Trainning without a partner

[MikeyFXD35]

So I'm at the gym the other day and had to pull 255lbs off a guy doing bench press. I train without a partner and have no issues asking for a spot. I never had anyone say no, I have never said no to anyone, why are some affair to ask? If you train alone and you want to push it. Use a machine or ask for a spot.

[cheesesteak]

Ego

[gicantor]

I wonder what his ego felt like after that

[faller]

Some guys are just too insecure to ask. Personally i have found the guys with the big ego are the ones that will ask for a spot, and than the spotter ends up spotting 50% of the lift. At least thats been my experience.

[gsxr750]

I'm afraid to ask. I use the smith machine. I don't like interrupting other peoples workouts..

Unless big Tavi is there I get him to spot me and ask him 100 questions :-)

[GYMBRAT]

I ask when needed so long as the guy looks legit enough to have the know how on what to do in case of emergency ..lol and I also have no probs at all helping out when/if needed.

I also used to love having a lifting partner, but now days I like to go at my own pace!...heavy, fast and get out!

[tiramisu]

I stopped free weight bench press since I joined my new gym. At home I have a freespotter so I always use my bench but at the gym I have been using the hammer strength flat and incline benches.

I wouldn't be comfortable with a stranger "spotting" me. At most I might ask someone to keep an eye out and help me pull it off my chest but I wouldn't want them touching the bar while I was actually lifting.

[LIVEHARD]

I'm afraid to ask. I use the smith machine. I don't like interrupting other peoples workouts..

Unless big Tavi is there I get him to spot me and ask him 100 questions :-)

Thats a great idea !!!!! Hey TAV are you ready

[Big D]

I never ask anyone I dont like bugging people, if I dont have a spoter I just use db's

[O-Train]

I ask when needed so long as the guy looks legit enough to have the know how on what to do in case of emergency ..lol and I also have no probs at all helping out when/if needed.

I also used to love having a lifting partner, but now days I like to go at my own pace!...heavy, fast and get out!

Me too, although I've never had a workout partner. Generally I will get to know the people who work at the gym. They are usually bored and more than happy to give me a spot. Even with these people I give them very detailed instructions at least the first couple of times so they know what I'm going to do and I know what they're going to do.

[waderow]

I hate getting a spot at my gym, as I am the only one serious there. The rest of the guys go there to talk, and then do partial rom with 225 then pose in the mirror.
I asked for a spot about 6 months ago, and the guy spotted me like he spots his faggot friends and took all the weight. I was so pissed off. Made me look strong, but **** off.

I ranted and raved about it that day in that forum. LOL Now I can see how they can so easily do 205 for 8

[LonelyBedouin]

I dont have one but I dont ask for a spot, I just do it in a cage and set up the bars on the sides. Altohugh I used to ask, but only asked those who I know, they know what there doing

[LIVEHARD]

I hate getting a spot at my gym, as I am the only one serious there. The rest of the guys go there to talk, and then do partial rom with 225 then pose in the mirror.
I asked for a spot about 6 months ago, and the guy spotted me like he spots his faggot friends and took all the weight. I was so pissed off. Made me look strong, but **** off.

I ranted and raved about it that day in that forum. LOL Now I can see how they can so easily do 205 for 8

205 For 8 straight bar curls or upright rows ?? I hope

[MikeyFXD35]

You need to pick carefully, I usually look for someone that looks they they lift and wait till they just finish a set and are going to break. I usually use the smith but like to push on the free weights to see were I'm at.

[C-money]

the only guy that spots me is epicphail... and thats only on heavy sets like 1-5 reps... once you know your body and what youre capable of..you should know your limits.

[MMASTAR]

Once you've been at your gym for a while you should know who to get a spot from and who not to, i hate when a spotter tuins a set by taking all the weight or by panicking grabbing the bar and racking it very quickly or by letting it fall to your chest and then waiting for you to ask before he touches it, if you are asked for a spot and the weight looks like to much or you dont know how, just say so.

[Ritch]

For heavy benching nothing beats using the squat cage with the pins set right above your chest. Plus you don`t have to bother anybody.

[LIVEHARD]

the only guy that spots me is epicphail... and thats only on heavy sets like 1-5 reps... once you know your body and what youre capable of..you should know your limits.

X11110000000

[cheesesteak]

I hate getting a spot at my gym, as I am the only one serious there. The rest of the guys go there to talk, and then do partial rom with 225 then pose in the mirror.
I asked for a spot about 6 months ago, and the guy spotted me like he spots his faggot friends and took all the weight. I was so pissed off. Made me look strong, but **** off.

I ranted and raved about it that day in that forum. LOL Now I can see how they can so easily do 205 for 8

Your gym has guys repping 225? I've only seen a handful be able to handle 135 where I train.

And no... I don't train at Curves.

[O-Train]

Your gym has guys repping 225? I've only seen a handful be able to handle 135 where I train.

And no... I don't train at Curves.

Good lord. In high school I occasionally spotted a girl the same age as me. I think she got up to a 180lb bench. Not right down to the chest, but still you get my point.

[cheesesteak]

When I go to train the majority of people are either doing cardio or core work. Lots of curling too.

Girls in the weight room are only doing squats.

And then you have the people paying serious dough for that personal training where you jump all over the room and look retarded.

[faller]

once you know your body and what youre capable of..you should know your limits.

And thats where i have a problem. When it comes to the bench i have already failed on the lift in my head, i can't help it, it's just the way it is. Knowing i have a spotter on hand lets me get that extra rep i normally wouldn't on my own. I only have had my wife spot for me, she know's when i need help and when i'm pussying out.

I guess what i'm saying is i know what my limits are and i don't like it, i need to somehow get beyound that limit.

[GYMBRAT]

the only guy that spots me is epicphail... and thats only on heavy sets like 1-5 reps... once you know your body and what youre capable of..you should know your limits.

but. you also can't push yourself past the next 1-2 extra reps way past failure neither, I've been lifting for over 20 yrs as you know and I know my body very well....but to each their own I spose ;)

...exactly Faller

[LIVEHARD]

When I go to train the majority of people are either doing cardio or core work. Lots of curling too.

Girls in the weight room are only doing squats.

And then you have the people paying serious dough for that personal training where you jump all over the room and look retarded.

You go to my gym I think ??

Home of the F'kin BALLS

[O-Train]

but. you also can't push yourself past the next 1-2 extra reps way past failure neither, I've been lifting for over 20 yrs as you know and I know my body very well....but to each their own I spose ;)

...exactly Faller

I agree, even when I'm squatting with submaximal weight. When I go to failure, rest enough time to take some weight off then go to failure again. I couldn't do it mentally or physically w/o a good spotter. For every working set of bench press, military press and squats I have a spotter. Also most of the time with heavy dumbell presses.

I feel bad for the guys who can't get a good spotter, you're missing out.

[C-money]

but. you also can't push yourself past the next 1-2 extra reps way past failure neither, I've been lifting for over 20 yrs as you know and I know my body very well....but to each their own I spose ;)

...exactly Faller

Ya its not bad to push passed your limits on some sets.. but its not required all the time... I guess the thing that bugs me is when guys RELY on spotters.. The classic situation is on dumbells when guys need help on the first rep... im sorry but if you CANT get the first rep yourself youre using to heavy of weight imo..

[GYMBRAT]

Ya its not bad to push passed your limits on some sets.. but its not required all the time... I guess the thing that bugs me is when guys RELY on spotters.. The classic situation is on dumbells when guys need help on the first rep... im sorry but if you CANT get the first rep yourself youre using to heavy of weight imo..

oh yeah C I agree 100% man, no worries I'm on your side brutha ;) was just adding my crap lol

[faller]

I guess the thing that bugs me is when guys RELY on spotters.. The classic situation is on dumbells when guys need help on the first rep... im sorry but if you CANT get the first rep yourself youre using to heavy of weight imo..

Oh absolutely!! I'm talking about doing my 5 to 6 reps and just knowing i have a spotter on hand will let me push out 1 or 2 more reps with little to no assistance. And yes not always..

I personally find the bench an intimidateing excercise.. I' will always be 2 to 3 reps away from positive failure without a spotter, it's been a weakness of mine for years.

[_Ragnar_]

my bad

[cheesesteak]

This doesn't sound like a place you can excel at. I would look around for a different gym. Somewhere with people who have the same goals as you, people who can push you. Shit I thought I was a bitch I can only bench 205 for reps. My w/o partner benches like 365. And I wouldn't call my gym hardcore.

No other gym around me. Why couldn't I excel there? What other people are lifting doesn't affect me in any way.

[waderow]

Oh absolutely!! I'm talking about doing my 5 to 6 reps and just knowing i have a spotter on hand will let me push out 1 or 2 more reps with little to no assistance. And yes not always..

I personally find the bench an intimidateing excercise.. I' will always be 2 to 3 reps away from positive failure without a spotter, it's been a weakness of mine for years.

I can do failure on bench with no spotter by ignoring form and lifting ass on last rep... not something I want though

[LIVEHARD]

This doesn't sound like a place you can excel at. I would look around for a different gym. Somewhere with people who have the same goals as you, people who can push you. Shit I thought I was a bitch I can only bench 205 for reps. My w/o partner benches like 365. And I wouldn't call my gym hardcore.

You can train anywere BB is about you knowone else Focus your mind and you'll do fine

I would rather train at a shit gym 5 min away than a great gym 45 min away

[_Ragnar_]

No other gym around me. Why couldn't I excel there? What other people are lifting doesn't affect me in any way.

If it works for you thats awesome. I feed off other people. Thats just the way I am, I have always trained around people stronger than me. I guess its just what im used to. I didnt mean to come off like a dick, i just read my post again. sorry

[LIVEHARD]

If it works for you thats awesome. I feed off other people. Thats just the way I am, I have always trained around people stronger than me. I guess its just what im used to.

Im not arguing but I belive you have to be able to train alone.

Not always but you can't live for other people to get the job done.

[_Ragnar_]

That wasn't what i meant at all. I have learned so much from people at the gym. I just think, especially starting out, that being around more "hardcore" guys can be really helpful. I train alone at least 3 days a week.

[LIVEHARD]

That wasn't what i meant at all. I have learned so much from people at the gym. I just think, especially starting out, that being around more "hardcore" guys can be really helpful. I train alone at least 3 days a week.

I agree and I disagree I like hard core gyms but i would rather save the time and walk 5 min than drive 20 or so in city traffic.

[_Ragnar_]

I live in a small town. We have two gyms that are BBer friendly. both are less than 5 km from my house

[LIVEHARD]

I live in a small town. We have two gyms that are BBer friendly. both are less than 5 km from my house

Cool 5 million in my town

I hate small towns everyone knows who you F'k how you F'k and you know !!!!!!!

[faller]

I live in a small town. We have two gyms that are BBer friendly. both are less than 5 km from my house

I've got a couple of buddies that train at those gyms, they said they have everything a guy needs.

I know what you're trying to say bro, it's kinda like saying that if you want buisness success in your life you suround yourself with people that have been successfull at buisness. Its sort of the same thing with BBing, surround yourself with big BB's and you have this drive to achive what they have already achived.

[_Ragnar_]

^I train at fitness connection Im sure I know some of them

[#8]

I have told people I didn't want to spot them before. I was doing max lifts, and I could tell they were struggling with the weight they were doing and I didnt wanna do most of the work and **** up my own workout so I just said no....

Is that a dick move?

[tex]

ive never had a training partner until now but i know its gonna make my #'s go through the roof...seeing as he is a shw....before having a training partner i wasnt "that" limited tho....only bad thing was the box squats out of the cage (i squat reeeeeally wide).....a lil scary with no spotter but you can always just dump it if you have to.....i would alway bench in the cage with the pins set so i just have to suck in and act skinny to slide out if i ever got in trouble.....

[AlladdinSane]

I used to love spotting guys that normally let their spotters lift all the weight. If they failed as soon as the first couple of reps, I'd let the weight sit on their chest for a couple seconds, watch them turn purple, ask them if they were ready to have me take the weight off of them, and then ask them when they sat up, "What happened? I thought you were good for 8 reps with this weight... Did I misunderstand you?"

Then I'd chuckle as I'd walk away...

I don't have to do that much anymore because all the guys at my gym are smart enough to not do that (as a lifter OR a spotter).

[musclehead123]

^I train at fitness connection Im sure I know some of them


How long has that gym been in business for? I had a friend that lived in parksville about 10 years ago, i think thats where he took me too. Very nice place, parksville is I used to love the sandcastlel competitions. There were a couple guys from my gym that actually competed in the show there.

To the OP,

I only liked to get a spot from a few different people ever. I would tell whoever would spot me "dont touch until the weight has stopped for 2 seconds" some people would say yah sure no problems and as soon as they would see me having any kind of difficulty they would grab the weight. It would ruin my exercise. Only a few people would actually listen, ahhh i miss my old gym too bad it closed down.

[_Ragnar_]

fitness connection has been in business 20 plus years

[C-money]

I used to love spotting guys that normally let their spotters lift all the weight. If they failed as soon as the first couple of reps, I'd let the weight sit on their chest for a couple seconds, watch them turn purple, ask them if they were ready to have me take the weight off of them, and then ask them when they sat up, "What happened? I thought you were good for 8 reps with this weight... Did I misunderstand you?"

Then I'd chuckle as I'd walk away...

I don't have to do that much anymore because all the guys at my gym are smart enough to not do that (as a lifter OR a spotter).

Hahahaha that sounds like me AS! Been there done that!:a+

[rated_rko]

i dont like asking for a spot but ill spot someone if they need it

[theboss]

Hahahaha that sounds like me AS! Been there done that!:a+

ditto......

i prefer to train alone...i have a good idea of what i can & cant lift for reps.