Front double biceps with open hands
Hold 10sAlso called: front double bi, open hands
- Open the hands with the fingers pointing up — this division calls the pose with open hands, and a closed fist is the wrong pose.
- Take both arms to shoulder height and bend at the elbow, keeping the wrists soft rather than cocked.
- Place one leg out to the side rather than forward, which is the stance the rule book describes.
- Hold the shoulders down and the chest lifted so the line stays athletic rather than blocky.
- Draw the waist in on the exhale and keep the whole pose still for the full count.
Common mistakes
- Closing the fists, which is a different pose from the one called
- Placing the leg forward instead of out to the side
- Cocking the wrists back so the hands stop looking open
- Letting the shoulders creep up toward the ears
Side chest with both arms extended
Hold 10sAlso called: extended side chest
- Keep both arms straight and locked at the elbow, held slightly in front of the body — this is the extended version, not a bent-arm side chest.
- Bring the palms together or one over the other, thumbs and fingers closed, and hold them steady.
- Straighten the leg nearest the judges, lock the knee and rest it forward on the toes.
- Bend the far leg slightly with the foot flat, which sets the hip angle the pose is built on.
- Press down through the front toes to hold the calf while the chest and triceps contract.
Common mistakes
- Bending the elbows, which turns it back into a standard side chest
- Letting the hands drift apart instead of together or stacked
- Leaving the near knee unlocked, so the front leg reads soft
- Putting the far foot on its toe rather than flat
Back double biceps with open hands
Hold 10sAlso called: rear double bi, open hands
- Turn away from the judges and open the hands with the fingers up, matching the front pose rather than clenching.
- Raise the arms to shoulder height and contract, keeping the elbows level with each other.
- Draw the shoulder blades down first, then together, so the upper back opens without the traps taking over.
- Set one foot back on the toe and hold the weight forward to keep that hamstring long.
- Keep the head level and still, and hold the whole shape rather than adjusting mid-count.
Common mistakes
- Clenching the hands out of habit from another division
- Letting one elbow sit higher than the other
- Pulling the blades together without first taking them down
- Shifting the weight back onto the rear foot
Side triceps with one leg extended
Hold 10sAlso called: extended side triceps
- Extend the leg nearest the judges and lock the knee — the extended leg is what distinguishes this from a standard side triceps.
- Take the far hand behind the back to grip the near wrist, then push the near arm straight against it.
- Rotate the near elbow slightly back so the triceps faces the panel rather than the floor.
- Lift the sternum and pull the near shoulder back so the arm reads long against the torso.
- Hold the waist drawn in and the hips angled away for the whole hold.
Common mistakes
- Keeping the near knee bent, which is the wrong version of the pose
- Letting the near elbow rotate forward so the triceps faces the floor
- Rolling the near shoulder in and flattening the arm against the ribs
- Squaring the hips and widening the waist in profile