5 days out

[Georgie]

Sorry it took me so long to get new pics up. I'm 5 days out from my 1st contest. Started at 225 and am now down to 186. I'm hoping after I drop water i may make middleweight at 176. I'm still not happy with how things went. And I'm having a really hard timing learning proper posing... but f-it I'm gonna get up on stage and just do it anyways. I worked hard, i may look like an idiot that does not know how to pose, but hey its my first time. Here is the original thread from 3 weeks out. It was kinda old so I statred a new one.

A few pics of me while cutting

[pavlenko]

lookin very good for 1st time competing...good luck man and keep working hard

[jbarkley]

Sheeeiiiit Georgie, You look really good, I think you're right about the water, dropping some will not only get you into middleweights but will bring out your seperation, you'll come in looking awesome. The only bodypart that I can see that has any weakness is the lats. Your arms, chest, quads all real solid! Best of luck on your show...Livestrong!

[Georgie]

Sheeeiiiit Georgie, You look really good, I think you're right about the water, dropping some will not only get you into middleweights but will bring out your seperation, you'll come in looking awesome. The only bodypart that I can see that has any weakness is the lats. Your arms, chest, quads all real solid! Best of luck on your show...Livestrong!

Thanks for the compliments guys. I actually do have pretty good lats, I just can't figure out for the life of me how to pose them. If anyone has any suggestions to help me out with that I would apprecaite it. Thanks

[jbarkley]

Georgie, your pulling the traps up while your hitting your lat spread, instead roll them back and down while you spread your lats....this is real typical when your first learning to pose lats. Let me know if this works, it's easier to show this in person than explaining in writing. Just remember to keep your upper back pushed down....

[Georgie]

Georgie, your pulling the traps up while your hitting your lat spread, instead roll them back and down while you spread your lats....this is real typical when your first learning to pose lats. Let me know if this works, it's easier to show this in person than explaining in writing. Just remember to keep your upper back pushed down....

Thank you. I will get working on that. I do understand what you are saying. Much appreciated.

[DNoMac]

Have you spoke with Nark, Carlos, or I b dm about contest prep? They could prob give you great tips, especially with dropping the water. Look good, you'll learn A LOT your first time. Good luck!

[EcToMoRpHiAn]

Looking good bro, although the posing may not be that great, you have come this far, no sense in backing out. Getting up on stage takes balls, I wish you good luck and hope you learned a lot about your body during the prep.

[Georgie]

Ok guys, I have been working on my back poses. I know the lat spread is still not that great, but am I getting there? Are any of the poses better than the others and can you tell me why and offer any suggestions. Thanks!

[Georgie]

Have you spoke with Nark, Carlos, or I b dm about contest prep? They could prob give you great tips, especially with dropping the water. Look good, you'll learn A LOT your first time. Good luck!

No I have not actually. I think i'm set with what I need to do with my water though. Maybe if they see this they will chime in. Thanks for the good wishes.

[*Narkissos*]

^^Didn't your trainer start you posing 1 hr per day 3 weeks ago?

3 weeks out pictures, may not make it....

Honestly i've been confused while reading your threads.

3 weeks back you seemed to be appealing for help.. but in the same thread you said you didn't need any assistance because you've recruited a very accomplished trainer.

Your posts still infer that you are unsure of what you're supposed to be doing.

No flame.. just an observation.

I'll take a stab at your posing tho.. gimme a minute.

[*Narkissos*]

First critique... poor pic selection.

Your judges won't be judging pieces of you.. rather they'll be judging the whole package.

Thus, for you to get assistance in presenting the whole package.. you need to post full-range pics.

Critique 2: At first glance.. your front and rear biceps poses are almost identical.

This is erroneous.

On the rear double biceps, the wrists, elbow and shoulders are all supposed to be alligned. This allows full contraction of the mid-back musculature.

In the front double biceps... the elbows and wrist are to be slightly in front. This allows a full flaring of the lats...and the projection of a more aesthetic taper.

On the rear double biceps, the upper arm is approximately parallel to th floor. Too high a placement detracts from the taper.

On the front double biceps the upper arms are above parallel slightly.

On both poses..the wrists are turned in towards the head..to reduce the space between wrists/upper-arm/head... giving an illusion of greater size.

On the rear bicep pose however, the wrists are additionally rotated rear-wards to facilate contraction of the rear delt and related musculature.

In both your poses your hands are just 'up there'... more or less perpendicular to the floor.. There's too much space between your wrists and head... It makes your bis look small..when they're obviously far from.

Create a 45º flexion..instead of the appr. 90º flexion you're currently sporting.

-Nark

[*Narkissos*]

On to your lat poses.

You're having such a hard time firstly because your natural standing posture is horrible.

This is apparent as you assume positions which are 'natural' for you during posing.

re: slouched shoulders, collapsed/relaxed chest cavity etc.

My first piece of advice would be to stand up straight.

This goes for ALL your poses... even the ab & thigh.

The ab & thigh especially is more visually spectacular when you lift the torso..contract the spinal erectors to maintain torso stability...and then contract the abdominals.. as opposed to the 'leaning over' nonsense i see perpetuated at contests.

"But why aren't my abs showing?" so many ask.

Anyway..back to you.

Lift your rib-cage and chest in every pose.. even rear poses.

A lat spread is basically standing upright.. and flaring your lats..

The hands, which are so fussed over, are irrelevant.

They're just ornaments.

So the first thing you need to do is make contact with your lats.

Stand up right in a mirror.. Lift your rib-cage and chest...then spread your scapulae.

Your lats will flare.. Your arms will be out to the side.

Now.. place your wrists at your natural waistline.. This is approximately inline with your navel.

Check the shot in the mirror.. Your knuckles should be just under your now lifted ribcage.

Bingo.. you have a lat spread.

Don't fall into traps like leaning foward.. rounding your back.. or pulling down on your traps.

Neither should you crunch down on your abs..this only makes you look blocky and less aesthetic.

When you lift your ribcage for this pose.. you should pull your abs up and into your abdominal cavity.

This applies to the pose from the front.

To the rear.. you push out your abs instead.

This helps your to contract your spinal erectors without leaning back.

-Nark

[*Narkissos*]

They're a number of other things which can be addressed.. but 5 days out doesn't leave much time.

Your condition isn't bad by the way... A little soft, but when you shed water you should be competitive.

All i can say at this point is pose, pose, pose.

Good luck.

-Nark

[Reelmuscle]

Nark, you are the man!!!

[shrpskn]

Wow Nark...sounds like he has some work to do...

I'd probably be spending alot of time in the mirror the next few days working on them poses...

I'm a recreational bodybuilder, but if I decide to go competitive, you're definitley a guy I'd want to get some good advice from...that's fo sho.

Great critique job in this thread.

[Georgie]

Hey what happened to all the threads? Like half the comments disappeared? Some by me and I did not erase them?

[*Narkissos*]

^^I think the server overloaded or something

[*Narkissos*]

bump!

[IBdmfkr]

Goodluck bro and start dieting a bit further out next time, From the pics I'd say you're 3-5wks out not 5days but you should learn a lot from this first contest. You've already dropped 45lbs from the start of your diet? You had of lost quite a bit of muscle if that's the case.

Agreed on what Nark mentioned above with posing as well.

[*Narkissos*]

bump!

How'd it go bro?

[Georgie]

bump!

How'd it go bro?

Hey guys. I thought it went pretty well. I did not place in the top five, but I think I did a good job for my first time. I'm happy with how it went and have no regrets. I'll come back better next year now that I see what it is all about and have learned so much about the process. Water didn't exactly come off like I thought it would. Weighed in at 180 so I was pretty much at the bottom of the 198 class. I'll post pictures as soon as I get them. I bought the pictures from the photographer that was there taking them and he is sending them on dvd. Said it should be here in about 2 weeks. So anyways, all in all it was a good learning experience. Nark, once again thanks for helping me with my posing. And I sent you a PM.

[*Narkissos*]

^^I don't see a PM... but congrats all the same buddy!

[Georgie]

^^I don't see a PM... but congrats all the same buddy!

Just sent should be there now.

[MFT81]

Hey thats pretty cool, It really sucks that you had to learn how to pose at the last minute, I read what nark posted and I hope I will be able to learn from him when I compete.

Congrats dude, get us those pics.

[Georgie]

Hey thats pretty cool, It really sucks that you had to learn how to pose at the last minute, I read what nark posted and I hope I will be able to learn from him when I compete.

Congrats dude, get us those pics.

Thanks man. As soon as the dvd comes in the mail I will post them up. He said it should be no more than two weeks. Thanks for all the encouragement/help guys. It means a lot and is very appreciated. I'm excited for next year. Thanks again for all the kind words from everyone. This was a great learning experience.

[Georgie]

^^I don't see a PM... but congrats all the same buddy!

Nark, I think the PM went through ok. Let me know if you still do not get it and I will resend the information. Please get back to me through pm whenever you have some free time to spare and let me know your opinions. Thank you.

[Dangerdan]

Gratz on the first comp Georgie.

[vicious cycle]

I think you did fantastic. You have every right to be proud of yourself!

[jbarkley]

Good job Georgie!!! Great start

[Georgie]

Good job Georgie!!! Great start

Thanks guys! Like I said pics should be coming in the mail soon.