Posing Tips

By Janea Munoz

There are so many different ways and techniques when it comes to posing and overall stage presence, no matter which class in a fitness competition you compete in. I have been doing fitness competitions for the last four years and I have changed my routine last minute on stage every time — not on purpose by any means, but you just never know how prejudging and finals will go or how big your class will be. With that, you want to keep the judge’s eyes on you as much as possible.

Practice Makes Perfect

It starts with getting comfortable with the angles of your body. Like the saying goes: “Practice makes perfect!” That being said, any chance you get to practice, take advantage of that. I personally have the ability to practice with my coach and teammates for an hour each week. I also practice in the shower, while I wash my hands, while I walk down my hallways, while I am getting ready to take a picture and at other “silly” times. Make sure to hit all the angles, transitions and quarter turns — and hold poses to build up your conditioning. Come stage time you will be so grateful that you practiced as much as you did because you won’t have to think twice when you need to switch poses or change directions in your transitions.

Get Comfortable With Your Footwear

If the class you compete in requires wearing heels, I recommend getting very, very comfortable in those bad boys. I also recommend purchasing competition heels with a platform that is flat and not curved. This will help you ladies out when you are in your back pose, and really help you have a solid stance to hit that pose like a boss lady.

Focus on a Mind-muscle Connection Also, when practicing, it is very easy to get comfortable using the mirror. On stage, there are no mirrors. To help with that, I like to hit my pose in the mirror and remember how it feels, come out of my pose and close my eyes. I then go back into my pose until I feel it and then open my eyes to see how it looks in the mirror, and adjust if needed. That mind-muscle connection we make during our workouts is the same mind muscle-connection you want to make in your posing. One really big thing to practice is the “walk to the back curtain.” Making sure you’re light on your feet and don’t drop your booty. Turn yourself around and then practice the “walk back up to the judges.”

Record Your Routine

Another thing that is great to do is record your posing routine when you’re practicing and have someone record you when you’re on stage too. I like to call this “game film,” and I always reference back to it for changes and critiques. It may seem awkward when you're practicing, but when you go back and actually watch it, it will help you so much!

Be Visible

Lastly, on stage, make sure your number is visible of course. Bring all the sass, focus on the judges, make eye contact and keep their attention. If you find yourself in your call-outs and they are holding you in your front pose and you feel like you’re losing them, throw a little hair flick or come out of your pose and hit another. This will redirect their attention to you. Posing may seem like the easiest to most, but it is one of the hardest things to master. Someone can come in with the most perfectly-peaked physique, but if that person can’t pose correctly — it won’t make any difference. So practice, practice, practice.

I am always here for advice if needed. I love helping out however I can.