Bodychisel by Craig.

Today, I thought I would touch on some posing advice with probably the most underrated, yet important poses of them all…”Face Front”.

It took me years to try and master this pose which is often referred to “standing relaxed”.

And standing relaxed couldn’t be any further from the truth!!

The judges are literally assessing you in this pose more than any other and will be even judging you in this position when you are stood back in the lineup whilst they judge those that have been called forward for closer inspection.

It is very much an individual pose to create according to your own physique, but there are some general guidelines I thought I would discuss.

1. When walking onto the stage always keep your head up, make eye contact with the audience, smile, keep your chest up and hold your waist tight.

2. Once at your designated stage spot now start from the ground up. Feet sound be placed at 45 degrees (“duck feet”) with heels about 10-15cm apart so that the top of your adductors are just touching.

3. Now push the weight to the outside edges of your feet whilst simultaneously bending your knees just slightly. Try to visualise the ‘splitting of your quads’ with that outer sweep flaring out and around the vastus intermedius.

4. Next flex down on your abdominal wall whilst shrugging your shoulders up, out to the sides and down onto your flared lats. Tuck your thumbs into your fingers, keep the back of your hands in a straight line with your forearms (ie; NO LIMP WRISTS!!!) and punch your fists down towards the ground, NOT towards the audience. You are not riding a motorbike folks!! This in turn will enhance your V-shape, whereas the latter will make you look narrow and straight up & down.

5. At this stage the focus on your breath is critical. Try to imagine air being pumped into your rib box whilst simultaneously being sucked out of your stomach. The best way I have found to achieve this to slowly breath in through your nose and fairly promptly out through your mouth. Many nervous breaths in and out of your only the mouth will result in your rib box collapsing and hence a smaller looking upper torso and bigger stomach/waist. Also, this process of deliberate breaths in through your nose and out of the mouth is akin to how meditation works, so if done properly it can help ease your nerves and/or anxiety.

6. Whether to flex the lower pecs is now an individual dilemma. I have found that keeping the pecs relaxed gave them a fuller & rounder appearance. Guys with very overdeveloped lower pecs may wish to flex them so as to create a harder more defined & balanced look when compared to their upper chest.

7. Once in position it is now important to occasionally refresh or reboot your upper torso. To do this simply repeat my earlier key thoughts of shrugging the shoulders up around and down onto your flared lats whilst simultaneously concentrating on your breath in through the nose and out of your mouth. Remember to keep flexing down on your abdominal wall. This does take some time to master, but with practice you’ll get the idea. And don’t forget, no limp wrists, whilst punching your fists down towards the ground!!

8. Don’t forget about your lower body key thoughts either (ie; points 2 & 3).

9. I will occasionally do a ‘sneaky’ palms together most muscular so as to attract the judges attention and maintain my pump in the pecs and delts. I will quickly then return back to ‘face front’.

10. The whole time you are in this position remember to smile, never look down and try to make as much eye contact with the audience and judges as you can. If these people see that you are relaxed, confident and enjoying yourself then mark my words, they will be drawn to looking at YOU like the proverbial moth to a flame!!!

In closing, I will reiterate that this pose needs customising to suit your physique. But I think you will find that some of these tips should assist you in creating your own awesome version of “Face Front”!!

PS: Don’t forget my Posing ebook is now for sale for only $20. Send me an email or message via the contact link on my website to arrange payment and download.