Fitness Journal #8 - How to be a Spotter

Any serious gym user (when I say serious I mean someone who really wants to progress in his lifts and build muscle and goes regularly, 3x a week or more)  will know the importance of a spotter.

For the unfamiliar, a spotter is a person who watches over you when you are lifting a weight, and helps to support/assist you when you need help. For example, when doing a bench press, the spotter stands behind you with his hands below the bar as you lift, and if you're struggling he will assist you.



The biggest reason why you kinda need a spotter is when you are lifting something heavy and you're trying to go all out - you don't want to be caught under that weight with no way to get it off if you fail to lift it.

The feeling is actually quite terrifying. You feel stuck, trapped, and helpless because you have used up every bit of energy in your arms to try to lift the weight. Of course, there's a way to get out of it (roll of shame), so it's not like a GG you're-screwed scenario.



So anyway, a problem I've been having with spotters is not a lack of it, no - I've never ever been rejected when I approach a random dude nearby to help me spot for a set - the problem is they don't really know what to do.

For me, what I want my spotter to do is NOT to assist me in lifting the weight. That would defeat the purpose of me lifting that weight, I might as well lift a lighter weight on my own. What I want my spotter to do is to help me balance the weight (if I'm not balanced), and only assist me when I start struggling. And this typically only occurs after 2-3 reps (I do 5 reps each set) on my 3rd or 4th set and up.

The problem is a majority of my spotters (like 4 out of 5) actually assist me in lifting the weight from the very first rep, such that instead of lifting, say, 50kg for 5 reps, I feel like I'm lifting only 45 for 5 reps, due to their assistance. Quite a few times I actually stopped at the 2nd or 3rd rep and tell them 'please help less!!!' (and it's quite momentum-breaking to stop mid-set and have to talk)

To sum up what I want my spotter to do for me:

• Safely unrack the barbell (not really necessary, I don't have a problem with this yet though some do try to help with this)


• Help gradually lower the bar (instead of a sharp drop, I find gradually lowering the bar is safer and better)


• Keep his hands below the bar at all times in case I need assistance, but DON'T assist at ALL until I start struggling.


• When I start struggling, 'touch' the bar up abit but don't really push it up yet. Just touch it in an upwards motion slightly to help me continue moving up


• If I am really stuck (not pushing up after 1 second of struggling), assist by lifting slightly but very gradually. Let me struggle through and push the weight up completely.


• Motivate me. 'Come on, push, push, one more!' etc really helps. (I know, sounds like labour)