perspective on open handed posing

[wilson6]

Anyone that knows me knows that I absolutely hate open hand posing in women's bodybuilding. I was looking at the Gene X pics of the women's USA heavyweights and I'm trying to figure out what these chicks are trying to achieve, or not achieve with open handed bicep and other poses?

If you're a 5' 5", 170 lb., ripped female bodybuilder, how is an open handed pose suppose to soften your image or somehow make you look more feminine? On top of looking ridiculous....

1) It ruins the pose by pulling your eyes away from the lines of the physique and toward the open hand.

2) If flattens/presses the forearm against the bicep and hides the shape of the bicep.

3) It doesn't allow for a full peak of the bicep because of the position of the forearm and wrist.

and..

4) often times flattens the lats because the elbows are back and down rather than slightly forward and up.

There are a few of the shots where the women really compromised their physiques by posing that way. Very frustrating to see this.

I can see this in fitness and figure, but not bodybuilding.

W6

 

[MS]

In my neck of the woods you'll get called up on it by the judges. That's to say that if you try an open-hand pose and you're in a physique class, the head judge will tell you to make a fist, and if you're in figure and make a fist, the head judge will tell you in no uncertain terms that you must have an open hand. So I guess the judges agree with you Wilson6 (and so do I, but that's no surprise). However the free posing (by definintion) is up to the individual to bring out the best in their physique so an open hand may be just fine in certain free-poses.

 

[NY Muscle]

They do that crap all the time, especially rear bicep pose....they think they are being graceful or something lol NOT

 

[w84me]

ooops ... check out my avatar ... please don't slam
I did the open hand pose for this one pic by a photographer -
but during prejudging I use a closed fist to get the most bang for the buck ... I agree, I can't find the same peak when squeezing open handed

 

[wilson6]

examples

For those that would like examples, check out genex9.com. You have to jump through some hoops to get to the contest photos, but he does some nice work and there are great pics of the USA posted.

In the heavyweight section:

Dianne Solomon and Heather Policky are good examples. See pics 14/88 and 16/88 for Solomon and 44/88 and 45/88 for Policky.

Solomon has considerable mass and solid arms, but is thick waisted, so she poses opened handed, forearms extended taking the emphasis off her arms and making them look smaller, reduces the lat width and doesn't suck her gut in. What sense does this make? The pose just looks half-ass.

Policky's legs are still out of proportion to her upper body, yet she poses the same way, open handed making the symmetry issue worse.

Don't these girls have anyone else critique their routines or work with them to pull the best out of their physiques? Shit, if you're going to build that amount of mass, you might as well display it in the most impressive manner. Doesn't make any sense to me.

Another good comparison side by side is pic 11/88 with Annie Riveiccio closed handed compared to another BB opened handed. The difference is obvious.

W6

 

[Sassy69]

I've had diff trainers tell me different things - the open hand is more feminine, etc. HOWEVER, my most recent trainer is female and also trains the girls who consistently come in in the top 3 of all the big shows. She advocates closed fist. Works for me. It seems that the "femininity" can come from the music & presentation of the posing routine. During the prejudge you want the best flex u can get.

 

[wilson6]

That's my second problem. A chick with a slightly smaller verison of a Dorian Yates physique trying to look cute dancing around on stage. I prefer a Flex Wheeler posing routine in a female with a solid muscular physique vs a routine where she dances around the stage trying to look cute (why does looking stupid seem to go hand in hand with looking cute and feminine?) and never hits a pose long enough to show off her hard earned muscle or symmetry.

Bodybuilding is bodybuilding, and that's why we have fitness and figure. I think Bill Dobbins commented on this some time ago as well.

W6

 

[fitbitch]

Not a big fan of the open hand thing...i agree that should be left for fitness and figure...bodybuilding is what it is...trying to jazz it up or whatever does not fit nor look right.

 

[NY Muscle]

A chick with a slightly smaller verison of a Dorian Yates physique trying to look cute dancing around on stage.
W6

lol i love it....great way to put it!

w84me - you know when i look at your avatar, all i focus on is your hands, its wierd...w6 is right, it does draw attention away from the intended muscle group(s) you are posing.

 

[w84me]

damn.... and you can't see my manicure!!!

I totally agree ... I'll look for a new avatar.