The Essential And Rare Art of a Good Spot

SportsAli Tuserkani — Published March 15, 2011

A good spot is an essential commodity for any weightlifter. Let’s forget about good and bad spots for now. A spot itself is an essential component of any weightlifters regimen.

Hence, the spotter has a lot of responsibility, one that allows no room for mistakes. A bad spot will not be forgotten. Because of this, it is an art in itself to find a good spotter.

You must be able to filter through the many types of spotters. First, “The Grunter.” You’re working out, but they are doing all the grunting, and sweating—“Come on! One! One! More! Argh! Ya?!”

Second, “The Spotter Who Doesn’t Want to Share.” They don’t support you when you need it, but rather try to do the reps for you—“You want a turn buddy?”

Third, the “Never Spotted Before.” They look at you with a smile while on your last rep the bench bar is lying flat on your chest, and your face is turning blue. They look at you confused, with a face that ponders, “Should I take it now?”

There is one other category, of course: “The Good Spotter.”

“A good spotter makes it all about the other guy. There has to be trust, otherwise someone could get hurt—that’s why your [spotter] is there, right?”
—Jordan de Lima,
Personal Trainer &
President of Mind Body Soul

“A good spotter makes it all about the other guy. There has to be trust, otherwise someone could get hurt—that’s why your [spotter] is there, right?” said Jordan de Lima, personal trainer and president/founder of Mind Body Soul. “There’s nothing worse than a bad spot and nothing better than a good one.

“You can really push yourself [and] its instant confidence, the confidence that lets you lift 100lb dumbbells, getting you closer to your full potential [and] finishing all your reps; that is the point, and when you get that, you’re on top of the world,” continued de Lima.

This spotter should first be observant and focused on you.

Second, they should know how much help to give; two hands aren’t always necessary, and a good spotter could give you a good spot with just one finger.

Third, they sort of need that gift—which might just be a matter of experience—but they need to focus and take on that supporting actor role.

A good spot, with its instant boost to your confidence, and that sense of security, is looking like an obvious benefit to any weightlifter’s progress. But how do you find one?

“I’ve been personal training for around five years, and its gym code. You can tell, you look around, you see their own form, how they’re working out—you might have no choice sometimes and have to settle just so you can finish your sets, but with selection, usually you can tell,” said de Lima.

With all of this said, it seems like when you find a good spotter, buy them a protein shake, give them your banana.

Whatever you do, don’t burn that bridge—they are a critical factor in your success, and will make all the difference in reaching your full potential.