs, bending forward. Exhale completely and suck your stomach in. Hold it—longer and longer. Now you’re ready to practice vacuuming with your hands behind your head. In competition when the judges called for the abdominal pose (in which the hands are behind the head), I’d tense my abs, vacuum quickly, hold it for a second, and then go back to the ab shot. In my free-posing routine I’d hit the ab shot first, and then hold the vacuum to the cheers of the audience. After that I’d bow, wave and leave the stage. It proved to be the best way to implant a lasting memory. I hope the current crop of competitors—and even more, upcoming competitors—take this information to heart. If the idea takes hold, we’ll definitely be seeing smaller waistlines onstage.

[mewells]

I was also wondering for anyone else who competes. For you guys, what muscle (or muscle group for that matter) do you typically have the most trouble showing the definition of come competition time? I mean this being relative. For example, for me I have no problem with my chest definition during competition but I can never get the full, visible tear drop on my legs. I dunno, what about you guys?

[spamy]

I was also wondering for anyone else who competes. For you guys, what muscle (or muscle group for that matter) do you typically have the most trouble showing the definition of come competition time? I mean this being relative. For example, for me I have no problem with my chest definition during competition but I can never get the full, visible tear drop on my legs. I dunno, what about you guys?

Usually the glutes are the last part that gets in shape and the best sign if you're good to go. And as Arnold said the best pose to see if someone is in condition is the back double biceps, that's why you see such jaw-droppings pics with Flex, Benaziza or Bannout when they're hitting it.

[R-EL]

Hey guys! I figure this forum has the most experienced people to answer these. I am entering the Garden State Classic in May and I heard last time that there was a few things I could be doing better in this competition season. I have some questions for anyone who is experienced in bodybuilding and any advice would be great!

1.) I am currently just above 160 with under 10% body fat at this point. I am five months out. When should I start really cutting down to drop another 3-6% body fat? (I was told last time I started too early)
2.) When you are doing a front lat pose, should you still flex your abs or no? Would flexing them take away from attention being set on lats?
3.) Same question as #2, except with front double bicep pose.

I appreciate any help. Thanks guys

ALL GREAT advice. But here's how YOU can determine which is best for YOU.

IF you want to display YOUR best "X" physique (ie BROADEST shoulders/widest back, tapering down to your smallest waist, then back out to your best outer quad sweep) then only crunch down on your abs if you have generous amounts of the aforementioned attributes. If you even still choose to do it at all. Otherwise you will look thickest in the middle, taking away from your shoulder width and/or your quad sweep.

If on the other hand your goal is to show as much muscle definition and separation between muscle groups and you dont care (as much) about your "line" (seamless flow of your physique from head to toe) then FLEX 'EM HARD!!!

But then again you may be the next Flex Wheeler(even PRE-Valvoline) and have a CRAZY taper, tiny waist and back out to INCREDIBLE quad sweep while flexing down hard on your abs. Regardless BEST OF LUCK TO YOU(peace)

[mewells]

ALL GREAT advice. But here's how YOU can determine which is best for YOU.

IF you want to display YOUR best "X" physique (ie BROADEST shoulders/widest back, tapering down to your smallest waist, then back out to your best outer quad sweep) then only crunch down on your abs if you have generous amounts of the aforementioned attributes. If you even still choose to do it at all. Otherwise you will look thickest in the middle, taking away from your shoulder width and/or your quad sweep.

If on the other hand your goal is to show as much muscle definition and separation between muscle groups and you dont care (as much) about your "line" (seamless flow of your physique from head to toe) then FLEX 'EM HARD!!!

But then again you may be the next Flex Wheeler(even PRE-Valvoline) and have a CRAZY taper, tiny waist and back out to INCREDIBLE quad sweep while flexing down hard on your abs. Regardless BEST OF LUCK TO YOU(peace)

I do appreciate the level of motivation but I don't think you saw my body space. I am working with 160lbs not 200+. lol how incredible can a lightweight quad sweep look compared to heavier weights? lol but hey thanks a lot! I appreciate this level of enthusiasm with a lightweight! (IMO most don't care about anything under middleweight. I don't blame em though)

[R-EL]

I do appreciate the level of motivation but I don't think you saw my body space. I am working with 160lbs not 200+. lol how incredible can a lightweight quad sweep look compared to heavier weights? lol but hey thanks a lot! I appreciate this level of enthusiasm with a lightweight! (IMO most don't care about anything under middleweight. I don't blame em though)

Hey man, MY HONOR. Also, even though you are tall for a light weight, I've seen many a light(er) weight competitor with CRAZY sweeps as well as capped delts, full hammies etc. All the "illusion" muscles. In fact as a light weight, these are some of the muscles you may want to focus on getting that "pop" appearance on stage. The suggestions I made still apply as it is all relative to which theme you want to attempt to represent with your posing display. Lastly, dont discount yourself regarding your weight/height. YOU ARE DOING IT! Most DONT. Most who post dont (no disrespect to them) So again best of luck(peace)