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i only use a spotter when doing bench press but other than that id call them a training partner. i reckon they help a lot in pushing each other. especially when strength levels are very similar. helps keep the motivation up as you dont want to be left behind by the other person.
having peopel to train with helps in psyching up for that heavy deadlift.
having peopel to train with helps in psyching up for that heavy deadlift.
I'm the same, I generally require a spotter on my last set of bench press as I have a tendancy to not be able to lift the bar off myself lol
Other than that though, not really, It's more of a mental thing, it's just hard to find a training partner, someone who does the exact same lifts as you who is always available to train...
Impossible to find.
Other than that though, not really, It's more of a mental thing, it's just hard to find a training partner, someone who does the exact same lifts as you who is always available to train...
Impossible to find.
J
Josh_GTiR
Guest
I am lucky that I train with my Bro. We both have similar strength and goals and we push each other hard. When I am having a hard time, he pushes me and vice versa.
Z
Zarkov
Guest
The gym I mainly use has a bench with safety bars at the side and all the good racks etc so a spotter is not necessary.I personally don`t like spotters and only spot if someone asks me.
I have used a spotter at certain times though and only certain people.I avoid most of the gym staff as they are clueless.The two guys who do help me sometimes are a PE teacher former highly ranked boxer and a sports scientist.
Both are huge beasts and know their stuff.
I like to follow a general rule, if you need a spotter in the first couple of sets you are lifting too much.Of course that excludes trying for a new PB,a new exercise,or leveling up.
I won`t spot for guys who are just putting on a show.
I have used a spotter at certain times though and only certain people.I avoid most of the gym staff as they are clueless.The two guys who do help me sometimes are a PE teacher former highly ranked boxer and a sports scientist.
Both are huge beasts and know their stuff.
I like to follow a general rule, if you need a spotter in the first couple of sets you are lifting too much.Of course that excludes trying for a new PB,a new exercise,or leveling up.
I won`t spot for guys who are just putting on a show.
Yup,
All valid answers. The only reason I asked was
that I'm currently at 42lbs for my flat bench dumbell 4th set. I only
do 6 reps but somedays after 4 I think... wow don't want to drop them
on my head or break anything..
You guys are monsters!!! Benching 50Kg and all..
Thanks again for all the advice.. Might just ask one of the guys
around to spot me for the last 2 sets!
And yes it is hard to find a partner who is at the same level
as you to hit the weights!
All valid answers. The only reason I asked was
that I'm currently at 42lbs for my flat bench dumbell 4th set. I only
do 6 reps but somedays after 4 I think... wow don't want to drop them
on my head or break anything..
You guys are monsters!!! Benching 50Kg and all..
Thanks again for all the advice.. Might just ask one of the guys
around to spot me for the last 2 sets!
And yes it is hard to find a partner who is at the same level
as you to hit the weights!
trofius
Member
I only use a spotter for bench if going for a pb, as mentioned tmost benches at gyms have safty pegs, which I am skinny enough to use without them fouling my lift.
spotters are good if it is just to HELP you obtain that last range of motion.
spotters are BAD when they snatch the bar from you, this not only anoys the piss out of me, but can damage muscle if you are fully tensed up doing a lift.
Some also tea bag you, or grab teh bar before you need then to, I had one guy wanting to hang on to the bar for the full range of motion..
If i get a spot, I ask that they stand a few feet back, so I cant see them, but actually be watching me. I will say help if i want it,....not grab it,.. a few fingers is all you should need.
spotters are good if it is just to HELP you obtain that last range of motion.
spotters are BAD when they snatch the bar from you, this not only anoys the piss out of me, but can damage muscle if you are fully tensed up doing a lift.
Some also tea bag you, or grab teh bar before you need then to, I had one guy wanting to hang on to the bar for the full range of motion..
If i get a spot, I ask that they stand a few feet back, so I cant see them, but actually be watching me. I will say help if i want it,....not grab it,.. a few fingers is all you should need.
K
Koncept
Guest
I've never had a spotter or training partner as I live too far away from all my frieds, I would love one though and am always on the lookout purely so we can help push each other and the odd assistance on Bench so I don't look like an idiot when I miss a rep 
.
Pretty much every time I've asked someone in my gym to spot me for a new PB, even if I tell them not to touch the bar they always do and it basically makes the lift pointless. I have so many 'that guy' people in my gym it's not funny.
.Pretty much every time I've asked someone in my gym to spot me for a new PB, even if I tell them not to touch the bar they always do and it basically makes the lift pointless. I have so many 'that guy' people in my gym it's not funny.
J
Josh_GTiR
Guest
I couldn't imagine there would be many people that would want to train with a big green Ogre anyway Shrek.
C
ChrisOX
Guest
training partner makes so much difference when u give up they get ya back on track to get that last rep out instead of giving up never train without it i say!!!
L
lordoftime
Guest
THe only time I would use a spotter is for the bench press, just for safety reasons.
Being that I train on my own, that is not always possible. One of the main reasons why I tend to do the dumbbell bench press more often than barbell.
Being that I train on my own, that is not always possible. One of the main reasons why I tend to do the dumbbell bench press more often than barbell.
T
toasted
Guest
I never have a spotter or training partner. I do have a few friends that come over once a month to train but that just ends up turning into a comp, kinda like NPR we end up doing something stupidly heavy, well stupidly heavy for us.
Kyle Aaron
Active member
In most gyms, a spotter is not necessary for safety. In all lifts except bench press you can just dump the bar, and you can bench in the squat rack and set the safeties up so the bar won't squash you.
Some people like spotters to do forced reps. There are a couple of guys at my gym who show up every week or two and help each-other with forced reps on every single rep of every single set. Rather than shoulder pressing 20kg dumbells with 5kg of force from your buddy, it's probably easier to shoulder press 15kg, I would have thought. But whatever makes them happy.
Normally I would only expect to see 1-2 forced reps at the end of the last set, and not otherwise, and a spotter is useful for that. But forced reps are not really possible for deadlifts, bent over rows, and so on - and yet people manage to get stronger on those exercises. So while it can help, you can probably do without it.
Otherwise, a training partner is very useful. You encourage each-other, you have greater confidence in trying to personal bests, and so on. But as others have mentioned, it's hard to find a good training partner. They need to have similar strength, goals, and training style to yours.
They don't have to be identical. If I'm benching sets of 40kg warmup to 80kg top weight and my buddy is doing 60kg to 100kg, it's not hard to add and remove plates. If he wants more size and I want more strength, well he can do 10 reps while I do 5 reps, so what, and he can go home and eat a couple of whole roast chickens.
But if he's doing supersets of biceps curls and dumbell flies and tricep pushdowns while I'm doing squats, bench and deadlift, well then we don't really have a common ground.
Finding a decent training partner is actually harder than finding a decent professional trainer, I've found.
Some people like spotters to do forced reps. There are a couple of guys at my gym who show up every week or two and help each-other with forced reps on every single rep of every single set. Rather than shoulder pressing 20kg dumbells with 5kg of force from your buddy, it's probably easier to shoulder press 15kg, I would have thought. But whatever makes them happy.
Normally I would only expect to see 1-2 forced reps at the end of the last set, and not otherwise, and a spotter is useful for that. But forced reps are not really possible for deadlifts, bent over rows, and so on - and yet people manage to get stronger on those exercises. So while it can help, you can probably do without it.
Otherwise, a training partner is very useful. You encourage each-other, you have greater confidence in trying to personal bests, and so on. But as others have mentioned, it's hard to find a good training partner. They need to have similar strength, goals, and training style to yours.
They don't have to be identical. If I'm benching sets of 40kg warmup to 80kg top weight and my buddy is doing 60kg to 100kg, it's not hard to add and remove plates. If he wants more size and I want more strength, well he can do 10 reps while I do 5 reps, so what, and he can go home and eat a couple of whole roast chickens.
But if he's doing supersets of biceps curls and dumbell flies and tricep pushdowns while I'm doing squats, bench and deadlift, well then we don't really have a common ground.
Finding a decent training partner is actually harder than finding a decent professional trainer, I've found.