Not judging others is a great rule to follow for everyday life…but it would probably make bodybuilding shows (as well as figure, fitness, bikini, women’s physique, and of course…men’s physique) contests pretty boring, confusing, and…well…pointless!
As a competitor, you WILL be judged – that’s the whole idea. That’s what most of us are there for anyway – to see how we fare against our peers. Ideally, the best person on that day wins the trophy and goes home happy but with an awful bellyache after eating that celebratory gallon of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream.
I’ve been a NPC judge for several years now, and sitting on the other side of the table has really given me a different perspective on some previously unappreciated (to me at least) aspects of physique presentation.
Now we all know that your physique is the primary determinant of your placing, but I’m here to tell you that many other smaller details can really have a dramatic impact on your placing as well. Let’s jump right in to what I think are the top 3 crucial areas to maximizing your placing that are often overlooked by competitors:
1. Confidence: Someone who walks, stands, and poses with confidence (NOT ARROGANCE…this is a detriment) has more appeal to the judges. In one word, to appear confident…SMILE!!!!! Show those pearly whites! Unless you have no teeth, in which case a nice grin will have to suffice, lol.
As a competitor, when you present yourself with confidence, you just look more prepared and polished – like you KNOW you’ve done all the work and feel great about the way you look. Conversely, if you appear timid or lack confidence, it shows. If confidence doesn’t come naturally to you, I think the best thing to is practice getting in front of people as often as you can to become comfortable and relaxed. Show what yo mamma gave you! 🙂
2. Posing: Here I’m referring to your fluidity of movement and aesthetics. Do you hit poses and transitions awkwardly or smoothly? Is everything positioned correctly and in a way that highlights your physique to its greatest potential? When you move, do you resemble a beautiful swan or a bull in a china shop?
Some people are naturally more graceful than others, but this is an issue that is easily resolved by practice. Get in front of a mirror as much as possible; videotape yourself; get advice and feedback from others. Also, get ideas and learn as much as you can by looking at pictures or watching videos of other successful competitors.
3. Color, oil, and skin tone: I REALLY under-appreciated this aspect of physique presentation until I was a judge. These factors are important for both men and women, but even more so for the latter. If your color is too light, has a green tint, or is blotchy, it’s a big detraction from your physique. Try and experiment with tanning products ahead of time to avoid nasty last minute surprises on contest day.
Skin health and tone plays a big role in how well a tanning product works. Make sure you follow the recommendations of the product and exfoliate substantially prior to product application. Also, if you’re prone to acne, get that taken care of before the show or figure out a way to cover it up (same thing with large, overwhelming tattoos).
Lastly is oil – unfortunately, I see mistakes in the application of oil all the time, and they can be easily avoided. Remember – you want a SHEEN, not a SHINE. You don’t want to reflect light onstage or look like you just got out of a frying pan, so err on the side of less oil rather than more. Also, if you tend to sweat a lot (it’s hot under those lights and posing is tiring), go with even less, because the sweat will amplify the appearance of oil. It goes without saying, but make sure oil is evenly applied (no oil on the face). I commonly see people that have blotchy oil application – especially on the back of the legs.
4. SHAVE EVERYTHING! YES everything. I can’t tell you how many patches of hair I’ve seen on the back of competitors’ legs. Get someone to take a good look at you to make sure all hair is gone. This also goes for females – even if you have blonde “peach fuzz” on your back – it’s gotta go – it shows up under the bright lights onstage and detracts from your definition and look.
Well that’s my top 4 suggestions for all you competitors out there. I hope this has been beneficial, and now NONE of you have any excuses if I ever judge a show that any of you compete in! 🙂
Tags: Bodybuilding contest / competition / Jan tana / Jason Wojo / Onstage / Physique presentation / Posing / Protan / Skin care / Tanning product