Question:
I have posted some 3 week out pics. If anybody cares to look. I would love some of your expert opinions. I am not impressed at all with myself. I no I have to drop water and all I am just not very incouraged at this point.
The pics are located at shutterfly.com
login-mprice631@hotmail.com
password-seagrave

Choices:
Need honest opinions

 

i looked at ur pics and you're looking great! just work on your posing, pose pose pose and you should do fine.

Rippedsix, thanks I am definatly checking out ebay today. I cant afford a trainer or anybody to help me pose.

rippedsix, I checked on ebay for the vidio and came uo with nothing. Have yoyu seen it recently? Maybe I was doing something wqrong too-that's very possible

Mussy-
I think your posing has improved from the last pics. You should continue to pose, pose, pose b/c your posing with either help you or hurt you. Your body fat is still very low. Just continue with the plan and don't get discouraged. You've worked too hard to get discouraged now. Just remember that if you improve from your last show, you've won already! Good luck to you!

Hey Mussy - Don't lose faith, you look very good in your pics. Lighting is key to good pics. Outside pics almost always turn out better than inside pics, and direct sunlight is the best but you have to watch out for shadows. If you take more try outside and make sure that you are facing directly into the sun with the side of you that would be facing the judges on stage for a particular pose.

At any rate - I completely understand your doubts. I think that almost every competitor has those thoughts. I sure know that I do. One day I think that I'm on track and the next day I think that I look bad. Part of that comes from the changes in your appearance as you go through a day, and part of that can come from looking at pics like these where the lighting may not be flattering.

Stay focused and stay on track, you will do fine. The advice on posing is good advice. I'm surprised that one of the other board members from central or southern Ohio has not spoken up and offered to help you out with some practice posing, but you can do it on your own. Get the tape and or find a web site and print out pics of a good poser doing the mandatory poses. I think that the OCB web site has a section for posing tips with examples. Then practice hitting that pose in the mirror, but with your eyes closed. Then open them and compare your body placement to the good poser in the photo, make adjustments, try it again. Pretty soon you will be getting it just right each time. Oh - and also practice your smile - I bet that you have a great one and it needs to come out on stage. Remember this is an activity that you should be proud of and feel good about - let that pride and sense of accomplishment shine through - that's not vanity, it is just feeling good about attaining your personal goals. Hang in there!

Very well said VA. Mussy, here is the link to the OCB posing guide.
http://www.ocbbodybuilding.com/id259.htm

John, thanks for your advice. Being relativly new to this I am not sure what you mean?

I beleive that what John means is that most of us are not perfect, we all have certain weaknesses in our physiques, in our structure - thus "flaws". To a certain degree you can work to improve these areas through training. You can also "hide" or minimize some of these flaws through good posing.

Thanks for explaining that Maddog. Now all I have to do is get good at posing real fast with absolutly no $ for vidios, trainers etc.

Stay focused Mussy - $ can help get help, but much of what we do as BBer's and Fitness competitors we do ourselves. Check out that OCB link, print off some good posing sample pics and practice, practice, practice. It seems tedious, but it will really help you present yourself better and build your self-confidence. If nothing else post a series of pics with you doing all of the mandatory poses as well as you think you can and ask for feedback. Even using a BBing magazine photo spread or a BBing book from the library can give you the posing examples that you need to try to immitate. Pay close attention to foot and arm placement, where the elbows, shoulders, hands, etc are in each pose. You are not a terrible poser, so don't think that you are, but there is room for improvement and you have time to work on it. Near the end practicing posing becomes even more important than your workout(s) - that work has been done over the past year - now the work revolves around diet and presentation. Give it your best shot - that is all that you can ask of yourself - and try not to get all hyper or worried - have fun getting ready to present the results of all your hard work!

Thanks! I checked out the OCB website. The posing section will really help me. Now, would you all believe my printer just ran out of ink!
If I make it to this show wrearing a posing suit w a tan I think I will consider it a sucessful show. I cannot think of too many more things that could happen. Did I metion the fact I have an infected tooth and have to be put on antiobiotics and pain med so that I can chew? The infection has now spread to the entire right side of my jaw- Oh well just have to deal w/ this too.

Thanks John, I really do appreciate all the expert advice I am getting here. It really helps. My hubby did get our printer working enough to make copies of the poses.

Thanks ripped, I am going to check this out. I don't know what I would do right now w/out all of you guys helping me-thanks everyone!