Hi, I've followed BB'ing for a long while, although I'm new to the training aspect of the sport myself. As an actor/director, I'm stunned by the dismissive attitude some BB'ers have for putting energy into developing a unique posing (not the posedown)routine, because it's "not judged". I think that it's such a HUGE opportunity to connect/win fans, express yourself as an athlete/artist that seems be overlooked. Thoughts?

if you do judge something like this you make a subjective sport even more subjective, and that's a tough one right there. The less you can make something iffy the better in my opinion.

This is the time for you to really show your friends and family what you have accomplished and just enjoy the night show, but at the same time if you are up there for an overall then have to be ready to pose all over again.

I agree, the criteria for posing is specific for the mandatories, and the routine is left wide open. I'm all for the variety ion style...you know for example a more classic poser like Mohamed Makkaway has something very different to offer than a Kai Greene, and although as fan I have a preference for one style over the other, the thing they both share is some thought and rehearsal was devoted to these routines. This matters to the fans, and in the age of social media, forums like these, and YouTube- fans expect to see more than what sometimes is 2 minutes of large people (men & women) being awkward to loud, irrelevant music, usually with the BB'er in question intermittently lip-syncing the lyrics.

I agree with Cytrainer,,,, while the individual posing routine is not co critical as the manipulators,, it gives you a chance to connect with the audience, show your artistic side and accentuate your positives.

If you haven't already attended a show, I highly recommend that you do so to have a better understanding of what is required (both the morning and the evening show). I would also recommend a good posing video or someone to coach you who has experience in this area.

Agreed. On a personal level I will need input/help with my manditories, however the observation I was making is from my POV not only as a BB fan- but as a theater director, actor/artist and audition coach. So to clarify, the question I'm putting put there is more about the "theatrics" of bodybuilding...the use of the space, knowledge of where your "light" is, choosing a piece of music that lends itself to your personality...there are so many choices one could make I'm simply wondering what the community of BB'ers think about the posing segment and it's relevance to them as competitors and/or fans. Thanks.

Personally,,, I like a posing routine that motivates, entertains and inspires. Just hitting poses lacks creativity. Evolve, come out of the ground,,, grow into a tree,, tell a story and let the music set the stage.

Be funny,, be serious,, but be creative. You may not always win the judges but you will be sure to win the crowd.

My 2 cents

Agreed! Very well said. This is worth MORE than 2 cents, Lift4Life. This is worth... <---- whatever this is, here. What IS this, anyhow?

Hello! This is certainly an interesting question you "pose". From your POV, I completely see where you are coming from. But from the "poser" side of things is I guess where I can comment from. As a fan, when I'm watching a show, I really appreciate and enjoy an athlete who puts together a nice routine. You can tell the guys who are wingin' it from the ones who actually put some thought into it. Believe me, a really bad routine stands out as much as an really good one. From a judges perspective, routines don't matter. This is just a time for the athlete to be on stage by themselves, showing off their physiques and personality. If you end up in an overall battle, the routine may help show your physique in a way mandatories can't - especially if your routine is clean and has good flow, judges may remember that more. You can tell a lot about their personalities based on their routines. Some are terrified just to be on stage, let alone movin' around and flexing, so just to get through their routine is enough. Others thoroughly enjoy the stage and the attention and make the most of it. I guess my point is, I agree we could make our routines more enjoyable, but to put too much energy into a 60-90 second routine might not make sense to some. Make sense?
That's just my 2 cents anyway. Thanks for posting.

Well said! I agree too much time invested-and on the other side of the spectrum the athletes who put NO energy into it whatsoever- is pointless. But for the nervous athlete/ the athlete new to the stage/ the athlete who WANTS to use the posing as a medium of expression but may not know how..investing some time is sensible, and as you pointed out, evident to the fans who do appreciate it! Thanks for the response! (Oh...and nice pun BTW)