How many bodybuilding poses are there

The head judge will tally up the scores from all the judges on the panel, usually the highest score and the lowest score for each athlete is removed to remove bias and standardize. An example of a bodybuilding score card might look something like this:. Pose 3. Quarter turn to face the rear of the stage, showing the back of the body.

There are 8 mandatory poses each contestant must show in a bodybuilding competition. Some competitions only use 7 excluding the most muscular , there are of course other poses, but these are the ones you must do. The sequence might also differ slightly between competitions, but this is generally the order you can expect to see them in. The front double biceps along with the most muscular is probably the most well-known bodybuilding pose.

The pose shows off your arms, the front lat width to create the V taper, quadriceps size and definition, and front calf musculature.

The lat spread is all about the V taper and displaying your lat width from the front, chest thickness, shoulder width, front arm and forearm size, quadriceps mass and separation, and calf development. The side chest is a classic bodybuilding pose, legend has it Arnold Schwarzenegger could balance a pint of milk on his upper pecs while performing the side chest.

Consider the calves, hamstrings, quads, glutes, midsection arms and chest in this shot. Be sure to show your strongest side, top to bottom or the side that your most comfortable with. If you have tattoos that might mean choosing the side of the body without them. When you hit this shot remember to rotate your hips to make your waist look as small as possible.

Pose 4 of 8 — Rear Double Biceps showing hamstrings and calf. The rear double biceps is all about detail and width, this pose shows off the arms, the thickness of the back, and conditioning in the upper and lower body.

This pose also shows off the thickness and definition of your back muscles, including your trapezius, infraspinatus, teres major, latissimus dorsi, and erector spinae. Furthermore, the rear double biceps convey glute and hamstrings development and separation, along with rear calf size. In this shot you spread your wings! The rear lat spread is about back width and just as importantly thickness. This shot also shows the size of your arms from the rear, glute development and definition, hamstrings size and separation, and rear calf musculature.

Like the side chest, the side triceps pose displays the side of the body and should be considered in the same light. No matter which side you choose to hit your pose, you should rotate your body a little toward one side and then the other to allow all the judges to get a good view of your side triceps pose.

It also displays shoulder and chest size, side forearm development, thigh separation, and calf development, all again from the side. The abdominal and thigh is a pose that conveys the development and definition of your abs, external intercostals, serratus anterior, and quadriceps muscles.

It also shows off your chest thickness, front arm and forearm size, lat width from the front, and calf size once again from the front. The abs and thighs is an aesthetic shot and not everyone is going to look great in this pose, particularly if you have a thick midsection, as a result competitors often do several variations of this pose. The old school vacuum is one such variation of this where competitors place both hands over their head and such in their mid-section to create a hollowed out abdominal region.

In the other version of this pose, competitors place both or only one hand over their head and then flex their abs from each side, or only a single side, respectively, to better show off their oblique and intercostal musculature and definition.

Vacuum the abs in and crunch down on the frontal rib cage, abdominal wall, intercostals, serratus anterior, and obliques while exhaling. As the name suggests, the most muscular pose should display maximum amounts of muscle to overwhelm the judges.

All frontal muscles will be displayed as the competitor crunches each hand together, while contracting the chest, biceps and shoulders.

Thighs and calves should also be flexed. There are many variations on this standard most muscular: stand with palms on hips and push down, place one palm on hips and the other in front of the body or place both hands behind the back and pull arms forward. The free-posing round includes a posing display designed by the competitor to music of their choice.

The idea with free-posing is to choose music and emphasize poses that will complement ones physique and natural stage presence. If one is known for overall massive muscle development, "power poses" like the most muscular might be emphasized.

Music could range from the loud thrashing strains of ACDC to upbeat techno. Smaller competitors, who perhaps are blessed with greater symmetry, could use softer music; classical or easy listening for example.

A free-posing routine should include all of the compulsories, or variations of, and incorporate many optional poses such as the intercostal twitch crunch, hamstring flex or the javelin-thrower one of Arnold's favorites. Also, it is important to try to develop something unique that will capture the judges' eye.

Many bodybuilders are known by certain signature poses: Samir Bannout with his arms and hands outstretched springs to mind. With free-posing it is also wise to perfect the transitions between each pose as a deficiency in this area will give the appearance of a sloppy routine. Transitions are essentially all movements between any given pose and will need to be factored into the pre-judging compulsories also.

Analyse the posing routines of Shawn Ray or Lee Labrada for examples of perfect transitions. Posing between sets can have a profound effect on muscle hardness and detail. In fact, entire workouts can be based around the concept of ISO-tension, where the muscle is tensed and held for a count of ten.

Flexing works in much the same way, but for bodybuilding purposes the emphasis should be pose perfecting and muscle chiselling as a pre-contest strategy. Posing in the gym also helps to one pre-asses their physique to observe any weak points, which can be addressed before stepping on stage. The great Arnold said it best:. I always believed in flexing and posing whatever body parts I was training during any workout in the gym.

If I trained arms, I would stop between sets and do some arm shots, studying myself in the mirror. Training legs or anything else, I would always take time to pose. Posing this way is not vanity. It has two specific advantages. On the one hand, this constant flexing in its self is a good form of training, helping to make the muscles hard and well defined. On the other, it constantly shows you exactly how much development you have achieved or failed to achieve.

As great as your physique may appear at rest, it will primarily be judged as seen in poses. Therefore, what it looks like when you pose is the ultimate measure of your success. That is why I always assessed my physique by seeing what I looked like posing. Did I need more cuts in the upper back? Was I getting the right tie-in between pecks and delts? There is no way to tell without examining the body in each of these important poses, and that's why I felt I could never pose enough".

To present oneself onstage in the best possible light, it is not only important to have a well conditioned physique. One must also present this physique to the best of their ability.

Perfecting the various mandatory poses as well as the optional ones will highlight hard-won musculature and add an element of class to anyone's contest showing. Posing in the gym will also enhance ones competitive chances. In addition to improving the ability to perform each pose, between sets posing will help to harden and chisel the muscles.

Weak-point observation can also be done by posing constantly. Remember, the best physique in the show may fail to win if posing is substandard. As an active martial artist, bodybuilder and accredited personal trainer, David employs the latest cutting edge research to enhance his own progress.

Quarter Turns The quarter turns are the first series of poses a competitor will be asked to complete. Flex your arms at approximately 90 degrees and bend your wrists all the way, if you have smaller biceps. Lengthen your torso and draw your belly button in to emphasize a broad shoulder base and lat spread.

Crunch with this pose if your abs are well developed. Stand with your feet close together, one foot in front of the other. Position the inside of your back foot toward the heel of your leading foot.

Bend your elbows at 90 degrees with palms down and anchor your thumbs behind your waist on top of your hips, fists clenched. Spread your lats by pulling your shoulder blades away from your spine while pushing your fists against your sides, keeping your shoulders down. Put your best side to the judges, feet 4 to 6 inches apart. Straighten your back leg and plant your front toes. Lift your front heel and bend your front leg approximately 30 degrees. Release half the air from your lungs and expand your chest.

Bend your front arm 90 degrees with your palm facing up in a loose fist. Reach your back arm across your abdomen to grasp the opposite wrist with the back palm facing down. Push the arm against your body, and your front upper arm firmly against your ribs. This pose shows pectoral development. With your back to the judges put one foot a half step back. Straighten your back and lift your chest. Extend both arms straight up and slowly flex your arms while pointing your elbows to the sides.

Lower your elbows just below your ears. Pull your arms toward the judges, wrists closer to the judges than elbows. Flex your back muscles, calves and hamstrings. Tense your abs to show off your lower back. Turn your back to the judges with feet approximately shoulder-width apart.