This is directed to all the bodybuilding vets. The vacuum pose is one of my favorite poses to see, especially the overhead vacuum (just look at my avatar ). Anyways, I don't compete, but I frequently pose in the mirror and sometimes try to hit the overhead vacuum pose but can never really pull it off. This may be due to my current BF% which maybe doesn't allow the move to look as dramatic unless the BF% is very low, but it may be due to my technique of the move. I have read that you're supposed to blow out as much air as you can and use the vacuum created from your diaphragm to draw your abs into the sort of concave, sculpted position that your stomach is supposed to be in. But I find that when I blow out my air, it becomes more difficult to suck in my stomach. Rather, it's much easier to draw my abs in if I take a giant breath of air and expand my ribcage.

Anyways, if anyone has any tips on how to properly execute this move, I'd love to hear your techniques. Thanks everyone!