nope, I don't have a spotter, and the one time someone has spotted me without me wanting it I hated it!! as long as there are safety bars for your squats and OHPs, and you can do the roll of shame for bench you'll be fine.. just focus on form over heaviness, start small and you'll be cool

I rarely ever lift with someone else so I don't really have a spotter. Today was the first day I needed one on my final rep on bench press. I had foolishly decided to attempt the last rep after having already re-racked the barbell. I was very fortunate that a guy had just finished a set near by and didn't have headphones in. I called for a spot and he came over and helped me get it up. I just got stuck at the bottom and didn't have enough left to get it going back up. If he hadn't been there, I would have just done the roll of shame to get the bar off. No big deal. Use the equipment as it is supposed to be used in squats and OHP and for bench press you can always see if someone there would be willing to give you a spot. Most times on bench, I will not perform the rep if I don't think I can complete it based on how the previous one went back up. Today I just got cocky and paid the price in ego for it.

I don't have a spotter. I judge based on how the last one felt, and the one time I pushed too far and had the bar come down on benchwas the one time three young adult guys were watching. I ditched the weights of one end, reracked, reduced the weight to my last good weight and finished off my sets. My pecs hurt far more than my pride!

OK, so along this thread...

The other day I was doing bench and got through my warm up and first 2 sets without problem. Then, as I was on my 2nd rep of my 3rd set, some random guy pops into my field of vision, motioning with his fingers for me to keep on going. Totally blew my concentration and I was done. Took my earbuds out (hello...I wear them for a reason!) and kindly told him thank you. Then, because my concentration was blown, I re-racked and moved on to assistance exercises.

What is the proper etiquette for random spotting?? I have had people come up to me at the gym (regulars who I see often) and let me know that if I need a spot just to ask, or I have had people wait until I was done with a set then offer help. I have never had some wild banshee come up to me mid-set.

What do you guys think?
Jackie

I think the best thing to do is to just tell the person that you don't need their help. What can really **** things up is when people try to lift the weight for you as you try to bench. In these cases, I've had to rack the weight and tell the person not to touch the bar unless the bar goes downward. I've even had to yell out, "don't touch the bar!" mid-rep.

If you CAN find a friendly spotter and you are not sure if they can handle the job, let them know in advance how many reps you are going for and to not help lift the weight unless the bar starts to lose its upward motion. But it's also great to have someone spot that already knows how.

I think these videos would help a lot of people.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mygns0H6Ok4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GmM9yxbYLc0

I think the best thing to do is to just tell the person that you don't need their help. What can really **** things up is when people try to lift the weight for you as you try to bench. In these cases, I've had to rack the weight and tell the person not to touch the bar unless the bar goes downward. I've even had to yell out, "don't touch the bar!" mid-rep.

If you CAN find a friendly spotter and you are not sure if they can handle the job, let them know in advance how many reps you are going for and to not help lift the weight unless the bar starts to lose its upward motion. But it's also great to have someone spot that already knows how.

I think these videos would help a lot of people.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mygns0H6Ok4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GmM9yxbYLc0

Thank you so much! Very helpful advice!!