lifting (to gain muscle mass) without a spotter

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brownwt3
brownwt3 Posts: 2 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I'm in college, and all my buddies I lift with are about to go home for the summer. I'm staying to take more classes. I'm trying to put on muscle and don't want to lose this time not working out. Any suggestions on workouts I could do until I can find a spotter? I've been bouldering but I would like more options.

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  • myaminals
    myaminals Posts: 197 Member
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    i worry cuz i can spot my husband. he lifts a bunch he uses two smaller bars the barbells and places each in a chair so it cant fall on top of him. hope it works for you. just a chair on each side of the bench
  • Larissa_NY
    Larissa_NY Posts: 495 Member
    edited April 2016
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    Do you still have gym access? I lift three times a week and I've never used a spotter. Lift in a power rack where you can set the safeties, learn how to safely dump a lift, and you'll be fine. Lifting isn't a team sport.

    Oh, also - you can build some pretty solid muscle doing bodyweight programs like Convict Conditioning or You Are Your Own Gym. It won't be, like, powerlifting muscle, but if your diet is on point it will tide you over for the summer.
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,222 Member
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    If there is a power rack available, use that. The cross bars can be adjusted to spot you if you fail.
  • Packerjohn
    Packerjohn Posts: 4,855 Member
    edited April 2016
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    Dumbbells. Also if you're working out in a college rec center or other public gym, most people will be willing to spot you if you just ask.

    Good luck.
  • singingflutelady
    singingflutelady Posts: 8,736 Member
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    I've never used a spotter. I use the safety bars in the rack/cage
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,667 Member
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    Packerjohn wrote: »
    Dumbbells. Also if you're working out in a college rec center or other public gym, most people will be willing to spot you if you just ask.

    Good luck.
    This. Many times dumbells have an advantage if you have to dump weight quickly and also it activates more muscles to do movements due to balancing them.


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  • Kr15by
    Kr15by Posts: 78 Member
    edited April 2016
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    If increasing strength was your priority then I would see why you would want a spotter as you'd be lifting heavy, but if your goal is mainly to build mustle then don't need a spotter. Use a lighter weight you can handle comfortably and lift at a slower tempo (ie bench press 4 second down, pause at bottom, 1 second up) and use good form. Stop one or two reps before failure.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    singingflutelady wrote: »
    I've never used a spotter. I use the safety bars in the rack/cage

    Same here. No spotter necessary.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,988 Member
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    I mostly use dumbbells. My last set in an exercise is usually about 5 reps, and I've never felt a need for a spotter.
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
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    You'll be fine. Never had a spotter in my life.
  • random_123
    random_123 Posts: 9 Member
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    brownwt3 wrote: »
    I'm in college, and all my buddies I lift with are about to go home for the summer. I'm staying to take more classes. I'm trying to put on muscle and don't want to lose this time not working out. Any suggestions on workouts I could do until I can find a spotter? I've been bouldering but I would like more options.


    Nobody mentioned deadlifts so I felt I had to - rightly called the king of weight exercises and no requirement for a spotter even at your max. Switch to sumo deadlifts if you want absolute safety since your stance is extremely stable in this style and as far as collective knowledge goes, they provide the same bulking benefits as standard d/ls.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,868 Member
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    You really shouldn't need a spotter if you're lifting properly and know your capabilities and limitations. The only time I've ever asked for a spot is when I'm going for a 1RM PR...I've never had a spotter for my general workouts.
  • cgvet37
    cgvet37 Posts: 1,189 Member
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    I always lift without a spotter, unless I want to do a 1RM.
  • random_123
    random_123 Posts: 9 Member
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    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    You really shouldn't need a spotter if you're lifting properly and know your capabilities and limitations. The only time I've ever asked for a spot is when I'm going for a 1RM PR...I've never had a spotter for my general workouts.

    I think the OP is right to be interested in safety in general though - when I was his age I used to have a setup in my parent's garage and smashed my mom's boxed up fine china doing squats to complete failure like an idiot. 15 years on she still hasn't let it go.
  • ArmyofAdrian
    ArmyofAdrian Posts: 177 Member
    edited April 2016
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    I bench press heavy without a spotter all the time. As soon as my form gets bad I put the bar back on the rack. I don't go to failure. I am getting progressively stronger doing it this way. you do not need to go to failure to get stronger. If there's ever a problem I can always put the bar on the little safety pegs. Of course if the safety pegs weren't there for some reason I would definitely get a spotter. Or if I was going to do a one-rep Max obviously I would get a spotter. Others have mentioned dumbbell presses which is a great idea as well safer than what I'm doing but I love me some bench presses.

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