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Power of Presentation: What Is the Importance of Posing in Competitive Bodybuilding

Published 03/22/2024, 6:45 AM EDT

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The one thing that is an ultimate step in any bodybuilding journey, be it competitive or amateur, is posing, either in front of judges or mirrors. Almost all the efforts that a bodybuilder puts into training and restrictive lifestyle, can only be justified if they can ensure that they do their best while posing.

Even during a neck-to-neck situation in a bodybuilding competition, the better poser might have more chances to triumph over the participant who, despite having the muscular definition, fails at showcasing it. Hence the necessity to learn the right way to pose, especially for competitions, is extremely important.

Posing as an art form

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Much like other artists who portray their skills of sculpting or crafting, bodybuilders too can exhibit their physique at its utmost heights only through practicing their posing to perfection, which can elevate their figure even further.

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Moreover, bodybuilding has always been considered as a race of physical aesthetics. One can accentuate their physique and stand out among others only when they master how to pose and improve on the little things to bring about a significantly stark enhancement compared to other contestants.

Posing also has other benefits for bodybuilders if they practice it well enough and correctly.

The benefits of Posing right

Since the stage of bodybuilding does not let its participants persuade the judges and audience through any other medium of communication except for the visual display of their physique, posing often takes the role of prime importance. It is often noted that posing can help with muscle awareness as well as help build a stronger muscle-mind connection. According to Muscle and Strength, “Posing can dramatically improve muscle awareness, especially in hard to develop areas such as hamstrings or parts of your back. Very often athletes have lagging muscle groups, simply because they do not contract them properly during the workout. Posing betters the mind muscle connection which then leads to better workouts overall.”

READ MORE: Jay Cutler Admits How Arnold Schwarzenegger Motivated Him to Take Up Bodybuilding: “That Was When I Actually Made the Commitment”

Furthermore, posing also helps in redefining the definition of one’s physique, as well as giving identity and a sense of individuality to the contestant. It is also believed that posing can help in muscle maturity, which lets bodybuilders achieve a fuller look. It is noticed that “The increased contractions help to fast forward your development, making your appearance more sculpted and defined.”

READ MORE: “I Still Have Weakness and Atrophy”: After an Injury Ended His Career, 60-YO Veteran Bodybuilder Reveals the Horrors of Living With It Despite Surgery

In the history of bodybuilding, it was proven in several instances that better posing can secure winning spots for participants. The IFBB Pro bodybuilder, Rich Gaspari, had confessed something similar with an example from his career.

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Good posing helped Gaspari win

Rich Gaspari, the 60-year-old former IFBB Pro bodybuilder had revealed in a conversation how he was able to stand head-to-head with extremely gigantic bodybuilding freaks, and when he was asked whether posing helps in winning or not, Gaspari had said, “I think if they are close into one guy better, say have better genetic shape, but the other guy can pose better and present better, Yes.”

As someone who competed on the same stage as Robby Robbinson and Bob Paris, Rich Gaspari revealed how he could hide his flaws better and win against those who possibly had a better physique than him. Thus emphasizing the need to improve one’s posing, Gaspari set an example of how to increase one’s chances of winning a bodybuilding competition.

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Although posing is so crucial, some people often take it for granted and train to get bigger and bulkier. However, having a chiseled look has a larger impact on the judges, especially if the participant is skilled enough to hide the flaws better and focus on their strong points through posing. To achieve that state, bodybuilders need a consistent dedication toward posing practice, which most fitness influencers emphasize.

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Written by:

Pritha Halder

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Pritha Halder is a bodybuilding writer at EssentiallySports. Specializing in covering the off-court life of bodybuilders and fitness enthusiasts, she can often be seen scrounging Kali Muscle’s Instagram feed to find the new fruitarian diet the fitness influencer is on. Having completed her Bachelor's in English Language and Literature from a multidisciplinary university, Pritha started her career as a writer for a literary magazine, before delving into the world of fitness.
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