The rule book caps this round at 20 seconds.
Front stance
Hold 10sAlso called: front position, front pose
- Stand naturally with one foot slightly ahead, avoiding anything that reads as a held bodybuilding pose.
- Keep the shoulders open and the arms relaxed at your sides or lightly at the waist.
- Lengthen through the spine and let the stomach stay flat without visibly bracing it.
- Keep the muscles quiet — a tensed line-up stance is marked down in this division rather than rewarded.
- Meet the judges with an easy expression and hold it; the look being scored is a marketable one.
Common mistakes
- Holding a stage pose, which is marked down in a division judged on a natural look
- Visibly bracing the midsection
- Locking the arms tight to the body
- Wearing an expression that never changes from the moment of arrival
Back stance
Hold 10sAlso called: back position, back pose
- Turn away with the feet close and the weight distributed evenly through both legs.
- Let the shoulders sit naturally rather than spreading the back, keeping the outline soft.
- Hold a light arch through the lower back without pushing the hips back.
- Keep the arms clear of the torso so the waist stays visible on both sides.
- Look over the shoulder toward the panel with the head unhurried and the chin level.
Common mistakes
- Spreading the back, which pushes the look toward another division
- Pushing the hips back to exaggerate the arch
- Setting the feet wide enough that the hips tilt
- Snapping the head round rather than turning it easily
Model walk
Hold 10sAlso called: the walk
- Open from the front pose with a controlled 180-degree turn and settle the back pose before walking.
- Carry the walk at a natural runway pace, arms swinging lightly rather than held still.
- Stop at the rear mark, hold the pose, and let the judges see it before turning again.
- Return on the second 180-degree turn and finish facing front on the centreline.
- Rehearse in the heels and the two-piece you will wear, so nothing about the walk is new on the day.
Common mistakes
- Leaving the front pose before the turn is complete
- Holding the arms rigid, which makes the walk look staged
- Skipping the hold at the rear mark
- Practising in different shoes from the ones being competed in