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My bitching about a lame spotter thread

Lumberg

Lumberg

New member
Today fueled by the success of my 405 DL I decided to max out on bench. I was shooting for 225. My previous best was 205, like 2 years ago. So anyways I set up 195 for a single, no prob. I am feeling strong. Spot was fine.

So I put 225 on there and ask the same guy for a spot. He's all "C'mon you got this" and I'm like, hell yeah I got this. I get the lift off, proceed to lower the bar to my chest and start to press. I start to stall but by no means had the bar stopped moving. He grabs the bar and basically upright rows it back onto the rack.

I even told him that I was maxing out.

I was like "WTF!!!" I just sat there looking pissed off for a couple minutes. This is the only guy at the gym who is more jacked than I am so I figured he knew what he was doing. I don't really know him or anything.

I was pissed because the rep was hard enough that I doubt I had it in me to do it clean again.

I guess it DOESN'T go without saying.

Next time I will have to specifically say "do not help me unless I really, REALLY need it."

Ok bitching done. Please feel free to add your own horrific spotting experiences.

JC
 
Its hard to find a good spotter...
Most of the people who I work out with have next to no idea on how to spot... Kind of pisses me off sometimes..
Ryan
 
that's better than the spotter I had freshman year, basically my friend thought you needed a spot when the weight went back down to the bottom position... so if you were benching or squating and the weight was halfway up he would start to help untill you were in the lowest posityion possible, ie the bottom of the lift, so the weight would actually come back in the reverse direction:mad: :mad: He didn't spot me after one week...
 
On the other hand, my training partner has horrible form on everything. One day he was benching what I was benching, which was more than he could handle. On the whateverith rep, his right arm started to go back down, while his left stalled. His face was bright red and he was going down.

So I pulled him out of it, and the first thing he said was "What the hell are you doing? I had that!" :mad:

On the other hand, I've only had good luck with asking random (much bigger than me) people to spot me. Well, except for the personal-trainer-esque motivation they spout off, which never ceases to amuse me!
 
Last edited:
You should have told the guy exactly how you wanted to be spotted. Strangers don't know your strengh, and will usually err on the side of caution. Thats why I don't like using spotters I'm not familiar with. When I do ask for a spot, I always tell the guy exactly how many reps I'm going for, and not to touch the bar unless I'm stuck.

And when I spot someone, I do also ask them how many reps they want to do, and how much help they need.
 
Haz said:
You should have told the guy exactly how you wanted to be spotted. Strangers don't know your strengh, and will usually err on the side of caution. Thats why I don't like using spotters I'm not familiar with. When I do ask for a spot, I always tell the guy exactly how many reps I'm going for, and not to touch the bar unless I'm stuck.

And when I spot someone, I do also ask them how many reps they want to do, and how much help they need.
Click to expand...

Bullseye.
 
Haz said:
You should have told the guy exactly how you wanted to be spotted. Strangers don't know your strengh, and will usually err on the side of caution. Thats why I don't like using spotters I'm not familiar with. When I do ask for a spot, I always tell the guy exactly how many reps I'm going for, and not to touch the bar unless I'm stuck.

And when I spot someone, I do also ask them how many reps they want to do, and how much help they need.
Click to expand...

I usually do the same thing; like I said I mistakenly thought he knew what he was doing. Douchebag.

I WILL bench 225 clean.

JC
 
I'm with haz, if I call for a spot that isnt my training partner, I tell them in no uncertain terms to NOT touch the bar unless I call for it, and 99% of the time I never need it anyway. If someone asks me for a spot, I tell them right off that I'll only touch the bar if they're about to get crushed, I dont have the energy to do an upright row. I find I dont get asked much though as when I get asked to spot someone that only does half reps, I ask them why they dont want to get any bigger...
 
the best kind of spot is the kind you don't use.

my tactic for spotting is crouching down when they are having trouble, putting 2 fingers below the bar, and saying "COME ON!"

that works 99% of the time.
 
Lame spotters?

Brothers, tell me about it.
Fellows who can't spot worth a blooming thing.
Just the other week, I was going for a one-rep max bench of 650.
I collared two men and frog-marched them over to the bench.
"Spot me", I ordered.

One stood on either end of the bar. I gripped the bar, removed it from the bar stops, and brought it down and pressed it back up, screaming with effort the entire time. I then said 'ok, mates, two more!" and lowered it down. While pushing it back up, I needed a pound or two of upward pressure, and hissed to the spotters "ok, boys, I need your help". Well, the two daft buggers grabbed the bar, and groaning with effort, pulled it up, totally ruining the forced rep I was hoping for.
Once the bar was back, I stood up, faced them, and roared "DO YOU CALL THAT A FUCKING SPOT?!!!", then I gave each of them a tremendous backhand slap across the face, sending them flying back on their arses.

What ever happened to a good spotter?
 
My spotter failed to pull my 315 incline once. I was not very happy.

Make sure your spotter can handle the weight!
 
My gym has a few of those two-man, bench/row combo teams. Comical. The spotter is always yelling "It's all you!" even though he's doing half the work.
 
I dont use spotters anymore as my routine is based around dumbells for my pressing movements that I would normally need a spot and machines for things like squats that I would normally need a spot on. But when I was doing heavy benches and squats when I was powerlifting I had some similar experiences as you guys. I fucking hate for someone to even put their hands or fingers near the bar until I say so.
 
Re: Lame spotters?

Huh????? Is this meant to be a joke or serious or what?

Victorian guy said:
Brothers, tell me about it.
Fellows who can't spot worth a blooming thing.
Just the other week, I was going for a one-rep max bench of 650.
I collared two men and frog-marched them over to the bench.
"Spot me", I ordered.

One stood on either end of the bar. I gripped the bar, removed it from the bar stops, and brought it down and pressed it back up, screaming with effort the entire time. I then said 'ok, mates, two more!" and lowered it down. While pushing it back up, I needed a pound or two of upward pressure, and hissed to the spotters "ok, boys, I need your help". Well, the two daft buggers grabbed the bar, and groaning with effort, pulled it up, totally ruining the forced rep I was hoping for.
Once the bar was back, I stood up, faced them, and roared "DO YOU CALL THAT A FUCKING SPOT?!!!", then I gave each of them a tremendous backhand slap across the face, sending them flying back on their arses.

What ever happened to a good spotter?
Click to expand...
 
Re: Lame spotters?

Victorian guy said:
Brothers, tell me about it.
Fellows who can't spot worth a blooming thing.
Just the other week, I was going for a one-rep max bench of 650.
I collared two men and frog-marched them over to the bench.
"Spot me", I ordered.

One stood on either end of the bar. I gripped the bar, removed it from the bar stops, and brought it down and pressed it back up, screaming with effort the entire time. I then said 'ok, mates, two more!" and lowered it down. While pushing it back up, I needed a pound or two of upward pressure, and hissed to the spotters "ok, boys, I need your help". Well, the two daft buggers grabbed the bar, and groaning with effort, pulled it up, totally ruining the forced rep I was hoping for.
Once the bar was back, I stood up, faced them, and roared "DO YOU CALL THAT A FUCKING SPOT?!!!", then I gave each of them a tremendous backhand slap across the face, sending them flying back on their arses.

What ever happened to a good spotter?
Click to expand...


LMAO!!!! I would LOVE to do that!
 
Re: Re: Lame spotters?

joncrane said:



LMAO!!!! I would LOVE to do that!
Click to expand...

I would live to be able to say a complete sentence while pressing 605 "okay boys, I need your help"
 
needsize said:
If someone asks me for a spot, I tell them right off that I'll only touch the bar if they're about to get crushed, I dont have the energy to do an upright row.
Click to expand...

How many change their mind after you tell them that?


Joker
 
I was doing 405 on the incline once and got a random spotter. I told him to keep his hands on the bar and help me only when I needed it. The guy just gives it to me. haha Got stuck on my collar bone for a while until 3 guys came to lift it off. All giving me nasty looks and shit. Then the guy asks me if Im going to sue him. haha
 
My worst spotter story was fairly recent. A guy was going for 420 on the bench and there was 3 of us spotting - center and both sides ( I was on his left side). He wanted a lift off on 3. So he couts 3, and I and the center guy lift - guy on the right does not, until he wakes up and realizes he was supposed to - but it leaves the guy on the bench struggling for a few seconds.

He goes down with the weight, gets about 1/3 the way up and stalls and then it just barely starts to drop - again I and the center spotter are ready and start to lift, but again the guy on the right is asleep - and joins in only after the other 2 of us have lifted the bar about 3 inches - leaving the guy on the bench unbalanced for awhile.

Needless to say it got around the serious lifters in the gym who definately NOT to ask for a spot.
 
hmmm........... another revived thread from over a year ago.

walking beast.......... if your reading thru the old files, start a new thread if you want to talk about it again. stop bringing up post that have no response in over a year.

X
 
Bad spotters can lead to bad injuries.

For god sakes, if a person hits a sticking point on bench press, keep him moving, but not to the point where you freak out and lift the bar.
 
oh......... this is exodus.......... i actually am the one that posted cheesecakes post above louden's.......... i forgot to clear out cookies when i signed in.

X
 
Doktor Bollix said:
My gym has a few of those two-man, bench/row combo teams. Comical. The spotter is always yelling "It's all you!" even though he's doing half the work.
Click to expand...
Ha, Ha! Thats funny as hell, there are two slobs in my gym who cant even handle two plates by themselves with good form, and they do the bench/row combo with over 3 plates, scream so everyone can hear them and then strut around like they are bad asses when they're done.
 
JOKER47 said:


How many change their mind after you tell them that?


Joker
Click to expand...

not enough...I tell them that then they say, "can you help me get it off the rack", if you cant get it off the rack yourself you sure as hell aint benching it for reps.
I find since I'm one of the top 3 biggest guys out of over 3000 memebers, guys are always asking me for spots then trying to put up way too much weight to impress me, not realizing that a low weight with perfect form is what impresses me
 
Yup, I hate those spotters that try to help you too much.

One time I asked a fairly large guy to spot me for reps of 255 on flat bench. I told him I wanted to get 7 reps. Anyways, he helped me on EVERY rep, and this was my first set, so it basically a waste. He probably thought I couldn't lift it because I wasn't as big as him...uggh.

When I spot someone, I only use my index fingers to help them get it up when they fail, unless the bar is about to crush them.
 
i only help someone when the bar is going down.

thats it.....

this usually eliminates me from being asked to spot again.

i dont help them at all.

X
 
my story is about my first cycle,I was incline db pressing the 80's and I was new to that weight so I got a spot,well I got out two hard reps and the spotter was looking elsewhere and next thing I know my righ arm gives out and boom 80lbs right to the chest and I dropped the other 80lber on the floor which made a hell of a racket,I was pissed right off about that bullshit
 
Whenever someone asks me to spot, I drive the forklift that I have parked outside into the gym and park it right behind the bench. I use the forklift to unrack the weight and lower it onto the person I'm spotting and proceed to assist him with his reps.
 
Supersizeme..... this use to be funny until I found out that you deadlift less than 950.. so now its not funny
 
dude..i know how u feel. i would tell guys before the lift begins not to grab the bar unless i say so!! i had another experience myself. i was doin board presses for reps when my spotter(who was weaker than me) re-racks the weight scuffing my left hand between the bar and the rack itself. i tell him to "hold it..hold it" but it took him too damn long to notice it and then lifts the bar up enough to get my hand out of the way. there was bleeding but the next set...got a different spotter. tb
 
Re: Lame spotters?

Victorian guy said:
Brothers, tell me about it.
Fellows who can't spot worth a blooming thing.
Just the other week, I was going for a one-rep max bench of 650.
I collared two men and frog-marched them over to the bench.
"Spot me", I ordered.

One stood on either end of the bar. I gripped the bar, removed it from the bar stops, and brought it down and pressed it back up, screaming with effort the entire time. I then said 'ok, mates, two more!" and lowered it down. While pushing it back up, I needed a pound or two of upward pressure, and hissed to the spotters "ok, boys, I need your help". Well, the two daft buggers grabbed the bar, and groaning with effort, pulled it up, totally ruining the forced rep I was hoping for.
Once the bar was back, I stood up, faced them, and roared "DO YOU CALL THAT A FUCKING SPOT?!!!", then I gave each of them a tremendous backhand slap across the face, sending them flying back on their arses.

What ever happened to a good spotter?
Click to expand...

I don't know.

But why did you waste all that energy slapping them? Isn't that what Nobby is for? What about running them over with your Rolls?

Really though, why not get competent spotters in the FIRST place? Why do you piss about with the retarded guys and all these weaklings?

English "noblemen"...psh. I'll make this very plain for you, "mate": get REAL spotters, have Nobby on hand to whip any insolent-types and onlookers, and get on with your life already.
 
I have had very few problems with spotters but I only pick out people who can do the job. I mean if your benching 400 or something you need a guy who can dead lift 400 if need be, for that matter I don't ever need more than a touch of help to get the rep in.
 
well, man, that might have not been what you were expecting, but look on the brighter side - there are two ways for a spotter to mess up, and he picked the better of two ways.

Folks at my gym never ask for a spotter in advance - except me. Nonetheless, they often NEED a spotter so I usually pause a moment when I see someone struggle.

I can do so much more with a spotter there because I don't give a second thought to what I'm capable of - and always find I have one more rep in me than I would without a spotter. Plus the liftoff is a pain in the ass to solo.
 
MJBossman said:
He probably thought I couldn't lift it because I wasn't as big as him...uggh.
Click to expand...


I have one of those chameleon like bodies. Depending on what I am wearing and who I am standing next too I can look like I am huge or like I am average. I am 6'1 210 LBS and fairly lean (9-10%) so if I dress one way I look buff, if I dress another way I look average. But I am fairly strong for my size.

I can remember going asking to work in on some tricep pressdowns. These guys had like 80 LBS on the machine and said "Gosh, I don't know we are going fairly heavy". I said "Thats okay, I just want to do one set as a warm up". They looked surprised as I pressed it easily for reps - I mean it really was a warm up. I know to them I looked kind of small, which made it sort of fun to do what they had worked up to as a warm up.

Every once in a while I see another similar chameleon - does not look like much but then he does something that makes others take notice. You can't always judge a guy by how he looks.
 
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