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2003/05/02, 01:17 AM
Pardon me, but I must vent.
I went to the gym tonight to work on shoulders. I got there a little bit later than usual because I wanted to get an extra meal in me since I knew what I had in store for myself. I get over to the cage where I plan on doing my free weight military presses. Go through my warm up sets, and I can’t find my regular spotters. My friend, who is a trainer there, said both had trained earlier. My back-ups weren’t there either. So, I said, okay, I’m sure I can find SOMEONE, right? Now, I’ve been losing patience with this gym over the last few months since it is becoming not very conducive to my training goals: they don’t have a military press rack, so I have to use a cage; I have my trainer friend stand on the end of the bench so it doesn’t tip when I do military presses because it’s not fixed to the ground and can tip (I drive with my legs); they don’t let you use chalk, etc., etc…
Anyway, so I find these two guys working out together and ask if I can bug them for a spot. The one says okay, and tells the other one to keep lifting while he’s spotting me. I said that I would prefer both of them, particularly for the lift-off; he goes and rolls his eyes, and waits for the other guy. Right then, I should have said forget it, but I thought I’d give them the benefit of the doubt. I don’t know about you, but I don’t trust anyone to spot me by himself when I’ve got 275 lbs over my head unless he power cleans some mean pounds!
So, they come over. Again, I got 275 on the bar (free weight, not smith). I have to tell them twice what I need them to do. They help with the lift off; I give the nod, and start the descent. I was feeling really good: body in a good position; overcame the mental “crushing” sensation very rapidly (feeling you get any time you’re doing a heavy lift); had the bar under great control on the way down. I get to the bottom, and start my ascent. I get to about my nose level, and all of sudden, I realize I don’t see my freakin’ “spotters!!!” They had stepped back away from the bar! Well, there goes my concentration out the window, as well as my lift! I lost it, and was holding onto it at about neck level waiting for them to help me rack it. After about 3 seconds, they finally help me lift it, and it took them 3 tries to get it sitting right on the rack. Even my friend noticed they had stepped back, saw my face, and realized what happened.
Ya know, I never rely on spotters for lifting the weight – that’s not there purpose. If I had any doubt about lifting the pounds, I wouldn’t even attempt it. What they are supposed to be there for is to remove the question in your head about “what if I can’t lift it?” thereby allowing you to focus your concentration on getting the weight up. They help talk you through it, and get you mentally focused. These yo-yos completely ruined my lift. I wasn’t so much pi$$ed, as I was annoyed. So, I packed up my gear, forgot about the rest of my workout, and came home. I’m planning on taking next week off anyway since I just finished my 8-week cycle, so I’ll come back better than ever then!
Idiots...
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Michael
"Trample the weak; hurdle the dead!"
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2003/05/02, 02:25 AM
this same thing happened to me when i was doing bench press. i didnt hav a spotter and so i went off and pick one who i thought would be ok to handle the weight. i had about 245 and was going to do it a couple of times so i had the spotter here. sure enough i only did three reps and on the fourth i stopped about half up and it started to fall. my spotter just stood here watching. i explained exactly what he had to do so i thought it was ok. i finally said help and he quickly treid to lift it. now he was a good size so i thought he was the perfect guy for the job.
back to the weight on me. i was sitting there with 245 resting on my chest and two other people had to come and help my spotter. it was a hard day and choose mt spotters more carefully now.
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2003/05/02, 08:54 AM
Hey rev Ya could move here....I would spot ya man....
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IF YOU CAN STILL ITCH YOUR NOSE AFTER ARM DAY, GO DO ANOTHER SET!!!
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2003/05/02, 09:39 AM
That's a terrible thing...not to have the reasonable support you need...and to think that they had no desire to help you to begin with....You would think that, working towards the same..or similar...goal, they would have been more cooperative..understanding at least...
Sorry some people aren't very nice Rev.
<smile> Maybe another gym?
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2003/05/02, 09:53 AM
Everyone in my gym seems afraid to talk, much more to ask for a spot. I make a point when I see someone with serious weight to be "available" in case they fail - even unasked - which is a small violation of gym etiquette. Funny, the ones who notice that I'm nearby go for an extra lift and thank me. But still nobody asks for a spot.
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2003/05/02, 10:25 AM
Boy, I am afraid to even start on this subject! I could fill a book with spotter horror stories. Be careful Rev, one of the easiest ways to get hurt.
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The one goal you will NEVER achieve is the one you never attempt.
Ron
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2003/05/02, 11:23 AM
it is a good thing that you weren't hurt!!! sorry that had to have happened to you!
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Bettia.... The secret of getting ahead is getting started.
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2003/05/02, 11:34 AM
Rev,
Listen to me now and believe me late-uh! You should have told the two little towel boys how truly insignificant and girlie they are, then pummelled their puny little bodies, and then used them for dumbbell curls. Yah. <clap>
Hans
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2003/05/02, 11:40 AM
Yah yah hear me know and think about me nevah! Cause just because they are lifting does not mean they can lift. In fact they are so girlie if they got in a fight with a mouse the mouse would win!
I am frans, we are here to pumup you up! yah!!!!
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IF YOU CAN STILL ITCH YOUR NOSE AFTER ARM DAY, GO DO ANOTHER SET!!!
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2003/05/02, 11:45 AM
LOL@ Mutt, where is Frans???lol!
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Bettia.... The secret of getting ahead is getting started.
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2003/05/02, 11:56 AM
That is sooooo funny, guys, and brings back great memories of my early 20s! My friend (230-plus as well) and I would do the entire Hans and Franz routine when a group of us would go out; in fact, it became quite the standing joke at this one resturant, where we would get requests for it any time we went.
"Oh, oh... look at da baby man, in his baby house! Your gurlfriend looks at chou, then looks at us, and says 'why am I wit such a loooooozer, when I could be wit real men?' Listen to me know, hear me lata, and rememba me next week - I could flick a baby man like you across da room wit my baby finger!" etc etc etc......LOL
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Michael
"Trample the weak; hurdle the dead!"
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2003/05/02, 12:00 PM
And, btw, thanks for support. I know what I'm doing, and so do my normal spotters.... that is what made me sooooo angry - that I tried to "make do" with what was available, and they ruined my lift! Morons.....
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Michael
"Trample the weak; hurdle the dead!"
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2003/05/02, 12:02 PM
Good one me and my firen Kempsey in college would do that as well at work had everyone rolling around
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IF YOU CAN STILL ITCH YOUR NOSE AFTER ARM DAY, GO DO ANOTHER SET!!!
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2003/05/02, 12:20 PM
Horror stories for spotter, what about the person who is the spotter, Everytime I spot for Ron, I am so afraid that I am going to lose it and he is going to get hurt, It is a shame that he has to even ask me, with all those big strong guys at the gym, But I would rather do it, then have happen to him what happened to you REV.
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I will lift my own weight someday!!!!!
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2003/05/02, 02:14 PM
I wonder if those guys ever really spotted someone before Rev - I've seen that happen before in my gym - people standing by watching , while they were supposed to be spotting (goons)- there should be a notice or something on the wall to let newbies know how to precisely spot someone. Some people just have no clue.
...I'd help ya, but I would probably need about 3+ more of me!
Hope next time's better for you.
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2003/05/02, 07:26 PM
Can't even say anything. Its brings your entire work out to a hault.
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2003/05/02, 10:54 PM
Spotters are really important as we all know. Too bad it ruined your routine.
At least you were the gentleman and walked away!
Good Luck with your next cycle.
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We must become the change we want to see.
Ivan Montreal Canada (aka SpongeBob Square Pants to some!)
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2003/05/08, 05:18 PM
If I'd have been there, I woulda done my best, man. But considering you were pressing nearly 100 pounds more than I weigh, I'm not sure I would've been much help.
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"Don't follow leaders and watch your parking meters!"
-- Bob Dylan
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2003/05/09, 01:12 AM
LOL, mack......... but thanks for the support!
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Michael
"Trample the weak; hurdle the dead!"
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2003/10/17, 10:33 AM
It is hard to find and keep a good training partner. I used to have the same problem when I went to a regular gym. It's a lot better for me now because I lift here at the SEZ of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium but I remember those days when I would ask 5 different people to spot me. My biggest problem in the gym back then was getting the spotter to not grab the damn bar to soon. I like to fight with the weight when its heavy. I don't want somebody grabbing it when I'm about to blow through my sticking point.
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2003/10/17, 01:36 PM
Exactly. I spotted a guy on Weds. on his bench. He was going for a PR of 455. He had complained that his last attempt, the guy who spotted him touched the bar too early, and it ticked him off. I'm just the opposite; on his ascent, he hit a sticking point about 6 inches off the chest, and all I did was yell at him, until he grunted "okay," and I helped him up with it. The point is that he got more benefit out of struggling with the weight (whether he made the PR or not), rather than me helping him lift the weight.
And, I know what you mean regarding your current facility. I'm coming to the end of my this current cycle (10 weeks as of next week). I'm planning on taking a few weeks off to avoid burnout, and then step in to some lighter training over the next 6 weeks. In Jan, I start my next cycle of my 1 rep strength training before going back to speed. I am considering returning to my alma mater UNLV to start training again under the watchful eye of their incredible S and C team. It's like, you know what you're doing, but there's nothing better than having some one else who knows their stuff as well critizing (good and bad) you every step of the way. Kind of "Can't see the forest for the trees" type thing...
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Michael
Trample the weak; hurdle the dead!
Chaos, Panic, Disorder.... Yes, my work here is done!
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