Is A Weight Training Spotter Required For Significant Muscle Building?

One of the most vital bodybuilding concepts for maximum muscle building is failure, where a bodybuilder takes a certain weight lifting exercise to a level of fatigue where no further repetitions are possible, and this necessitates some form of spotting on certain exercises, especially those involving the legs and chest, so many opt to enlist the assistance of a weight lifting partner so that they can always have a safety mechanism to protect against injury.

Even bodybuilders who otherwise prefer performing bodybuilding workout sessions alone decide to find a partner specifically to allow failure on certain weight lifting exercises, and for those who cannot find a companion for such a purpose, they will inevitably join a gym and interrupt other busy weight lifters to offer a spot during various sets, which is not only frustrating to any bodybuilder who seeks to complete a workout without distraction, but realistically, finding such a spotter is not always easy depending on the circumstances. Although there are some bodybuilders who can locate reliable weight lifting partners to accompany them for every workout, the chances are far greater that this will not be possible, leaving either the random spotter method (asking various gym members for help), which as mentioned is bothersome and distracting to others, or requires the use of machines exclusively, which naturally prevents the need for any spotting whatsoever.

But what if a bodybuilder seeks to train with free weights on workout exercises such as the bench press, shoulder press, and triceps press, and wishes to perform these particular weight lifting movements alone, without the benefit of a spotter? This is easily doable through use of a power rack (also referred to as a spotting cage), where two beams allow positioning at a variety of locations to protect a bodybuilder from becoming trapped underneath a heavy weight during his or her workout. Since a power rack has movable spotting bars, the unit is not only helpful for upper body weight lifting exercises such as the triceps press, but also for the squat and calf raise, lower body movements which many seek to engage in using a free weight barbell instead of machines.

Some opt for a squat rack instead of a power rack, and this is a serious mistake given that the spotting beams offered by a power rack are designed specifically to serve as a protective mechanism in case a bodybuilder loses control of the weight, while a squat rack does not allow this vital level of protection. With a power rack, spotting is easily doable without the aid of a partner, as you can place the barbell on a smaller set of pegs for initial lift off, and the large, long spotting beams are positioned lower for total protection during each weight lifting set. Many gyms offer power racks, although some may only invest in one, and bodybuilders who understand the value of this particular piece of workout equipment will quickly monopolize the device, which requires those who also seek benefit to either "work in" (which is extremely inconvenient unless both bodybuilders are using the same workout exercises and weight, which almost will never occur), or wait until the power rack is no longer occupied, which is wasteful if you are on a strict schedule (and others may then ask you to "work in" as well!). So, if you have sufficient space at home, purchasing a power rack for your basement or home workout room is a far better alternative, as utilizing a power rack along with a workout bench, two dumbbell collars, barbell and free weight plates, amazing muscle building is possible at home, alone, as you will reach failure safely on all weight lifting workout exercises without need for a spotter.

The other insurmountable problem with attempting to locate a weight lifting partner to spot during heavy bench pressing and other similar workout exercises is that, unless you train with an army of numerous extremely strong bodybuilders, it's quite possible to become trapped underneath a weight even when a spotter is watching over you, as reaching failure, by its very definition, requires that you can no longer muster the energy to complete a repetition on your own power, and for any spotter to lift dead weight from a standing position is extremely difficult, to the point where the spotter may be unable to help you avoid becoming stuck underneath a barbell as your energy reserves decline during a workout set. Yet with a power rack, this is not an issue, as you adjust the spotting beams to a position where the barbell cannot cause you to become trapped underneath, regardless of how monstrous a weight you may be using for your bodybuilding workouts, so I strongly recommend, even if you train with a reliable and very strong partner, to always use a power rack for spotting during all pressing exercises so that you can ensure a high level of safety and substantial intensity without unnecessarily risking a severe injury.

Francesco Castano authors MuscleNOW.com, a bodybuilding routine for muscle gain without supplements or drugs. He also owns FatVanish.com, teaching exactly how to lose weight without supplements.