Hey everyone, I am trying to be a good bench press spotter. Is there a proper way to help spot? Any tips?
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Proper spotting
- Thread starter EarWax
- Start date
well i HATE when people pull up the bar too soon so wait till the weight/bar is starting to drop back down a lil to help... and only give the MINIMAL help needed so that theyre doing the work and not you..... also if youre spotting for bench tuck ur shirt in the front cuz one time someone was spotting me and i was lookin up and their nipples were lookin back at me so i started to laugh and dropped the weight on my chest 
Thanks Trizzle, yeah I have this workout partner that's always yelling at me for not doing this and that. I feel bad cause I never was trained at spotting. In fact, I get angry but I take it out on the weights.
Yeah, I give too much help I suppose and I need to watch more carefully. I've been wandering my eyes around at the hotties... doh. I better suck it up!
Yeah, I give too much help I suppose and I need to watch more carefully. I've been wandering my eyes around at the hotties... doh. I better suck it up!
thats a major bad, those women can be a big destraction.
when I give a spot I don't even touch the bar until the person under it looks like he needs a little bit of help, then I pull just enough for him to complete each rep.
Yeah I noticed on the bar touching most people prefer your method. I used to touch the bar all the time, but I guess that plays with the psyche, so I don't do that anymore.
One bad thing I do is try to help lift one side that is lacking... you know try to make the bar level... I can't help it, it looks funny... but I found out quickly that's a not the way, my ears almost fell out from my partner's yelling after that.... ouch...
One bad thing I do is try to help lift one side that is lacking... you know try to make the bar level... I can't help it, it looks funny... but I found out quickly that's a not the way, my ears almost fell out from my partner's yelling after that.... ouch...
I really hate it when a kid will ask me for a spot and there is more weight on the bar than he can handle. then he will try for10 reps with me pulling on everyone of them. really pissesme off.
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The idea of giving a spot is to be there IN CASE the person needs you. When those idiots load too much weight on and expect me to pull the weight up, I let it drop on their chest. They get the hint pretty quickly. Ask how many reps they are expecting before they start and you know when they are expecting to fail and can give them a little help. I know sometimes just knowing I have a spotter is enough to force out a few more good reps because i'm not afraid of dropping the weight.
When I recieve a spot I always like to have the person put a few fingers under the bar and keep it moving slowly......don't let it drop or stop! Of course you need to tell the spotter how many you will do on your own and when you think you'll need the spot.
Thanks for your replies guys. 
This thing has been bothering me for a while.
I never had the experence of someone trying to lift too much weight yet. But I have had people pull down on the weight while I was spotting to test my spotting skills. That just drives me crazy and confuses the heck out of me!
Seyone, yeah, most people tell me how many reps they want to do but they never let me know how they want to be spotted. Guess I gotta ask, but I'm not sure what to ask for?
This thing has been bothering me for a while. I never had the experence of someone trying to lift too much weight yet. But I have had people pull down on the weight while I was spotting to test my spotting skills. That just drives me crazy and confuses the heck out of me!
Seyone, yeah, most people tell me how many reps they want to do but they never let me know how they want to be spotted. Guess I gotta ask, but I'm not sure what to ask for?
I like to follow the weight up with my hands under the bar on the last couple reps, if the weight stops going up, I help a little But never grab the bar and hoist it up.
ME TOO... when people ask me to spot and im lifting the weight from the second rep on up i tell them naw you cant do this much and my arms are getting tired... also when people go for their max i try to have a step or spotting platform so i can use my legs to get the weight back up when they cant get it
Assist with the spot, dont yank it up. If you dont know what your partner likes, ask them how they prefer, not everyone is the same, but majority want assistance slightly.
The dude should be a little more grown up than to be a dick about it.
The dude should be a little more grown up than to be a dick about it.
Thanks again guys, I have to do this again on Monday. Hopefully I will do a better job and my hearing will return.
Just to summarise (summarize? dang, going abroad screws up my spelling)...
1. Ask for the spotting preference.
2. Don't help too much, just apply enough pressure to allow them to continue upward motion.
3. Place both hands underneath bar when needed.
4. Push bar down onto person who is lifting too much weight.
That right?
Just to summarise (summarize? dang, going abroad screws up my spelling)...
1. Ask for the spotting preference.
2. Don't help too much, just apply enough pressure to allow them to continue upward motion.
3. Place both hands underneath bar when needed.
4. Push bar down onto person who is lifting too much weight.
That right?
We bumped up the chest workout to today. I did much better this time. Only one complaint from my partner: I was doing the deadlift grip and he said to use hands over the bar. Thanks again!
I wish I had a good partner to lift with. I sometimes as one of the guys that work at the gym, but getting a fatso who doesn't lift to help you is more harm than good. I'm trying to grow here! I'm a weakling! And the LAST thing I need is a fat guy helping me on every rep. So from now on, unless I have a GOOD spotter that I know will do it properly, I will use the Smith Machine. it makes it easier to lift the weight, so i'll have to bump up a few pounds on the weight.
I agree freeman. A workout partner that can spot is great. I on the other hand, am just learning how to spot, but I'm getting better.
Yes spotters take your training to another level in my opinion. I feel i can push myself to another level because of the spotters. And great spotters will also motvie you. My friend is good at that. He tells me stuff like lift the bar you sissy and I get pissed off and usally do it.
Originally posted by EarWax
I never had the experence of someone trying to lift too much weight yet. But I have had people pull down on the weight while I was spotting to test my spotting skills. That just drives me crazy and confuses the heck out of me!
I'd let them drop it on themselves. That's pure BS, and asking for a reason to complain.
but yeah just ask what they prefer. I'm not picky as long as they don't try to change my ROM. Ran into that one doing shoulder presses. I just stopped right away, was easier than blowing out my shoulder.
gotta admit, it makes a when you get pissed. Actually works pretty good sometimes.
