Spot Me!

A spotter is a gym buddy, trainer or anyone who gives you a helping hand (or two) during the process of lifting a weight.  The spotter can be of great assistance in the initial lift of the bar as you attempt a bench press, helping you stabilize your lower body during chin ups and giving you the “you can do it” cheer for encouragement.

Spotters can be very beneficial if you have a goal of gaining strength or hypertrophy (since working toward these types of goals will often require progression in the form of increasing the load/weight).  Spotters give you the confidence to “put on another plate” because if the weight becomes too heavy they can be your safety net.

Spotters can also be of value for endurance gains, agility and even for other exercise methods that don’t utilize dumbbells or barbells (i.e. yoga, pilates, etc.).  In these situations spotters can help you maintain the correct form (as the form will often suffer when speed is enhanced and fatigue sets in).

Next time you are in the gym, bring a buddy to spot you. If you are lone gym ranger you can always yell “I need a spot” and usually a friendly gym member or trainer will oblige.

Looking for a solid strength training routine? Check out the following to sculpt your target areas:

• Back, Shoulders and Abs
• Gorgeous Arms: Biceps/Triceps
• Beautiful Chest, Gorgeous Back, Magnificent Abs!
• Beach body: Thighs
• Beach body: The perfect derrière