Should judges care more about posing?

[spicymelon]

Let's face it. At the first glance bodybuilding is relatively objective. The biggest, leanest guys with the best muscle bellies win, right? Wrong. As we all know, there were plenty of competitions over the past couple of years where the "best" guys didn't end up winning. Now I don't want this to become a thread where we will criticize modern judging, but IMHO high quality posing routines should also play an important role in the sport.

IMHO bodybuilding is not objective. It's totally subjective. Guys that have good stage presence, guys that look well in front of the camera most of the time end up winning. Why isn't posing such a big point when it comes to judging?



OK.

I'll be honest.

I'm slightly drunk, but IMHO this should be discussed.

[FAN0FdaSport]

the posing round used to scored during and before 09, not anymore

only prejudging and finals comparisons are scored now

posing is soooo subjective lol

[spicymelon]

the posing round used to scored during and before 09, not anymore

only prejudging and finals comparisons are scored now

posing is soooo subjective lol

True, it is, but is big part of the sport and I think that athletes that pull off good posing routines should be given more brownie points. Nowadays way too many bbuilders at the elite level simply do not give a flying phuk about posing: Branch with his routine that has been around for decades, Vic Martinez with his body of perfection, Kai with his homo-erotic showdowns. IDK. Something is off.

Edit:

In addition to this I think that modern day BBers should hold their poses for slightly longer. Nowadays top pros transition from one pose to another in a matter of seconds, which does not allow neither judges nor spectators to appreciate the physique. Yeah, sounds homo, but IDGAF. It's the truth.

[NVious]

Yes, it's a disgrace to the OG bodybuilders not to include posing in the marks.

The fact that somebody that diets year round, trains an hour, hour and a half 5-6 days a week, does consistent cardio DOESN'T have time to be a good poser is a joke.

[T3mpest]

the posing round used to scored during and before 09, not anymore

only prejudging and finals comparisons are scored now

posing is soooo subjective lol

Yes, but it's leading to nothing but fast paced rap songs and half ass mandatories with some applause begging thrown in. Without judging routines, I think classical posing will soon be a thing of the past, since it's much harder to execute. At least when they used to pose like that, they put on costumes. Only one doing that now is Kai and he can be somewhat over the top a times. I doubt we will ever see another "king ronnie" style prop or Lee Labrada, Jeffers, Shawn Ray, Kai Greene Dirty Diana style routine at this rate. At least Kai's last year was good, but still, if it was judged he may have done more, who knows.

[Zeneth]

Now dat's vat i call posing...

[FAN0FdaSport]

True, it is, but is big part of the sport and I think that athletes that pull off good posing routines should be given more brownie points. Nowadays way too many bbuilders at the elite level simply do not give a flying phuk about posing: Branch with his routine that has been around for decades, Vic Martinez with his body of perfection, Kai with his homo-erotic showdowns. IDK. Something is off.

Edit:

In addition to this I think that modern day BBers should hold their poses for slightly longer. Nowadays top pros transition from one pose to another in a matter of seconds, which does not allow neither judges nor spectators to appreciate the physique. Yeah, sounds homo, but IDGAF. It's the truth.

I would love to agree, but in the end judges are gonna judge. They'll pass off the posing round for whatever result they want to achieve, regardless of whos posing routine was better. I even have examples! Branch beat Dexter in 09 posing round even though it was the same old hillbilly quad slapping texas routine and dexter had amazing transitions. Shawn Ray lost the posing to Dorian in 94. I think Dorian won the judging rounds in mandatory comparisons that year but not the posing round. Dorian did the same old loud music front lat spread routine compared to Shawn's masterpiece that year. Judging the posing round is just not good for bodybuilding imo.

and victor's routine in 2011 was perfect lol

[T3mpest]

I would love to agree, but in the end judges are gonna judge. They'll pass off the posing round for whatever result they want to achieve, regardless of whos posing routine was better. I even have examples! Branch beat Dexter in 09 posing round even though it was the same old hillbilly quad slapping texas routine and dexter had amazing transitions. Shawn Ray lost the posing to Dorian in 94. I think Dorian won the judging rounds in mandatory comparisons that year but not the posing round. Dorian did the same old loud music front lat spread routine compared to Shawn's masterpiece that year. Judging the posing round is just not good for bodybuilding imo.

and victor's routine in 2011 was perfect lol

Judges gonna judge, they screw up placing all the time too, doesn't mean we should stop scoring BB'ing all together. It's no more subjective than everything else in the sport.

[FAN0FdaSport]

Judges gonna judge, they screw up placing all the time too, doesn't mean we should stop scoring BB'ing all together. It's no more subjective than everything else in the sport.

posing is the most subjective

[Soforak]

I think it should, specially the transitions from one pose to the other, fluidity if you will

[Soforak]

Let's face it. At the first glance bodybuilding is relatively objective. The biggest, leanest guys with the best muscle bellies win, right? Wrong. As we all know, there were plenty of competitions over the past couple of years where the "best" guys didn't end up winning. Now I don't want this to become a thread where we will criticize modern judging, but IMHO high quality posing routines should also play an important role in the sport.

IMHO bodybuilding is not objective. It's totally subjective. Guys that have good stage presence, guys that look well in front of the camera most of the time end up winning. Why isn't posing such a big point when it comes to judging?



OK.

I'll be honest.

I'm slightly drunk, but IMHO this should be discussed.

What a great physique!!! never seen him before! has he ever qualified for the O??

[RoroCwalker]

I'd like posing to be noted but at the same time it's not fair because of the fact that music choices and posing routines differ with cultures and personal taste, not in a way judging a physique is.

[BartPimpson]

Judging based on posing gets controversial, since it's so subjective.

Apparently in the past it was an easy way for biased judges to knock off points. If you looked better than the competition and they wanted to take you down a peg, they'd claim there was an issue with your posing.

[Fairfax]

Leaving aside the homoerotic subtext, I think there is something to be said for giving weight to artistic choreography, music choice, presentation and atmospherics- it needn't be dance, more a short piece of performance art. But then, what's being judged is no longer bodybuilding.

[Larfleeze]

How well you pose in a routine has nothing to do with the quality of the physique you bring, which is all that should matter.
As long as you display what you have properly in comparisons etc that should be enough.

[Kjhdg]

Paul dillet

[Ragana]

Best posing routine I ever seen:


I said this before but Darrem Charles is truly the best poser of this generation (and the last one, simply due to how long this guy has been competing..)

[203mh]

To an extent it still counts when there's things like the best poser award... I wish the routines would count for SOMETHING rather than the usual

Come out on stage
Front double bicep
Walk to the left side of the stage hit a Most Muscular
Stop in the center and applause beg
Walk to the right side of the stage hit Most Muscular
Fist pump to the crowd and leave

[Larfleeze]

To an extent it still counts when there's things like the best poser award... I wish the routines would count for SOMETHING rather than the usual

Come out on stage
Front double bicep
Walk to the left side of the stage hit a Most Muscular
Stop in the center and applause beg
Walk to the right side of the stage hit Most Muscular
Fist pump to the crowd and leave

inb4 rommy

[aussieryan]

Like many others in this thread have said, posing is so subjective I don't believe it should be judged. For example, you could have two epic routines, one to fast paced hip hop style music and one to a more classical style of music. Both routines amazing in their own ways. Then, how do you choose the better routine? Because you prefer one style of music to the other? Just too subjective in my opinion.

However, boring and simple routines annoy me as well, so maybe rather than judge them as part of the overall score there should be more incentive for a competitor to perform an amazing routine. I understand that we currently have posing awards and the likes, but half the time they don't go to the most deserving routine anyway, I mean didn't Branch win one at the Arnold Classic? Maybe have the posing routines judged separately and by people outside of bodybuilding, like dancers, gymnasts and the likes? I don't know. But quad stomp, most muscular, crowd beg then repeat is pretty pathetic in my eyes.

[Larfleeze]

"And the winner of the best poser award at the 2013 Mr Olympia is *insert someone sh*t*, the judges thought he was pish, but a bunch of dancers and gymnasts thought he was good."

Sounds legit.

[aussieryan]

"And the winner of the best poser award at the 2013 Mr Olympia is *insert someone sh*t*, the judges thought he was pish, but a bunch of dancers and gymnasts thought he was good."

Sounds legit.

Wow, you seem like a great person.

No maybe that isn't the best idea, but obviously the judges don't get it right hence Branch being given the award in the past. If we're judging the routine purely on performance and not the physique then why wouldn't dancers, choreographers, gymnasts and the likes have a relevant opinion on the matter? And the panel could include past bodybuilders as well, known for their amazing routines. The routine is a performance, and if it's not included in the overall score then the physique in question isn't really what's being judged is it.

[stealth_swimmer]

While there's no posing round, and posing is emphasized much less than before in some way (in that it's not judged as its own category), posing is still important in some aspect.

You gotta hit the mandatories and relaxed shots well/properly to show the physique in as balanced and symmetrical a way as possible. Some people hate this modern style of posing, but it *is* a sense in which posing is still integrated in the judging criteria. That's why ppl like Cedric McMillan gotta hit those signature/classic-style/aesthetic shots in their posing routines, but not in comparison callouts (whether prejudging or finals confirmation)

[stealth_swimmer]

Best posing routine I ever seen:


I said this before but Darrem Charles is truly the best poser of this generation (and the last one, simply due to how long this guy has been competing..)

I feel Kai is the all-time best, but there's no doubt Darrem's also one of the all-time greats and is one of my faves as well. That's also one of my favorite routines performed by any bodybuilder ever.

[Fairjudge]

Posing is the art of bodybuilding and should deff. be judged

[ROMMYromboid]

To an extent it still counts when there's things like the best poser award... I wish the routines would count for SOMETHING rather than the usual

Come out on stage
Front double bicep
Walk to the left side of the stage hit a Most Muscular
Stop in the center and applause beg
Walk to the right side of the stage hit Most Muscular
Fist pump to the crowd and leave

This is a great template for any pro to follow.

inb4 rommy

[Deano87]

^ oh lawd lol

IMO, posing is irrelevant.
Its about the best physique COMPARATIVELY not individually.

[Juggertha]

I've always thought it was the best LOOKING physique - and to me, posing is a big part of that presentation.

You can have a great physique, but if ya can't show it right, ya don't deserve the win, in my book.

[Brahlbert]

Hell yes.

[DanielEver]

Paul dillet

everytime I see it something inside me is about to break down