Training Tip
Spotting
(Most of this post is going to be a rant on my part. I've been on the receiving end of two terrible spots in the same amount of days at the gym- this is some friendly advice so you don't make the same mistakes
).
So sooner or later if you are going to the gym on a regular basis, someone will enevitably ask you for a "spot".
What is a "spot"?
A person working out is about to do a set with a large amount of weight on an exercise that could be potentially dangerous (such as barbell bench presses- you could get trapped under the bar if you don't have enough strength to press the weight back up and return it to the rack). Getting caught under the bar can at best be embarrassing, and at worst put you in the hospital.
So they ask for a spot- they want you to stand behind them and assist them to push the weight up once they have run out of strength.
When they are unable to do another rep- you assist them to continue doing a couple of more repetitions, and then help them return the bar onto the rack. Done properly this can allow someone to do some "extra" repetitions that they normally would not have been able to do on their own.
Here are some tips and spotting etiquette:
If you have never given a spot before
TELL THE PERSON THAT IS ASKING FOR ONE THIS! It is up to them to decide if they want to continue. An incorrect spot can injure someone just as much as no spot at all. That being said- it is quite rude to refuse to give someone a spot no matter what your experience level is.
KEEP YOUR FULL ATTENTION ON THE PERSON YOU ARE GIVING A SPOT TO! Don't be looking around staring at the girl on the Stairmaster. The person could need your help at any given second- don't let them down!
Actually giving a spot-- Let's take the bench press as an example:
A person starts doing bench presses and on the say the 5th repetition has run out of strength (usually the bar goes up a few inches, then starts going back down toward their chest).
Most people appreciate a spot done like this- put your fingers under the bar and
slowly help them continue to push the bar upward. Help them push the bar up at roughly the same speed that they were pushing the bar up on their own. When they are done help them put the bar back on the weight rack.
Couple of
don'ts:
When someone needs your help during the set...
DO NOT PULL THE BAR UP WITH ALL YOUR MIGHT AND RACK THE WEIGHT THE MOMENT YOU SEE SOMEONE NEEDING ASSISTANCE!
I refer to this as the "OH SH!T!" response. Just because they cannot do another rep does not mean they have totally run out of strength- they can use your assistance to still do an extra couple of repetitions.
Also do not help so much that they can keep doing repetitions forever and decide to rack the weight because they feel you are doing all the work for them.
(Today I had a guy give me a spot- he was helping so much it felt like there was no weight on the bar).
DO NOT JUST STAND THERE WHILE THE PERSON STRUGGLES WITH EVERYTHING THEY'VE GOT TO PRESS THE BAR UP!
OR don't give them such a little amount of help that they waste everything they have left on that one repetition.
(The other day I asked some guy for a spot who I knew afterward had never given a spot before in his life. He just stood there and I actually had to say "HELP" when I was stuck for a good 5 or 10 seconds- which is an eternity when your under a tremendous amount of weight.)
Basically if you help them to continue to push the weight at the same speed they were doing it on their own- it should be just enough help to allow them to do 2 or 3 more reps (which is all most people want).
Now some etiquette on asking for a spot:
Ask politely. Do not ask while someone is in the middle of their set or spotting someone else at the moment.
DO NOT PUT SO MUCH WEIGHT ON THE BAR THAT YOU CANNOT DO AT LEAST ONE REPETITION ON YOUR OWN! If you need someone to do the work for you- you are simply not strong enough to do that amount of weight. Don't fool yourself. You could not only injure yourself-
you could potentially injure the person giving you a spot. No one wants to break their back lifting a weight that is too heavy for the person doing the exercise.
(A while back I gave a guy a spot who had put 225lbs on an incline press. He was barely able to do the first rep on his own- it was about a half a rep. After four reps I was getting tired. He went on to try and do two more reps. The last rep was me doing a deadlift with 225lbs. I barely had enough strength to rack the weight for this idiot. I didn't say anything afterward even though I should have taken his head off. One day he is going to seriously hurt himself, but I will feel sorry for the poor sucker who is spotting him that day as he is likely to get hurt as well.)
Know you limits and tell the person giving you a spot how many reps you think you are capable of doing. For instance tell them
"I should be able to do 3 or 4 reps and then I'll need some help for a couple more".
Spotting takes some finesse that will come with time and experience. Follow my tips and you will be able to spot like pro!