How to Choose the Best Posing Suit or Bikini for Competition

 

Image by berzowska via Flickr

 

Choosing a posing suit or bikini for a bodybuilding or fitness competition is first and foremost a strategic decision that will influence how your physique is perceived by the judges and the audience.

When choosing a posing suit or bikini you must first know the rules of your organization. Some only allow black for the pre-judging, while others may allow any color. For the final round, the competitor has more options in color, but certain materials or decorations may not be allowed. The width of the bikini bottom is also subject to rules. In some organizations a tanga bottom is permitted, where as others require the bottoms to cover at least three-quarters (3/4) of the gluteus maximus.

Color is another important factor to consider. Light colors are easily stained by the stage suntan products. Neon colors definitely make you stand out, but the extreme brightness itself can be a drawback. For the male competitor, the color of the suit doesn’t have quite as significant of an impact, because visually you’re only dividing the body in half. However, a brightly colored bikini for a female competitor divides the body into three sections, which can be a disadvantage if your proportions are not perfect; for example, if you have a long torso with short legs.

I recommend choosing dark colors for a posing suit or bikini such as burgundy, dark blue, dark violet, dark brown, or black. As a judge and as a competitor, my personal favorite is a dark brown color that is as close to the shade of your contest suntan color as possible, because it blends better with the skin tone and doesn’t distract from your physique. The overall look of dark posing suits and bikinis is more seamless and flowing, where as the bright colors tend to break-up the body into distinct sections. The judge’s eyes will also involuntarily focus on the bright color. Even a small brightly colored or shiny hair accessory can momentarily distract the judge’s eyes away from your physique, and you don’t want that to happen!

Onstage, you want to be viewed as just a body, and not a shocking or glitzy bikini with arms and legs. A brown suit or bikini in nearly the same color as your stage skin tone makes it look almost as if you’re not wearing anything, allowing the judge’s eyes to effortlessly scan from head to toe and back up again without being interrupted by blocks of jarring color.

Ultimately, your goal is to choose a posing suit or bikini that compliments the best qualities of your physique and skin tone without distracting the judges from what is most important – the results of all your hard work sculpting that beautiful, strong fit physique!

Do you have any personal competition experiences related to this subject that you would like to share, or have any questions you would like to ask? Let me know by sending a comment.

In a future post, I will cover hairstyles and make-up on stage…Believe it or not, this is an important topic for the men, too!

Relaxed Pose: The Most Important Pose in Bodybuilding and Fitness Competition

As a bodybuilding competition judge, I am assessing the athlete’s physique, including the athlete’s entire presentation, from the moment the athlete walks onstage until the moment the athlete walks offstage.

The most important pose at a bodybuilding or fitness competition is the Relaxed Pose, because this is the pose you will maintain most often while onstage. You hold the Relaxed Pose in-between other poses and while other things are happening onstage, or as you are waiting for your turn.

The “Relaxed” Pose does NOT mean you should actually relax!

Always remember, even when the judges split the athletes into groups or put you in the back row, you should always hold the Relaxed Pose as good as you can and never relax. Assume all eyes are always on you, regardless of what else is going on, because the judges will still be watching you.

So, how do you learn and practice this pose? First, you need to get the rules from the federation you will be competing in and read them carefully. Then, find photos of athletes that have a similar physique to yours and you like the way they do the pose, so that you can try to copy how they do it. You may learn different variations of this pose, but be aware that some competitions may be very strict with the rules in regards to the Relaxed Pose position, while other competitions may not be so strict.

Next, you need a large full-length mirror with lighting that would be similar to that on stage. Many gyms have practice posing rooms or areas that you may use, usually free for members, but make sure you schedule time in advance.

You should also have someone help you practice this critical pose, either a friend who is an experienced competitor or a professional coach. The help of a good coach is invaluable. As a coach, I use my  experience of being both a judge and a successful competitor in perfecting your performance and developing your competition strategy, while preventing you from making common mistakes or learning bad habits. As always, hard work and dedication is key to achieving your goals.

Again, the “Relaxed” Pose is in no way relaxed! I cannot over-emphasize this point.

You always flex every muscle in the body when onstage. If you get the direction from the announcer to “relax” while holding this pose, it mostly likely means your arms are too far out like a Lat pose, so just lower your arms a little bit, but do NOT relax. Keep all your muscles hard, making sure your legs are flexed, and vacuum suck your abs up into the rib cage, so that the whole picture of you is the best presentation of your total physique.

As I said previously, when you are in the back row, you should continue to hold a strong Relaxed Pose. Don’t move around, but instead hold your pose and focus always on looking your best.

You may stand in the back row for ten, twenty minutes, or even more. Holding this pose this long isn’t easy, but besides looking good, it shows the judges you are in good condition, and also importantly, you show your respect for the other athletes, the judges, and the audience …and they appreciate that.

In conclusion, it’s the total package you present as an athlete onstage that will determine your final ranking in the competition, and the Relaxed Pose is the foundation of your presentation.

Posing Music: Key to a Successful Routine

Selecting the right posing music is key to choreographing a bodybuilding routine that successfully showcases your physique and entertains.

Start thinking about music for the posing round well in advance of the competition when you’re not under the stress of a strict diet and intense training. Pick a song or instrumental piece that appeals to you, as well as the audience and judges – you may love Gregorian Chants or Progressive Jazz, however the audience most likely will not.

The music should also inspire you to feel that you can naturally move and pose to it. I find it best to select two to three songs from my list, and then take them to the practice room where I try to do a series of poses for the duration of each piece. You soon find that one seems just right for your style of posing and your physique.

You can now begin choreographing the poses and the transitions to fit to the beat of the music. You will need someone to help you do this – to give you feedback, observe, correct, and improve your poses and transitions. If you have a friend who is an experienced competitor, ask them to help you during practice. However, if you are serious about competing and performing at your best, then you should consider hiring a professional coach. Along with hard work and dedication, a professional coach will give you the performance edge necessary for success.

Competition: Your Masterpiece On-Stage

Soon, the new bodybuilding and fitness competition season will begin here in Europe, so it’s especially critical now to stay focused on your preparations in these final weeks ahead.

Remember, too, that your on-stage presentation should be like the perfect frame for a masterpiece painting. The judges will be observing and critiquing you from the moment you step on stage until you walk off for the final time.

Besides your physique, posing, and overall presentation, the judges also notice your personality and sportsmanship. The smallest detail is important when you’re on stage and may make the difference in how well you rank, or even possibly, if you win a place on the podium or not.