“It’s all you!!!” A common term we all hear in the gym from time to time, but is it really all you? Many times people stack on a lot more weight than they can handle and expect the spotter to use their own physical strength with forced reps throughout the entire set. You’re in there to lift your own weights and make progress, not see how much you and your spotter can lift together. Forced repetitions can have their place but sometimes people rely on it way too much. Overuse of forced reps is not only an ineffective way of tracking progress, but at times can be very dangerous.
The purpose of a spotter is to create a safe lifting environment in case the lifter can no longer lift the weight with his own physical power. In this case the spotter comes in to help return the weight to the rack. The weight the lifter is using should be within or very close to how much they can handle, and it should not require a lot of physical strength from the spotter in case things didn’t go to plan.
It is also important for both the lifter and the spotter to have a clear understanding of what the lifter is planning to achieve. Is the lifter going for a one rep max? 10 reps? This should be clear so the spotter is well aware of when the possibility of failure may occur, although at all times the spotter should always be ready and alert in case something unexpected happens during the set. Also depending on how heavy the load is, it’s common sense to ensure that the spotter is strong enough to provide assistance in the event of fatigue or injury. If not then it’s advisable to use a second or third spotter.
As the spotter make sure you encourage your partner in pushing out that final rep! After a long and tough workout don’t forget to take in the right amount of nutrition for your fitness goals. We recommend you try My Fitness Kitchn’s muscle ready meals together. Get our delicious and fresh premade fitness meals in Sydney delivered to you today by ordering online!
– Jonathan
