Often neglected, but crucially important. The hard truth: a perfect physique with non-perfected posing will cost you.
While falling face first on stage may make a great You Tube video, it obviously does not work in your favor in a fitness competition. A situation such as this would be classified as a nightmare after months of hard work, dedication, training, and dieting. You’ve been working hard in the gym and your physique is looking better than ever, so you’ve decided to challenge yourself and celebrate your accomplishments by competing in a fitness competition. This will likely be one of the most memorable and rewarding experiences of your life. You’ve done the time in the gym, so now it’s time to practice your presentation.
Your presentation is equally as important as your physique.
An amazing physique can go a long way, but not practicing posing and grace in high heels can cause a deserving competitor to fall face first, figuratively, or possibly even in literally. We’ve all seen the movie scene where a beautiful woman falls flat on her face, or maybe you’ve even had your own humiliating experience. While an unfortunate event like this may result in some You Tube fame, not all publicity is good publicity. Your schedule is likely tight, with work and hours spent training at the gym, but DO NOT sacrifice time working on your presentation and posing. It can make the difference between a first place finish, and a last place finish.
You need to learn what poses best flatter your physique, and the only way to do that is to practice.
Posing in front of the mirror may feel awkward, and will definitely look that way to outsiders, but walking around in 5 inch heels looks easier than it is. Grace does not come naturally for all. I’ll be the first to admit my lack of grace. Grace can take practice sometimes. Posing is an art. Flexing and posing should look effortless. This is not an easy task; and thus, takes practice. Not only should you flex your arms, legs and core, but it’s a challenge to keep your chest up and butt out. It may sound easy, but to do that in 5 inch heels and smile naturally, not forced is quite the challenge. Hence, like training; presentation takes work. Also, make sure you’re prepared to pose for your class. Figure poses and quarter turns take time to master.
Figure posing is very different from fitness model posing,
which is different from bikini model posing.
Hiring a posing coach can be extremely beneficial.
Practice posing in front of a mirror, and have a friend take pictures and video of you posing. Compare your posing to figure pros to make sure you’re technique and form is correct. Make adjustments as necessary and continue practicing. Your posing should become second nature. Fitness model and bikini model posing is a bit more flexible than figure posing. You want to hit the poses that flatter your physique the best.