How much are you supposed to help when spotting?

Thotmilky
Thotmilky Posts: 2 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
One dude asked me to spot his bench , on the last rep that he couldn't finish I only gave him enough help to finish the rep. He got pissy said I didn't help enough, now I feel like a dick. How much force ahould I apply when spotting?

Best Answers

  • Lietchi
    Lietchi Posts: 6,839 Member
    edited November 2023 Answer ✓
    Spotting means precisely what you did: helping someone finish the rep when they can't do it themselves, so that they don't get crushed by the bar. At least that's what it means to me. Not sure what else he was expecting?
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    Answer ✓
    You did it right. Was he expecting you to help with multiple reps?
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,328 Member
    Answer ✓
    You did what I would expect, and what I always did when spotting people. If he wanted something else, he should have made that clear.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,988 Member
    Answer ✓
    Many people spot wrong. They YANK the bar off once they see the person struggling on concentric movement. Rule of thumb I teach is you START spotting once the weight starts moving eccentric again and spot just enough to keep it moving steadily till concentric contraction is reached.
    If they are mad it could be because they aren't used to that type of spotting. I know people who have someone spot them through their regular movement well before they are even needing a spot. Meaning they are fooling themselves lifting a weight they really can't by themselves.\


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Answers

  • Jacq_qui
    Jacq_qui Posts: 443 Member
    If I asked someone to spot, that would mean I was worried about being in a position I couldn't get out of, like a chest press or something. You haven't done anything wrong - Maybe he just panicked?
  • nossmf
    nossmf Posts: 11,630 Member
    I was trained that a spotter is there for safety, and if the lifter is working correctly the spotter never has to do a thing. At worst, the spotter helps just barely enough to get the bar back to a racked position. (Kinda like insurance...you buy it hoping to never use it, but when you need it you NEED it.) I've asked skinny guys and petite girls to help spot me on bench press before; they may get worried about being able to help, but I tell them I'm confident I can lift everything but the final 10 pounds, and IF I need help it'll only be that final small amount they need to lift. I've also been trained that if a spotter needs to actually do anything, the set is over after that rep, regardless the goal of the set.

    That said, I have to play devil's advocate for a second and mention how some people are intentionally training with heavier weights than they can lift, because they are targeting the descent phase to lower the weight slowly, and know they need help to return it back to starting position so they can lower it slowly again. But if that's the case, the lifter needs to make it known before the set begins.

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