How To: Bikini Posing for a Bikini Competition Routine
1) Your Walk
The way you walk on stage sets the tone for the rest of your bikini competition routine. This is your opportunity to show the judges your personality and let them get to know the person behind the swimsuit. Your walk should communicate who you are, as well as the confidence you feel in the package you brought to the stage.
None of that can be communicated if you don’t feel comfortable in your shoes. Bikini competitors are judged in a two-piece suit and heels, often in the 4-5 inch range. You absolutely should be practicing your posing in your competition shoes so that you can exude the confidence the judges are looking for.
2) Your Bikini Posing Selections
You want to have your walk down before even considering which poses will be the best for your bikini competition routine. Judges in the bikini division are looking for a few key elements:
- A foundation of muscularity
- Conditioning that communicates a nice, overall shape, including full, rounded glutes and slightly rounded delts
- Overall symmetry
- A lack of separation and striations in the muscles and muscle groups
- An aesthetically pleasing presentation
These requirements should be taken into account in both your training regimen leading up to the competition and in the selection of poses that you will perform.
In addition to working with a posing coach who has experience in the bikini competition arena, you will want to take photos and videos of your bikini posing options from the perspective of the judges, approximately five feet below you. This can help you determine which poses help create the appearance of a small waist and feminine shape while diminishing the appearance of any weaknesses that your physique may have. Your poses should accentuate your strengths while playing into the requirements of your division. Practicing your bikini competition routine in various settings with different lighting can help you ensure that you’re bringing your best package to the stage.
3) Your Transitions
The bikini division does not permit side judging, so your routine will only include a front pose, back pose, and a sign-off. While this division features half turns instead of quarter turns, you can still use the transitions to your advantage to show off the recommended definition between your glutes and hamstrings, delts, triceps, and biceps, or in your core. You have ten seconds on stage to showcase your strengths through your bikini posing, so you want to take advantage of every second you have on stage.
4) Your Accessories
The overall presentation of your package is key to performing a winning bikini competition routine. From your suit to your hair and makeup to your jewelry, you want to ensure that everything you are wearing adds to the value of your package, instead of taking away from it. A couple of common errors we see in bikini competition include:
- Choosing the wrong suit color
- Wearing too much jewelry
- Not testing your tan color
- Not wearing makeup that is suited for stage lights
- An unsuited hairstyle that distracts from the body
All of these factors have one thing in common - they distract from your final package, instead of enhancing it. While these are not necessarily offensive actions, they can be the difference between you getting first callouts and the athlete next to you getting them.
A Winning Bikini Competition Routine Has…
One thing you’ll notice about the NPC’s most decorated athletes is that their bikini competition routines stay true to who the athlete is as an individual. You see attitude, personality, and finesse, in addition to a properly conditioned physique.
If you’re looking for a bikini posing coach to help you prepare for your next bikini competition, contact Whole Intent today and schedule a consultation.