Spotting

Drained_Empty

I was training in a public gym recently I had never used before. Some guy asked me to 'spot him', he was doing some kind of skull crusher/tricep exercise I wasn't familar with and I told him I couldn't help him. He seemed a bit taken aback and perhaps I broke gym etiquette.

What's the story with random ppl asking you to help them exercise? and is there any good videos showing you how you're supposed to do it?

colman1212

In general people in the gym will always spot other people
I've never seen anyone refuse to spot someone so thats probably why he was taken aback, it is a little unusual. At the same time, its usually a bench press or squats where someone needs a spot.
When spotting someone, only help them when the bar stops moving and even then just help them enough so they make the rep. There is nothing worse then when you ask someone to spot you and they are lifting half the weight for you. It defeats the purpose.
Also don't lift one end of the bar!

markomuscle

quite annoying in my opinion especially when you're trying to keep track of your rest times, if people need spotters they should get a gym partner, if you can't get a gym partner, lift a bit lighter.

Mellor

markomuscle wrote: »

quite annoying in my opinion especially when you're trying to keep track of your rest times, if people need spotters they should get a gym partner, if you can't get a gym partner, lift a bit lighter.

How much does spotting for somebody for 20 seconds affect your rest time? If you want to be really anal about rest times, I'm sure the person wouldn't mind waiting for you to get that upcoming set in first.

Blue Whale

Video on Spotting Etiquette:

LuckyLloyd

If someone asked for a spot on bench from me, I'd hand off the bar and pull my hands away and if they went backwards I'd simply rerack - i.e. I don't believe in assisted reps, no matter what the degree.

Alf Veedersane

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

If someone asked for a spot on bench from me, I'd hand off the bar and pull my hands away and if they went backwards I'd simply rerack - i.e. I don't believe in assisted reps, no matter what the degree.

What if they wanted to knock out a negative rep or two?

LuckyLloyd

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

What if they wanted to knock out a negative rep or two?

That's no business of mine!

Drained_Empty

Tbh i dont want the responsibility of Knowing when to intervene to stop a guy getting his **** smashed up and when not to intervene to not ruin a rep. Certainly not for some random ****er in a vest

Alf Veedersane

Drained_Empty wrote: »

Tbh i dont want the responsibility of Knowing when to intervene to stop a guy getting his **** smashed up and when not to intervene to not ruin a rep. Certainly not for some random ****er in a vest

More often than not they'll probably mention that it might be time to help a brutha out rather than let you guess when it's time to do some hoisting.

thegreatiam

when they go red and blood comes out of their ears. pick it up for em.

markomuscle

markomuscle wrote: »

quite annoying in my opinion especially when you're trying to keep track of your rest times, if people need spotters they should get a gym partner, if you can't get a gym partner, lift a bit lighter.

how doesn't it? in my experience with spotting they are struggling moving their weight which in turn required me use forearm and bicep strength to keep it from falling on their face, not good when i have another set of bicep curls coming up

Alf Veedersane

markomuscle wrote: »

how doesn't it? in my experience with spotting they are struggling moving their weight which in turn required me use forearm and bicep strength to keep it from falling on their face, not good when i have another set of bicep curls coming up

If you're using your arms to lift it, then you won't be losing out because you did one curl less because you spotted someone.

Mr. Manager

markomuscle wrote: »

how doesn't it? in my experience with spotting they are struggling moving their weight which in turn required me use forearm and bicep strength to keep it from falling on their face, not good when i have another set of bicep curls coming up

Bit pedantic, no?

john_cappa

Its all about communication. If I ask for a spot I will instruct exactly what I need e.g. "I dont need need help with the lift off, I am going for 5 reps, I might need a light touch with the last rep but dont step in unless the bar starts descending again or I ask"

If some one asks me for a spot and doesnt give me instruction similar to the above I will ask "do you want a lift off, how many are you going for etc"

john_cappa

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

If you're using your arms to lift it, then you won't be losing out because you did one curl less because you spotted someone.

aggy

Rows > than curls!

kevpants

markomuscle wrote: »

how doesn't it? in my experience with spotting they are struggling moving their weight which in turn required me use forearm and bicep strength to keep it from falling on their face, not good when i have another set of bicep curls coming up

Ya see for certain types of gym rat asking for a spot is basically a way of saying "This weight is far more than I can comfortably lift but I want you to row in behind me so I can pretend I got 5".

There is one remedy for that. It's actually a deft little skill akin to the feather-light touch of a golf pro on the putting green or a kevpants steering with his knees eating a footlong sub on the mototrway while putting on his tie because his time management sucks balls.

The trick is to not just help them lock out the rep they clearly can't get because inevitably you'll get the "One more" and you'll be there for at least 3 more reps. What you need to do is delicately place your hands below the bar and suspend it right in that zone of gravitational pull between you making the bar come up and him preventing the bar from going down. The bar will hover over this mouth-breather's face and it will become apparent that there's a chance you don't know what you're doing and that he is about to die.

Keep the bar there.

You'll need to help more and more as time passes but make sure he's not allowed to stop pushing. You can then begin to let the bar rise. You need to time this because if you go too early you'll get the bar into an easier position for him to lock out and then you're in "One more" territory again. Wait too long and he'll give up and let it fall to his chest where you'll end up rack-pullng it off his sparrow-like chest.

The progress pf the bar upwards needs to be slow enough that he will check his anus for prolapse immediately afterwards but quick enough that he'll keep pushing.

When the bar finally gets to the top you can re-rack it and give him a nice patronising "Well done!" which really means "Don't ever speak to me again" and be on your way.

Stench Blossoms

Well, this thread has defo put me off ever asking for a spot.

thegreatiam

Ive never needed or asked for a spot yet, but im starting to dread the day I need to

Mr. Manager

Have only ever asked once and that was to a colleague who happened to be in the gym. Never thought it was a huge deal. I'd be more than happy to help any one out (providing I can).

LuckyLloyd

Stench Blossoms wrote: »

Well, this thread has defo put me off ever asking for a spot.

thegreatiam wrote: »

Ive never needed or asked for a spot yet, but im starting to dread the day I need to

I am happy to spot whoever asks for a spot, absolutely no problem. I'll give them a lift off and I'll help them rack it if they fail mid rep. So I'll keep them safe, and every progressive training program requires you to go close to failure from time to time.

But it you want an active and participative spot, well, I'll freely admit that I don't get it. Lads doing "sets of 8" where maybe the first three are good clean reps and the rest are achieved through ever more assistance from their spotter. If someone can explain why that is a better solution as opposed to taking a percentage off the bar and doing close to eight good clean reps I'm all ears.

brownej

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

I am happy to spot whoever asks for a spot, absolutely no problem. I'll give them a lift off and I'll help them rack it if they fail mid rep. So I'll keep them safe, and every progressive training program requires you to go close to failure from time to time.

But it you want an active and participative spot, well, I'll freely admit that I don't get it. Lads doing "sets of 8" where maybe the first three are good clean reps and the rest are achieved through ever more assistance from their spotter. If someone can explain why that is a better solution as opposed to taking a percentage off the bar and doing close to eight good clean reps I'm all ears.

I'm very rarely asked for a spot but this happened to me on one occasion.
By the end of the set I was beginning to worry that I wouldn't be able to pull it off him as I was giving so much assistance. Maybe I was doing it wrong.

thegreatiam

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

But it you want an active and participative spot, well, I'll freely admit that I don't get it. Lads doing "sets of 8" where maybe the first three are good clean reps and the rest are achieved through ever more assistance from their spotter. If someone can explain why that is a better solution as opposed to taking a percentage off the bar and doing close to eight good clean reps I'm all ears.

From my understanding when going to failure the actual weight doesnt matter its going to failure that promotes hypertrophy.
Or that is how I understand the thinking behind it. So when someone is pushing for failure then an assisted rep can help grind out 2 or more at failure and the lifter can get more of a "burn".

Now I don't know if that is true, but from what I can tell that is what they believe is the objective. having watched a bunch of young'uns in my gym recently

add to this a degree of miscomunication as occurs with every thing in the gym and a dash of ego then you end up with people trying to move ludicrous weights while the spotter does more work than the lifter.

Personally I don't get this mentality. I don't care for hypertrophy and I don't train to failure.
If I'm not 100% lifting the weight then I don't see the point in counting it. The spotter is just there to stop it falling on me that one time when I stall.

Haven't had to get a spot yet because I haven't got to a point when I am realistically stalling

But i think when i do ill need to make sure the spotter knows exactly what to do. Or pop into sandyford and have you spot me.

puntosporting

brownej wrote: »

I'm very rarely asked for a spot but this happened to me on one occasion.
By the end of the set I was beginning to worry that I wouldn't be able to pull it off him as I was giving so much assistance. Maybe I was doing it wrong.

That's not a spot in my opinion that's assistence a spot is just a safety net to help a Guy in trouble after a possible fail!

Alf Veedersane

A mate of mine asked for a spot.

I threatened a teabagging.

Haven't been asked since.

Noit quite as subtle as kevpants' offering but 60% of the time, it works all the time!

Theresalwaysone

"Can I get a spot? Thanks. DONT touch the bar unless I ask or it starts descending"

There are few things more annoying than busting your ass for a set and the some ape assisting on the last rep because your speed slowed even though you knew you had it. It ruins days.

Nervous Wreck

The right way to spot:

Provided the lifter doesn't drop the bar on their face...

1. If asked for, help with lift off.
2. Take your hands off the fucking bar
3. Watch
4. Let person re-rack
5. Walk away

Essentially, the spotter should only ever touch the bar (after the lift-out) if:

1. The bar doesn't come up off the person's chest at all
2. The bar starts to travel backwards
3. The lifter asks them to take it

If the bar speed slows? Leave it be!
If the bar completely stops? Leave it be!
If they're on the last rep? THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU JUMP IN AND TOUCH THE BAR. LEAVE IT BE!

Scuba Ste

Theresalwaysone wrote: »

There are few things more annoying than busting your ass for a set and the some ape assisting on the last rep because your speed slowed even though you knew you had it. It ruins days.

This I understand but most of this thread just seems like pseudo-elitism.

Brian?

I've spotted and been spotted for many times. It's simple, the person lifting clearly states the rules before the lift starts and once the spotter follows them there can be much harmony.

90% of the time, there is harmony.

Never be afraid to ask for a spot or never turn down when asked.

I've never been in the assisted rep situation, gimps that are into that rarely train alone in my experience. They travel in packs wearing lifting gloves and drinking water from shakers.

Never be afraid you aren't strong enough to spot someone either, it's amazing how little effort it takes to pull a bar off someone when they're already pushing like feck.

All above applies to bench press. Spotting a squat requires a whole other level of dedication and, let's be fair, quite a bit of intamicy.

Theresalwaysone

I drink water from a shaker on occasion. Whats wrong with that?

Agree re asking and giving tbh. If someone has the good grace to stall there workout and help you when you need it, return the favour when asked by the next person. I apply this rule to letting people out in traffic and queuing for things.

Brian?

Theresalwaysone wrote: »

I drink water from a shaker on occasion. Whats wrong with that?

You're worse than Hitler.









Nothing really, I suppose. It's more the combo of the shaker, the gloves, the standing in groups talking loudly and horrific spotting.

I'm not here to judge. But I do anyway.

puntosporting

Brian? wrote: »

You're worse than Hitler.









Nothing really, I suppose. It's more the combo of the shaker, the gloves, the standing in groups talking loudly and horrific spotting.

I'm not here to judge. But I do anyway.

You never mentioned wearing their local GAA club shorts either...

Nervous Wreck

puntosporting wrote: »

You never mentioned wearing their local GAA club shorts either...

Or going to every rack/machine in the place, doing one set and moving on.



On topic though, I never have nor will refuse to spot someone. Everyone's gotta rely on each other when they've no training buddy. Some guy refused to spot me once before and I found it really strange. All I actually wanted was a lift out...

COH

I'm happy to spot people unless it's a...

Deadlift... seriously, I mean really just seriously!
Leg press... I'm not rugby tackling 400kg off you
Lat raise... just f*ck off
Curl of any description... enough said
Box squat... because 100% youre doing it wrong,goin really heavy and high and I'm not being responsible for you being stapled to a box
Anything with a cable... end of story
2rm dumbbell half presses where I have to do the first rep for you on my own
Isolated hamstring curls... it makes us look like a couple, (of gay retards)
Dumbbell rows... I don't even know where to start on how stupid spotting a dumbbell row is

Im sure there are loads more... I've been asked to do all these things by the way.

The joys of working in a commercial gym!

Drained_Empty

Theresalwaysone wrote: »

"Can I get a spot? Thanks. DONT touch the bar unless I ask or it starts descending"

There are few things more annoying than busting your ass for a set and the some ape assisting on the last rep because your speed slowed even though you knew you had it. It ruins days.

Really if you approached me with this attitude I'd deck you. That sense of entitlement, must come from some kind of implied quid pro quo, like you spot me, i'll give you a reach around.

deadlybuzzman

COH wrote: »

I'm happy to spot people unless it's a...

Deadlift... seriously, I mean really just seriously!

In my last gym I seen the guy working there trying to spot a new female member deadlifting.
Yeeeeah wasn't the slightest bit weird for everybody that seen it!

Nervous Wreck

Drained_Empty wrote: »

Really if you approached me with this attitude I'd deck you. That sense of entitlement, must come from some kind of implied quid pro quo, like you spot me, i'll give you a reach around.

How is it a sense of entitlement to ask someone to spot you and let them know exactly what you need out of that spot?

MrPain

I've only once had someone refuse to spot me (he was crossfitter, ugh).
I always clarify the rules of engagement before I start and likewise if someone asks me to spot them I will ask to what degree they require it.
A small bit of communication will prevent most problems.

Theresalwaysone

Drained_Empty wrote: »

I was training in a public gym recently I had never used before. Some guy asked me to 'spot him', he was doing some kind of skull crusher/tricep exercise I wasn't familar with and I told him I couldn't help him. He seemed a bit taken aback and perhaps I broke gym etiquette.

What's the story with random ppl asking you to help them exercise? and is there any good videos showing you how you're supposed to do it?

Drained_Empty wrote: »

Really if you approached me with this attitude I'd deck you. That sense of entitlement, must come from some kind of implied quid pro quo, like you spot me, i'll give you a reach around.

You start a thread asking about spotting and for instruction on how to do it.

Someone tells you what to do when spotting them and you'd deck them?

I shall not ask you for a spot in future so to avoid the aforementioned 'decking'.

Brian?

Drained_Empty wrote: »

Really if you approached me with this attitude I'd deck you. That sense of entitlement, must come from some kind of implied quid pro quo, like you spot me, i'll give you a reach around.

Mod note: drop the attitude

matrim

Drained_Empty wrote: »

Really if you approached me with this attitude I'd deck you. That sense of entitlement, must come from some kind of implied quid pro quo, like you spot me, i'll give you a reach around.

I very rarely ask for a spot but the first time I got a randomer to give me a spot the guy did half the work for me so I couldn't count the set. Since then when I ask I always say that I only want help if the bar is descending (when it shouldn't be) or I ask for help.

kevpants

Drained_Empty wrote: »

Really if you approached me with this attitude I'd deck you. That sense of entitlement, must come from some kind of implied quid pro quo, like you spot me, i'll give you a reach around.

"Hey dude can I get a spot?"
"Sure no problem buddy"
"Thanks, just make sure not to touch the bar unless it starts descending"
"Are you ready for the PAIN!!?"
"Excuse me?"
*Roundhouse kick to the face...

Thud

I usually operate the "say when" method on bench spotting, I'm not touching the bar until you ask me to during the rep.

runawaybishop

Drained_Empty wrote: »

Really if you approached me with this attitude I'd deck you.

Except you wouldn't Why did you bother making a thread if you have already decided you wont be spotting anyone?

Drained_Empty

runawaybishop wrote: »

Except you wouldn't Why did you bother making a thread if you have already decided you wont be spotting anyone?

come at me bro'.

i wanted to know what the general consensus was amongst meat head and non-meat heads. i now know to be extra prepared for some muppet asking me to do 5% of their lift for them. a swift 'i will in me bollox' will sort them out now.

runawaybishop

So when you said "i'd deck you" what you meant was "i'd say no". Thanks for clearing that up.

Drained_Empty

runawaybishop wrote: »

So when you said "i'd deck you" what you meant was "i'd say no". Thanks for clearing that up.

no if they asked me i'd say no. if they asked me, and I said yes, and then they proceeded to give me discreet instructions, i'd deck them. learn to read bro' and stop looking for a row. unless you're cruising for a bruising?

runawaybishop

So if they asked you and you agreed but then they instructed you on the correct way to spot you'd deck them? I don't think I'm the one looking for a row

Oryx

Lovely attitude on display there, Drained Empty, (which you have already been asked to drop). Im sure it will see you make loads of friends in your local gym.

Thread closed so noone gets accidentally decked.