CRAIG PRODUCTIONS LLC

My husband Dan, and I just finished a good back workout this afternoon. We do an exercise (I call it "pullovers") using the cable stack and a wide bar. You stand in front of the stack, grip the wide bar as wide as you can, thumbs over the top of the bar. Your stance is chest out, back arched, feet together. You bring the bar down to shoulder level, then press/pull the bar towards your legs, engaging your upper lats during the movement. This is a great finishing exercise for a back workout. Dan and I always "spot" each other by keeping our fingertips on the lat area...to make sure we are using the correct muscles during the movement.

One thing Dan noticed on me today, was how "wide" my lats looked and were during the movement of this exercise. When we were done, he had me mimic the exercise and then pull myself into repose. After doing this a couple of times, he had me go over to the mirror - so I could see the "width" that he was talking about it. What a difference I saw! We decided we were going to incorporate this a bit into my posing practice when I'm getting ready for my national shows this year. It also got us to thinking and talking about how using good form while training could translate into good form while posing. Obviously we have to have a "mind/muscle" connection when posing, and if you think about it...if you have GREAT form in the gym while doing your training, you should be well prepared to have good form while posing.

Give this some thought the next time you're in the gym training. If you're checking your form in the mirror...make sure you are using good, strict form while lifting. I always tell my clients that it is "quality not quantity" when getting your training done. If you nail down the quality (i.e. good, strict form), the quantity (managing heavier weights) will come along. When posing...think about how you practice. Do you rely on the mirror to tell you that you're doing it right? Where is the mirror going to be when you're up onstage? I don't use a mirror, and we don't let our clients use a mirror when they're working with us. My mind and Dan are my mirrors when I practice. When our clients come to us for a posing session...we expect them to think the same way and use their minds first, then us as their mirrors. Ultimately the fans at the show will be your mirror...once you've captured in your mind how your posing should look. Make the connection!

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