"Standing
Relaxed?" Or
Major League Contortions?
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According to IFBB rules, bodybuilders in round one are supposed to assume a “standing relaxed” pose. This involves standing as if “at attention,” arms by the sides, facing straight ahead, with the body tensed but not full flexed. The competitors then make a series of 90 degree turns to show the judges their physiques from the front, back and other sides.
The
idea of this pose is that it lets the judges get a good look at the structure,
shape, symmetry, proportion and overall conformation of the physiques on
stage.
However, over time competitors have developed the habit of distorting this round one pose almost beyond recognition. They twist from the waist. They straighten one arm and flex the triceps as hard as possible. Many flex so hard that round one for them becomes an exhausting ordeal. This is especially evident in pro contests. The pros have been told not to pose this way in round one, but they largely ignore these instructions. The result is that the judges are not given the view of the physiques on stage this round is designed to present to them.
The remedy? Simple. The head judge should give clear guidelines to the competitors. “When you stand on stage facing the judges, looking straight ahead and with your arms at your side, that’s the pose---then hit that same pose each time you are asked to do a quarter turn. Hit that pose from each side and when you are turned facing the back of the stage. Just turn the direction of the pose, don’t change it.”
But what if they competitors refuse to follow these instructions? Again, not a difficult problem. They get a warning and then, if they don’t comply, they are asked to leave the stage. Period. End of discussion. Given the prestige that can be garnered winning an amateur contest, and the money to to be won in the pro events, you might expect to see bodybuilders beginning to pose correctly in round one pretty quickly.
As it is, the “standing relaxed” pose has become a joke.
.