1st posing video - feedback please (vid)

[ChrisElkins]

Please let me know what you guys think and what I can improve on. I have a lot of time left, but am going to take the preparation very seriously. All criticism, positive, negative and constructive is appreciated.

Like and subscribe to my youtube if you want to follow along. I plan to work with a coach once I start dieting.

[ChrisElkins]

Bump!

[wrkoutfrq]

pretty solid bulk, you stayed quite lean. i would def. say lats are a weak point and posing could use some work. don't pinch your shoulders together in the back double bi, instead focus on flaring the lats. in your rear lat spread you're trying too hard to spread them and are washing out any detail. instead, flare the lats, but at the same time focus on crunching them down... for example, check out Jeff Albert's BDB and Layne's RLS

[ChrisElkins]

Thanks for the feedback. I'll keep working on the lat poses especially. They've come a long way but still have a long way to go. I'm going to try to get a coach in late January or February.

[demonwareltd]

Not too bad to start with, I've seen a lot worse from guys getting ready for their first show. Couple things...

First off the shoulder being higher than the other. I have the same problem. For me it's because I have slight scoliosis (curvature of the spine, so my one side is higher than the other). Can't tell much in my back poses, but poses like most muscular and front relaxed it's very noticaable. I would just put it out of your mind as it doesn't detract from your physique and at least for me, there is nothing I can do about it. Couldn't tell if your spine curved to the left or right at all in your posing but maybe have someone look at it and see if that is your issue.

You need to give us full body poses next go around. Reason being we can't see if you are posing your legs and if you are doing it properly. Legs are one of the hardest body parts to pose correctly and can make or break you on stage, as legs not flexed hard or properly will look fat and smooth instead of striated and defined.

Keep practicing and posting on here from time to time, slowly incorporating tips and feedback and I'm sure you will be polished and ready by stage time!

- Stan

[ChrisElkins]

Thanks Stan, great advice! I'm not sure how to properly flex my legs. I feel so smooth right now especially in the lower body. I try to flex them and pull the ground apart with my feet but aside from my calves I don't have much definition right now.

I'm working legs twice a week and have good size but no lower body striations yet. Long road ahead.

[Cdt_Richards]

Thanks Stan, great advice! I'm not sure how to properly flex my legs. I feel so smooth right now especially in the lower body. I try to flex them and pull the ground apart with my feet but aside from my calves I don't have much definition right now.

I'm working legs twice a week and have good size but no lower body striations yet. Long road ahead.

You will get there. Just be sure to really focus in there on the posing. On the sides, check out some posing guids as to how to press your leg facing the judges into your back leg and rotate to bring out your quad sweep and pop out that hamstring. Also, whenever you try to spread your lats, lean back into it. The flare out is great and all, but if you can learn to rotate your elbows up in the pose and lean back slightly, your spread is going to appear much larger

[ChrisElkins]

You will get there. Just be sure to really focus in there on the posing. On the sides, check out some posing guids as to how to press your leg facing the judges into your back leg and rotate to bring out your quad sweep and pop out that hamstring. Also, whenever you try to spread your lats, lean back into it. The flare out is great and all, but if you can learn to rotate your elbows up in the pose and lean back slightly, your spread is going to appear much larger

Front or rear lat spread or both?

[ChrisElkins]

2nd video

[ChrisElkins]

I think I almost completely corrected the shoulder thing I noticed from the first video. Now that my legs are on the camera I have had some other issues pointed out. My feet placement is incorrect. On my side poses I need to bring my forward foot to the middle of my rear foot.

Anything else that I should do? I'm going to continue bulking through January and then start dieting.

[red_cat]

Not too bad, man. A few pointers off the top of my head:

#1 - Remember that the judges will be below your feet. If you lean back, they won't be able to see your physique properly. Try to maintain an upright (FDB) or slightly leaning (FLS, RDB and RLS) forward posture.

#2 - You can "sit down" more in the side poses. You're still basically standing up.

#3 - Like someone said above, flare your lats out in your RDB. You're crunching the shoulder blades together and it's killing any width you may have in that pose.


This is a little bit of a seminar that Brian Ahlstrom did with some of us back in September. There's a few good pointers in there. Posing starts around 3:30.


You might also search for "perfect posing" on YouTube. There are clips from a DVD that really helped me out.

[ChrisElkins]

Red_Cat, thanks for the advice. I see what you mean about the RDB. I'll try to correct that. I also know my foot placement is wrong for the side poses and will fix that and then sit down on those poses more.

I'll check out the clips on YouTube and just keep practicing. I probably won't record myself again until I start cutting. It's hard seeing myself so fat. Before this bulk I never really weighed over 154 and that was back in 2006 so being 165 from 140 is such a big difference but I think I've made some good muscle gains as well as the standard fat gains.

[ChrisElkins]

Check out this vid. I worked with Nick for about 20 minutes and made a ton of corrections. I'm still like 26 weeks out and haven't started dieting so I'm pretty fat.