Kevin Levrone describes his unusual tactic for “feeling the mood” just moments before competing on stage.
Kevin Levrone is known for being one of the best bodybuilders of the 90s and perhaps even of all time. Beyond his impressive physique, part of his fame came from his stellar posing routines. Bodybuilders traditionally practice their posing routine for weeks on end. But Levrone would completely improvise his posing. He didn’t even pick his music until just minutes before stepping on stage.
That tactic might seem reckless. But Kevin Levrone put extreme importance on “feeling the mood” of the audience and the venue location. Syncing in to that mood would help him elevate his posing routine. It’s likely part of what made him so legendary to this day. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Kevin Levrone goes into detail about his last minute posing routines and his tactics for connecting with the audience.
During our video conversation with Kevin Levrone, we touched briefly on the topic of alcohol and bodybuilding. Can a bodybuilder drink alcohol and be successful on a pro level? This question quickly spiraled into an interesting discussion about Levrone’s posing routines and his tactics on the night of a competition.
Kevin Levrone admits that he never prepared his posing routines in advance. In fact, he would bring multiple tapes of music and not submit them until just moments before he stepped on stage. The reason? He wanted to “feel the mood” of the audience and the venue location.
Check out our latest GI Exclusive with Kevin Levrone above!
This is where the alcohol comes in. By no means did Kevin Levrone drink alcohol as part of his regular bodybuilding diet. But on the night of a show, he would make himself a Jack and Coke backstage. Levrone states that this was simply to help loosen him up. This, in turn, would help him feel out the vibe being emitted from the audience.
Kevin Levrone believes that every single competition venue has a different atmosphere and feeling. Vegas is different than New York. New York is different than a competition in Europe. Each night is different due to the energy of the audience. Levrone wanted to tap into that energy so he could be fully in-sync with the judges and the crowd.
So Kevin Levrone would make himself a Jack and Coke, relax, and feel the vibe. He would bring multiple tapes of music and then decide his song last minute based on that vibe. This would often get him in trouble and even fined for submitting his music so late. But to Levrone, this was a small price to pay to elevate his routine to the next level.
This tactic is quite different than the usual messaging you receive from pro bodybuilders. Posing is certainly important. It can create an illusion through angles and flexing that makes your physique look even more impressive that it really is. This vital when being judged.
Due to this, many pro bodybuilders stress the importance of consistent training and practicing of posing routines before a show. While Kevin Levrone most likely still practiced his mandatory poses – his improvised posing routines seemed to give him an edge. Living in the moment helped showcases his physique more than prepping in advance and getting too stuck in his head.
Of course, that’s simply what worked for Levrone. It’s part of what makes him a rare and legendary athlete in the sport. It’s not a tactic that might work for everyone. It might not even work for most.
You can watch Kevin Levrone go into full detail about his competition tactics in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!