Muscle Ventures Video Analysis

The Ab and Thigh Pose is the last in the bodybuilding exercise analsysi series (Quicktime, 1MB; Google Video streaming flash).  Some may say that it is the most aesthetically pleasing of the poses because it shows off the abs so well. 

As you can see in the video I enter the pose by setting my feet.  I begin by placing my left foot forward and only setting the ball of my foot on the floor.  I imagine that I am trying to push my left foot through the floor.  This downward push completely flexes the quad.  My right leg remains slighty bent and contracted the entire pose.   As I finish setting my feet I begin to enter the rest of the pose. 

I bring both arms away from my sides and sweep them over my head.  I then clasp my hands behind my head  and begin to exhale completely.  Exhaling all air allows a full contraction of the abs.  By crunching down slightly (as in performing an abdominal crunch on the floor)  I can further contract the abs and enhance the look of the pose.  Be sure to not crunch down too far as this will hide the abdominal development.  Also remember to contract the lats and biceps because they are visible in this pose as well. 

This pose shows full quad and ab development in addition to calves and lats. 

Additional Links

As I show in this exercise analysis (Quicktime ipod compatible, 1 MB; Google streaming flash video), the rear lat spread is very similar to the front lat spread in terms of body position and entry into the pose.  The ability to really show off lat development is what makes this pose superior to the front lat pose. 

As you can see from the video my entry into the pose is about the same for both the front and rear lat spread.  I set my feet and circle my arms above my head.  As I bring my arms down and behind me I try to make my back look as narrow as possible.  To achieve this I draw my shoulder blades together and imagine that my elbows will touch when my arms are behind me.   Making the back look narrow initially will create a very dramatic effect once I pull the elbows wide and flex the lats.  After I pull my shoulder blades and elbows together I hook my thumbs into my waistline and I hit the pose.   I  concentrate on flexing the lats  hard and  really pulling  the elbows  forward.  

This pose not only shows off the lats but also the calves, hamstrings, glutes, rear delts and triceps. 

Additional Links

• For more information on the rear lat spread read this 
• For general posing fundamentals check this out

In this video analysis (Quicktime, 1 MB; Googl Video, no download but some quality issues), I illustrate the side triceps pose, my favorite  of the seven mandatory poses.  This pose, as with the others, shows off so much and is fun to do! 

As you can see from the video I begin to enter this pose by first setting my feet.  As I turn my left side toward the judges I keep my left leg bent and my right leg (back leg) straight.  By placing only the ball of my left foot on the floor I am able to keep my heel off the floor.  This allows me to flex my calf completely and also shows the hamstring. 

I can now begin the upper body portion of the pose by sweping my left arm in a circular motion.  I begin by moving my arm forward, then overhead and finally behind me so my arm is behind my torso.  I grasp my left wrist with my right hand and pull down into the pose.  To increase the contraction of the tricep I push my left arm back while holding it into place with my right arm.  This maintains the isometric contraction of the triceps and also shows the striations of the shoulder.   The final step in the pose is to exhale thoroughly.  This will draw the abs in and show the definition of the obliques.

As explained above, this pose highlights not only the triceps but also the chest, shoulder abs, hamstrings and calf.   When executed properly it can be a striking pose.

Additional Links

• For additional information read this article on the side triceps pose.
• General posing advice (and awe-inspiring photos of  Arnold Schwarzenegger) can be found here.