This round, also known as the “symmetry round”, is
where you will make your first impression on the judges. Many people spend
countless hours practicing the compulsory poses and far less time on the
“relaxed” poses. Big mistake! There is nothing “relaxed” about this round,
if you fail to prepare for it than you are likely in for a rude awakening.
You have to come out hard and confident, with the endurance to hold these
poses for an extended period of time. Expect to sweat, and expect to be sore
afterward.
The judges will use this time to evaluate the
symmetry of your physique, critiquing the size, definition and proportion of
the various muscle groups in relation to each other as well as the overall
physique. Your physique should be balanced with no one muscle group
overpowering another. Therefore, when training for a bodybuilding
competition, do not neglect any lagging body parts as this will come back to
haunt you on competition day.
You will likely be in the back pumping room when the
head judge calls your group on stage. Listen for the call and do not be
late. Athletes who rush out unprepared or late will likely have their scores
lowered. Don’t let this happen to you! Walk out on time, confident, head up,
and flexed. Your group will be spread evenly across the stage at which time
you should immediately assume the “front standing relaxed” position. Though
the front standing relaxed pose is not one of the “compulsory” poses, it is
the pose that you will return to after every pose in the compulsory round,
so be sure to practice holding this pose for extended periods of time. Avoid
direct or prolonged eye contact with the judges. You will be evaluated by
multiple judges who will not all be viewing you at the same time, therefore
it is important that you DO NOT RELAX!. The moment that you drop your guard
may be the moment that a judge is looking at you.
After the initial evaluation, the
head judge will call for a quarter turn to the right, followed by two
additional quarter turns. This will allow the judges to evaluate your
physique from the front, left, back and right sides. In the fourth quarter
turn, you will return to the front standing relaxed position.
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