the judges should be slightly bent , with the heel high off the floor and the ball of the foot firmly on the ground . The rear leg should be straight so that you ’ re standing at your full height , not in a semisquat position .
As with all the poses , the stomach should be sucked in tight . This is particularly important in the side poses . The rib cage should be lifted up as high as possible . The chest sits directly on top of the ribs , so the higher you lift your rib cage , the bigger the chest will appear .
Your arms should be held close to your body , preferably tucked in under the rib cage , with the shoulder closest to the judges pulled back to open up the chest area . The rear shoulder
From left to right : Derek Lunsford , Jose Raymond , Flex Lewis , and Ahmad Ashkanani . needs to be shifted forward so that the shoulders and upper back are as square as possible to the judges , while your waist and midsection are kept side on — and as narrow as possible — to the judges .
The hand of the arm farthest from the judges should be placed either atop the wrist or hand of the arm closer to the judges , with the front arm ’ s hand palm up . You can now apply pressure with the top hand , which can assist with the flexion of the muscles in the forward biceps and deltoids . Obviously , also make sure both pecs are flexed as much as possible .
There is a lot to think about when performing any pose . This is why it ’ s so vital to spend many hours practicing and perfecting your posing before hitting the stage on competition day .
I ’ m a fitness competitor who is more gymnastics oriented , without much of a strength background . How much strength do I need to showcase to do well in fitness ? Are there certain moves I need to master to be successful ?
The fitness routine , which makes up 66 % of an athlete ’ s score , is based on strength , flexibility , and a cardiovascular component , so strength is very important . That said , there are four mandatory poses that need to be included : pushups ( either one or two arms ), high kicks , the straddle hold , and the side split .
However , at the national level , you want to have more strength moves than what ’ s required , including combination strength moves — that ’ s at least two or three strength moves together , such as a handstand coming down to a straddle hold .
Of course , it ’ s a lot of work to learn those moves , but that ’ s what will separate you from other competitors and help you nail all the components that go into a top score .
PER BERNAL
Strength , agility , flexibility , and creativity are all on display in the routines of IFBB Pro League fitness competitors .
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