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I was lifting at my local gym tonight, which is really more of a "health club" type thing that has a side room with a rack, bench, smith, and dumbells. I was squatting, 275, not huge like some of the guys that come in, but enough. So I had the weight on, and was on my second set, and some old guy wearing an employee shirt comes running over and yells at my to rack it and I did. I'm kind of a regular, I lift a few times a week either at school or here, but I hadn't seen this guy before. He chewed me out for a good five minutes about safety because I did not have a spotter. Granted, I didn't have the clamps on, but I had the rails in. How do you get spotted squatting? Anytime I have ever squatted or seen someone squat, with the exception of like world records, the only safety device was the rails. Was I wrong? How the hell is someone going to spot me? Like if I fall, the rails keep me from being crushed, what else is there to do?
The employee must have been new or just completely inexperienced. Nobody regularly squats with a spotter. I'd chalk it up to the gym being a "health club" type thing.
With rails in you don't NEED a spotter, but its usually good to have a buddy just incase. To spot a squat you just stand behind the lifter and help them raise the bar when they call for it, usually they don't need much help just 5 lbs off makes a world of difference.
Put the clips on though, no one is impressed by some guy loosing his weights all over the place before falling over.
Sounds like this old guy was just Broki in disguise.
Yeah you're supposed to have a spot when you're squatting. The way it works is you have the person stand behind you and when you start to fail, they grab you under the armpits and pull you up. If you are doing serious weight you might want a guy spotting at either end of the bar too, like so:
That being said, I don't think it's a huge deal, but better to be safe.
frosted_flakesunless you're actually going to push yourself I guess...
That's what the rails are for, AFAIK. If you fall, the rails catch you, and if you can, you rack it. I keep the rack lowish if no one is around, and rack it if I can't get all the way up.
frosted_flakesunless you're actually going to push yourself I guess...
I push myself on a regular basis and I don't think I've ever had a spotter. That said, I use bumper plates and a lifting platform and can drop my stuff if I need to bail.
So people use spotters. Some don't. The dude shouldn't have yelled at op for squatting without a spotter. Maybe given him a hard time for not using clips, but not for not having a spotter.
To take the homo out of spotting a squat, just stand off center, hips open to the side with your knee under the squaters ass. This eliminates the dick to ass contact potential. You'll still be able to get your arms under their pits to help chest up, unless you have t-rex arms.
Having a "lifting buddy" is annoying as fuck.
Just make sure that you're doing an amount that you can handle on your own, and know when you won't be able to do another rep.
Wheaty214Having a "lifting buddy" is annoying as fuck.
Just make sure that you're doing an amount that you can handle on your own, and know when you won't be able to do another rep.
The dude was definitely overreacting.
The amount you can handle on your own might vary day to day and you might fail unexpectedly. Also the rails are good for safety obviously, but if you fall you could hit your head on the bar, you could hurt your back trying to keep the weight up, you could twist and the bar could miss the rails, the bar could bounce on the rails and fall off, etc.
Still not saying that the guy was right in yelling at you. But if you fail, the rails aren't necessarily enough to keep you safe. And even if you have a spotter, they don't have to grind up on you like most of the pictures show. They could stand back and then hop in to help once you start failing.
And what I mean by pushing yourself is going until failure purposely from time to time
Also (I forgot to add this), you can definitely make progress without missing reps. I haven't dropped a squat in ages (maybe finished a rep or two early) and am still hitting pr's.
well for one that guy is a fucking dumbass if he interrupted you if you were mid lift. When i first got into lifting i was with my friend in the gym on base, and he had on 305, repping. one of the younger guys came running up and tapped him on the shoulder telling him to put the weight down. my buddy was fucking pissed and dropped the weight right then and there getting in his face. You don't ever bother anyone while lifting mid rep. you break their concentration and can honestly hurt them badly. especially when they are going up on a lift.
should my buddy have blown up on the kid....no, but he had no right to interrupt him mid lift, even if it was breaking policy weight limits. not bashing you OP, but 275 is nothing that a worker at the gym needs to be flipping out about. I would try and talk to him respectfully and not like a jackass (not saying you are one) and reason with him. if he says it's over the policy ask to see it in writing and if he can't prove it....LIFT THAT SHIT BRO!
frosted_flakesI'm required to squat to failure sometimes for my lifting program. If you have a spotter then it's perfectly safe.
I would very much like to know what this program is and where you got it. I don't think there are any (respected) lifting coaches out there who would actually recommend squatting to failure.
Seriously. Do a two minute google search and there is almost universal consensus that squatting to failure is a bad and dangerous idea.
Profahoben_212she had a boyfriend...still shoulda hit it though. She said she woulda, fuck morals lol
I believe I speak for the entirety of the NS community when I say we are very disappointed in you for not seizing the opportunity to pee in what was described as a nice butt.
Steezy_PeazyI believe I speak for the entirety of the NS community when I say we are very disappointed in you for not seizing the opportunity to pee in what was described as a nice butt.
zzzskizzzwhen you have to spot somebody for squatting its kinda gay. I assume this thread was going to be about a Planet Fitness which I did get banned from.
.frenchyHahahaha it actually is a pretty good amount if you're repping it.... bro I bet youre so big bro
People always make insane claims on how much they can lift on here. I remember one kid said he could deadlift 400 and some change, and people were playing it off like that was a normal amount of weight to be lifting.
zzzskizzzPeople always make insane claims on how much they can lift on here. I remember one kid said he could deadlift 400 and some change, and people were playing it off like that was a normal amount of weight to be lifting.
Then you see a real pic of them and they're a fuckin twig, a lot of e-bodybuilders nowadays
.frenchyHahahaha it actually is a pretty good amount if you're repping it.... bro I bet youre so big bro
I play football, so it's nowhere were it should be. I lift under my size. I'm 6'4 240, I should be lifting more. I see small guys repping 225 for like 5x15. I can't do that.
If you honestly think 275 is a huge weight (for someone my size), you are pretty far off. Sorry.
.frenchyThen you see a real pic of them and they're a fuckin twig, a lot of e-bodybuilders nowadays
Or dudes on instagram who have insane claims in their bio and "Bodybuilder" and there entire account consists of other people's cars and shirtless pics of a dude who shouldn't be shirtless. I saw this guy getting into an instagram beef over a picture of a 'rari... Instagram is full of tools.
Steezy_PeazyI play football, so it's nowhere were it should be. I lift under my size. I'm 6'4 240, I should be lifting more. I see small guys repping 225 for like 5x15. I can't do that.
If you honestly think 275 is a huge weight (for someone my size), you are pretty far off. Sorry.
Lol well how was I suppose to know you were 6'4 240?! C'mon guy... You have like 100 pounds on me, I really don't squat much I'm more of a bench press guy anyway and I'm just glad I can throw 200+ a few times while bein a lightweight
.frenchyLol well how was I suppose to know you were 6'4 240?! C'mon guy... You have like 100 pounds on me, I really don't squat much I'm more of a bench press guy anyway and I'm just glad I can throw 200+ a few times while bein a lightweight
Yeah I probably should have mentioned that earlier...
Gotta get my squats up though, it takes a LOT of pop to get my fat ass into the air....
Steezy_PeazyI play football, so it's nowhere were it should be. I lift under my size. I'm 6'4 240, I should be lifting more. I see small guys repping 225 for like 5x15. I can't do that.
If you honestly think 275 is a huge weight (for someone my size), you are pretty far off. Sorry.
Yeah... 275 is like warm up weights (unless your repoing. I did 3 sets of 10 at 275 a couple weeks ago. The 5x5 at 315 the day after. It was awful).
I'm the same height, but have another 30-40 lbs on you.
saskskierYeah... 275 is like warm up weights (unless your repoing. I did 3 sets of 10 at 275 a couple weeks ago. The 5x5 at 315 the day after. It was awful).
I'm the same height, but have another 30-40 lbs on you.
Yeah, so it's warm up weights for a guy who weighs 250+ pounds?
Squatting 275+ is a lot for most people at the gym, brag more BROOOOOOO.
saskskierYeah... 275 is like warm up weights (unless your repoing. I did 3 sets of 10 at 275 a couple weeks ago. The 5x5 at 315 the day after. It was awful).
I'm the same height, but have another 30-40 lbs on you.
I would argue 275 is a big squat for a "health club."
275 is not "warm up" for the majority of lifters. I wouldn't say I have a necessarily strong squat, but back when I use to care about my max, I barely broke 305. I'm also close 90lbs less than you.
In your defense, for someone weighting at 270-280, 275 would be nothing. Discrete placement of a humble brag.
