By: Sarah Vance
So, you are somewhere in your prep for your bikini or figure competition.
– You got your body composition done with Julie.
– You had your first Team Fitbody meeting
– Beverly International supplements are on their way
– You have an idea of the shows you want to do
– And you looking at suit designs on Sewn in the Sun…
The only thing left to do is stay on your clean diet and blast through some intense workouts, right? No.
There is one more crucial element to making your whole package stand out. POSING. Yes my friends, getting into your four to five inch clear heels and doing figure eights and lat spreads is a very important to your overall success on stage.
The more you practice and the more comfortable you are in your heels and during your posing routine will reflect on stage. I challenge all of you to at least two separate 15 min posing sessions a week in your heels. Start out by posing in the mirror. Which side looks best? Which back pose is stronger? Most people have one side that is stronger, or a pose that looks the best. How can you twist your waist to give the illusion that it is smaller? Practicing in front of friends or family, or even video taping yourself is beneficial. Seeing things in the mirror versus watching yourself in a video can open your eyes to a lot of things. For instance, are you posing to fast? Are you not arched hard enough, or are you bent over too much? Do you need to flare your left lat more? These are all very important to presenting all the hard work you did for the past twelve weeks.
Once you get confident and comfortable with the basic movements then add in some attitude. Start posing as if you were already on stage. This way it becomes natural and flows. I remember the first Mock Competition I went to from Julie she said that you will want to know how to do your posing in your sleep. Once you add in nerves, adrenaline, and some fatigue you will not want to worry about which way to quarter turn. It should just occur. You are going to be on stage with many other physiques, and you need to DEMAND attention. Even when you are not up to do you’re posing in front of the judges don’t forget to maintain your smile and tightness. They are always looking at you. Also work on walking. You are probably thinking, I walk in heels all the time its not big deal. Yes, but you need to make sure you are still demanding the attention of the judges. Make sure your walk is confident and strong. Show off all the hard work you put in, be proud of your body. Hold your chest up high and spread your lats wide. Demand people to look at you, and do it all with a smile.
How many of you accept my challenge? Practice at least 15 min twice a week in your heels, and preferably in your suit. Start in front of the mirror, then progress to doing it without the mirror. Be just as sassy and tight as you would as if you were on stage. I promise you that it will only benefit you in the long run. Also come to Julie’s Mock competition where you are on a stage, under lights, and acting like you are at a show. If you don’t have the opportunity to do this you can always watch her posing video. She has one for figure and bikini.
Happy quarter turns! =)
