Posing practice
Rehearsing competition poses as its own session in the weeks before a show
Competitors rehearse the mandatory poses the way a lifter rehearses a lift, mirror or camera in front of them. Sessions run from five minutes after training to half an hour of holding, breathing and switching between shots. Angles that hide a weak point have to be found. Holding a hard squeeze under stage lights without shaking has to be trained. And a pose that looked full last week but flat this week says something useful about glycogen and water.
People on record
Sorted by strength of stance
Does it: documented as part of their own routine. Recommends: explicitly advises other people to do it. Discusses: covered it substantively without clear personal adoption; this can include criticism or disagreement.
- Sam SulekDoes it
Bodybuilder and YouTuber · Spring Bulk gym vlogs
Posedowns went in straight after lat pulldowns in the weeks before his pro debut. He used them to read his own condition as much as to rehearse, saying he felt flat and low on glycogen at that point in the prep.
Source: Fitness Volt: Sam Sulek Builds a Huge Back With Intense Workout 5.5 Weeks from the 2026 Arnold Classic
Aimed at the same thing
Other entries filed under fitness.
- Protocol$$$Cheap: Roughly under $50, or under $15/month.
Resistance training
Lifting weights 2-4 times a week to build and hold muscle
On record from 43 of 62 tracked people: 37 do it, 4 recommend it, 2 have discussed it - Protocol$$$Cheap: Roughly under $50, or under $15/month.
Protein-forward eating
Roughly 1g of protein per pound of target bodyweight, spread across meals
On record from 21 of 62 tracked people: 15 do it, 5 recommend it, 1 has discussed it - ProtocolFREE, no cost
Zone 2 cardio
Easy aerobic work you can hold a conversation through, 3+ hours a week
On record from 12 of 62 tracked people: 5 do it, 5 recommend it, 2 have discussed it - Protocol$$$Cheap: Roughly under $50, or under $15/month.
Cycling
Steady riding, outdoors or on a stationary bike, as daily low-intensity cardio
On record from 9 of 62 tracked people: 9 do it - ProtocolFREE, no cost
Stability and mobility work
Daily joint, foot and breathing work to keep strength usable
On record from 8 of 62 tracked people: 7 do it, 1 has discussed it - Protocol$$$Cheap: Roughly under $50, or under $15/month.
Yoga
Regular yoga practice for flexibility, strength and a calmer nervous system
On record from 8 of 62 tracked people: 8 do it
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