How to Be the Best Spotter in the Gym

Spotting is an important aspect of weightlifting safety, yet it's not something that is ever taught to gymgoers. Having a spotter gives you security and a little extra help to push yourself harder.

Here are some guidelines and rules-of-thumb, both for spotters and for lifters, that will make you a much better (and much safer) spotter.

1. Ask how the person you are spotting wants to be spotted. Some people, when doing dumbell exercises such as the bench press, prefer to be spotted at the elbows by pushing up from underneath with their elbows in your palms, while others prefer the wrists (pulling up on them). Neither way is necessarily right or wrong, it is a matter of preference.

2. Determine the rep range the person is going to be working in. If you start spotting at five reps and they're doing ten, you've just ruined a set. If, on the other hand, you had to start spotting at five and they said ten, they may be expecting another five forced reps out of you.

3. Never take the weight away from the person (unless they really need it taken away for safety reasons). This is especially true on barbell exercises when you're spotting on the bar. Do not pull or push so hard on the bar (unless they ask) that it takes the tension off the muscles. Good spotting means you just add enough force to keep the bar moving. When spotting exercises such as curls, spot by placing your hands under the lifters hands and pushing up on their hands rather than lifting on the bar itself. This will ensure you don't take the weight away as you spot.

4. Find out if the person is going to do any set extension techniques, e.g. negatives, drop sets, forced reps, etc. You should know exactly what's going on so you can be prepared for it. You don't want to mistake an intensity technique for muscular failure that requires a spot.

5. Don't scream encouragement at the person without first making sure they want that kind of thing. It can be very distracting and not everyone likes it or needs it.

6. When spotting on bench press, be sure to...

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