Would you (especially girls) ask someone random to spot you?
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arditarose wrote: »arditarose wrote: »arditarose wrote: »OP, how much are you doing for reps now? It took me about a year of squatting before I got high enough to ask for a spot.
I am currently at only 110 x 5 reps after about 2.5 months of training. I am aiming at 132 which is my body weight for now. When I tried 110 last week, I did need a spotter (my PT) and I could just make my last rep but it was very close to dropping.
Are you doing 5x5?
No not doing 5 x5, 110 last week was my first time trying and 5 reps were the maximum i could make.
Okay, so you don't necessarily need a spotter. You need a structured program with a progressive overload, adding appropriate amount of weight each week. There are definitely weeks when my last rep on my last set is HARD to get up, but it goes. And if it doesn't, I know how to fail with the safety bars.
Probably like you and other people say, what I need is to learn how to use the safety bars when needed. I only get to work with weights like this a couple of times a week.0 -
arditarose wrote: »arditarose wrote: »arditarose wrote: »OP, how much are you doing for reps now? It took me about a year of squatting before I got high enough to ask for a spot.
I am currently at only 110 x 5 reps after about 2.5 months of training. I am aiming at 132 which is my body weight for now. When I tried 110 last week, I did need a spotter (my PT) and I could just make my last rep but it was very close to dropping.
Are you doing 5x5?
No not doing 5 x5, 110 last week was my first time trying and 5 reps were the maximum i could make.
Okay, so you don't necessarily need a spotter. You need a structured program with a progressive overload, adding appropriate amount of weight each week. There are definitely weeks when my last rep on my last set is HARD to get up, but it goes. And if it doesn't, I know how to fail with the safety bars.
Probably like you and other people say, what I need is to learn how to use the safety bars when needed. I only get to work with weights like this a couple of times a week.
I think picking a beginners program would help too. It will help you calculate how much weight to lift, when to add, when NOT to add.
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arditarose wrote: »arditarose wrote: »arditarose wrote: »arditarose wrote: »OP, how much are you doing for reps now? It took me about a year of squatting before I got high enough to ask for a spot.
I am currently at only 110 x 5 reps after about 2.5 months of training. I am aiming at 132 which is my body weight for now. When I tried 110 last week, I did need a spotter (my PT) and I could just make my last rep but it was very close to dropping.
Are you doing 5x5?
No not doing 5 x5, 110 last week was my first time trying and 5 reps were the maximum i could make.
Okay, so you don't necessarily need a spotter. You need a structured program with a progressive overload, adding appropriate amount of weight each week. There are definitely weeks when my last rep on my last set is HARD to get up, but it goes. And if it doesn't, I know how to fail with the safety bars.
Probably like you and other people say, what I need is to learn how to use the safety bars when needed. I only get to work with weights like this a couple of times a week.
I think picking a beginners program would help too. It will help you calculate how much weight to lift, when to add, when NOT to add.
Yes definitely - I will look into it
Thank you! 0 -
arditarose wrote: »arditarose wrote: »arditarose wrote: »OP, how much are you doing for reps now? It took me about a year of squatting before I got high enough to ask for a spot.
I am currently at only 110 x 5 reps after about 2.5 months of training. I am aiming at 132 which is my body weight for now. When I tried 110 last week, I did need a spotter (my PT) and I could just make my last rep but it was very close to dropping.
Are you doing 5x5?
No not doing 5 x5, 110 last week was my first time trying and 5 reps were the maximum i could make.
Okay, so you don't necessarily need a spotter. You need a structured program with a progressive overload, adding appropriate amount of weight each week. There are definitely weeks when my last rep on my last set is HARD to get up, but it goes. And if it doesn't, I know how to fail with the safety bars.
Probably like you and other people say, what I need is to learn how to use the safety bars when needed. I only get to work with weights like this a couple of times a week.
Yes, it'd be best if you just learned to use the squat safety bars, that way you can do your own thing, any time you want. My trainer had me learn to use them on purpose, using just the bar. We practiced failing on squats just so I could get used to the "technique" of failing. I only had to "really" bail on a squat once, and there was no fear because I had worked on it. It was with my trainer watching too--he actually commended me on how well I bailed! It is a little intimidating to think about, but once you do it a couple times, then you know you can do it whenever you need. Probably a good thing to learn, especially since you've got a goal to keep going heavier. Good luck!
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When I used a commercial gym I had no major issues asking someone random for a spot. These days, it's a complete non issue. Who I'm asking for a spot is either a coach or a teammate.
Learn how to fail - practise dropping down onto the bars so that when the time comes, it's relatively comfortable to do. Even the most attentive spotter won't always be able to help you back up.0 -
I wouldn't really ask for help as I squat in a power rack. If I ever felt I needed to I would ask one of the many regulars at the gym. No awkwardness there. There's a certain comraderee and they see me at some of my most awkward states already...why not add one more to the list!0
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Definitely do as Iron miss says. Practice for failure, it's going to happen. And knowing how to ease the weight from your back to the bars can mean the difference from a safe unload to a potential back injury. And definitely don't be afraid to ask for a spotter, It would be actually for squats especially if it's someone you don't know. But if your gym consists mainly of serious lifters they should be able to tell that it's purely a request for a spotter, and nothing else. Lift safe!0
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No. I would ask and have asked one of the trainers in the gym, if I see they have free time. Otherwise I just up reps or do an extra set and leave increasing weight for another day, if I do not feel comfortable doing it without a spotter. I would not trust some random person, because their idea of spotting might get me seriously hurt. If I have seen someone lift several times, and feel he is serious about it, I might ask him/her for help. But to be honest, I see a lot of people lifting, even lifting heavy, that I would not trust at all, based on mistakes I see in form and attitude. So, unless I really know someone, I would not trust him/her as a spotter.0
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I haven't thus far but if I really felt it necessary, then I would. I've failed only on bench so far but that was during the 12 weeks I followed Stronglifts. I haven't failed a lift in NROLFW. On squats, I've gotten up to 165 (that was around body weight at the time) and didn't have to rely on the safeties but that's my plan thus far if I fail on squat and can't get back up. On bench I ended up racking on the lower spot and pulling myself out.0
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I wish I had someone as the equipment at my gym is really rubbish, but I'm either alone there or there might be a girl getting sweaty with 1kg weights. I had bad luck with bench presses twice already. First time the bar fell off the rack the moment I sat up but still had a bit of a hand on the bar (not nice for ones shoulder!), the other time I could not lift the weight and slowly had to let go. I then rolled the bar off my chest and towards my stomach which was just about low enough for the safety bars. Still I had a hard time getting out. Wish the safety bars could be adjusted to just a little bit higher, but the next step is somewhere halfway down the movement.0
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