Both side poses, the side chest pose and the side triceps pose, should be performed with your best side. Your best side may be different on each pose, but this will make you look well-balanced to the judges. Nevertheless, many top Olypian athletes perform both poses with the same side.

In learning these poses, it's easiest to start with legs. There are three basic leg positions used, so you can choose which variation makes you look best with a side chest or side triceps pose.

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The Side Chest Pose.

The Side Chest Pose

Option 1:

Out of the three, the method employed more often than not requires your back leg (away from the judges) to be held relatively straight with a few degrees bent at the most, while your front foot is spread 4-6 inches toward the judges away from your back foot.

With toes planted, the heel of the front foot is lifted the front leg makes roughly a 30 degree angle. Now you should flex the muscles in both legs, especially on the outside of your front leg.


Click Image To Enlarge.
This Method Is Employed
More Often Than Not.

Your legs can look quite impressive in this stance if you press the back side of your leg above the knee against your back leg. This will enhance the mass of your front hamstrings.

Option 2:

The next option for your legs appears as if you'd been frozen halfway through a forward step. Your back leg is slightly bent at 20 degrees and extended just in front of the torso.

Your front leg is extended away from the judges leaving approximately 24-30 inches between your feet. Now flex all of the leg muscles as hard as possible.

Option 3:

The final leg stance that is used requires that you switch your leg positions, so that your back leg is to the rear and your front leg is planted forward.

An option in this stance is to lift your front heel twisting your gastrocnemius slightly towards the judges so that your ripped calves can be readily seen when flexed, while the rest of your leg muscles are firmly tensed as well.

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The Third Side Chest Pose Will
Show Off Your Leg Development Nicely.

Upper Body:

No matter which leg stance you choose, the upper body portion of this pose will be the same. The only difference would be which side of the upper body is used. For the left side, simple reverse these instructions.

Let about half of the air out of your lungs and throw out your chest. Bend your right arm 90 degree with your palm facing up making a loose, natural fist.

Keeping your right arm pressed against your intercostals, ribs, and side (especially your upper arm) will give that arm an even more massive appearance.


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Keeping Your Arm Pressed Against Your Side
Will Give That Arm A More Massive Appearance.

Meanwhile, your left arm should extend across your abdomen grasping the wrist of your right arm with your palm facing down and pushing against your body. Now just flex everything impressively in this position.

You can tweak this pose in many ways to make your body look better. You can manipulate the angle of your arms, chest and shoulder muscles by variating the way in which your biceps, triceps, deltoids, and pecs pull.


Click Image To Enlarge.
You Can Tweak This Pose In Many Ways
To Make Your Body Look Better.

Flexing and striating your left pectoral, pressing your left arm down while pulling upward with your right arm will achieve an amazing amount of definition to your right brachialis and biceps muscles. You can also hold the palm of your right arm down to hide weaker forearm developement.

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