Spotters are often confused with personal trainers, but the truth is that they work in a totally different capacity. A personal trainer focuses their efforts on the overall development of the lifter, focusing on form and technique. A spotter works to support the lifter while they are lifting weights and working out.
Some lifters will only need their spotter for a certain lift, while others will use their spotter throughout the day for multiple lifts. The following are a few things to consider before hiring someone to be your spotter.
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Which Types Of Lifts Require Spotters
Spotters are often confused with personal trainers, but the truth is that they work in a totally different capacity. A personal trainer focuses their efforts on the overall development of the lifter, focusing on form and technique. A spotter works to support the lifter while they are lifting weights and working out.
Some lifters will only need their spotter for a certain lift, while others will use their spotter throughout the day for multiple lifts. The following are a few things to consider before hiring someone to be your spotter.
Where are spotters needed?
There are two main types of lifts that require spotters. The first type is the deadlift, and the second is the squat. Each of these has several different variations, including the level of difficulty and how much range of motion is available. Generally, you’ll want your spotter to be at least a decent height, as well as have good leg and arm strength. Those with poor upper body strength may also benefit from a spotter, as strength in that area will improve drastically when lifting weights.
There are many more common variations of the deadline, including the bent-over row, reverse curls, and standing one-arm rows. While these all involve lifting weights, some unique positions can be used to develop functional strength and build muscle mass.
For example, many people who bench press and squats will use a seated position while doing the exercise. This allows for a greater stretch of the lower back and glutes and will help to protect those areas from being strained during the actual exercise.
Cross-training exercises are an excellent way to ensure that your muscles get the most use possible, while still improving your fitness level and adding new muscle mass to your frame. The best exercises to do this with are ones that don’t require a spotter, since you can handle them on your own without anyone’s help.
Some examples of these types of workouts include walking, jogging, running, or using a stationary bike. Each of these is an excellent workout that will develop different muscle groups without stressing you to the point where you get painful and exhausted easily. Any good trainer knows that any exercise that you can do without the help of a spotter is beneficial, even if it does mean that you’re not making as much progress as you would if you had a spotter.
Those who are looking for ways to gain muscle mass and build more muscle should consider resistance training, which involves the use of weight and bodyweight exercises to build muscle and improve strength. One of the best exercises for building muscle is the deadlift, which will strengthen the shoulders, chest, and back as well as add size and definition to your upper body.
Anyone who wants to increase their vertical ability will need to know how to perform overhead presses, bent-over rows, and squats, among other exercises. Any good trainer will tell you that the most effective workouts are those that involve performing compound exercises with several muscles at once. For example, deadlifts, bench presses, and squats are great for developing core muscles while simultaneously developing leg power and getting a higher vertical.
Those who are looking to develop their upper bodies and build solid core muscles should consider doing overhead presses with dumbbells, bent over rows with a barbell, and reverse rows with a cable pulley system. Those looking to build strong shoulders, chest, and arms should consider doing an overhead press, dumbbell rows, bent-over rows, and squats with free weights. Those who are looking to build strong abdominal muscles will do squatting exercises with a weight bench or cable pulley machine, bent over rows, and deadlifts with a weight bench.
The same is true for all exercises that involve using free weights other than those that use a spotter. Without a spotter, if one barbell weight plate hits another weight plate, the lifter will likely suffer an injury. Thus, lifters must know when to use a spotter and when they should do free weight training without a spotter.
Conclusion
Because lifters need to watch each other during their workouts, most gyms will make sure their members have spotters with them during every session. Many gyms have a wide range of weights and benches that can be used for spotters, so make sure to find one at your gym.
If your gym does not yet have spotters, make sure to ask the staff what they would recommend as far as a good spotter. If a gym already has spotters on staff, make sure to ask the staff what they recommend for you as well. A great way to find a good spotter at a gym is to ask for recommendations from other members of the gym.
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