How to Ask Someone to Notice You on the Bench Press
Bench press can be scary as hell; I still have nightmares about being crushed to death and meeting my death at the NYC sports club, but if you have a spotter and communicate adequately with him, you shouldn’t worry so much.
“Finding someone is like opening the door for someone loaded with a courier,” writes the Wall Street Journal . “This is the kind of courtesy that can prevent an accident.”
And accidents do happen. Search Youtube for “Bench Press Accident” and you will start to spin in a spiral. (Second, don’t. This is awful.) Asking someone to spot you on the bench press is easy; However, it is a little more difficult to articulate what exactly you expect from the observer. But if you want to improve your bench press and be safe, just communicate each step and don’t be afraid to tell them when you don’t need help.
Tell your spotter’s representatives
First, let’s preface the topic of requesting a seat by noting that this is a matter of personal preference. How you prefer to be seen, may be completely different from your desired approach. For this reason, don’t be afraid to ask for what you need.
So when you’re ready for the bench press, find a spotter – preferably someone who has just finished a set and is able to rest so that you don’t inconvenience him. If you can manage to find someone who also does bench press, that’s even better, since you can return the favor to him. For the most part, any gym goer should agree as long as they are not uncomfortable with the idea or injured, according to the WSJ ; in this case, find plan B.
When you find him or her, be clear about how many reps you are trying to do so they can better anticipate when to help you, be it five reps or one. If you are confident in four out of five reps and not confident in the fifth, let them know. If you are aiming for three reps and, based on your experience, are more than confident in yourself, tell them. They need to know when is the best time to help you, if at all.
Alternatively, if you hate it when the observer swoops in too early or when it just seems like you are struggling (but you are not), just tell them that they do not need to grab the bar at any time, unless you explicitly ask for help in set time (or if you need help removing the barbell, which we will talk about a little later).
“Once they realize that reputation doesn’t count, if they touch the counter, they know they are not doing you any favors by helping,” u / Viandobulo wrote on a Reddit thread. However, this can be a matter of personal preference; Unless you’re a powerlifting competitor, it doesn’t technically matter what you do, let alone safety. As a beginner, you may feel more comfortable knowing that, for example, every rep will help you.
But if you want to be absolutely sure they don’t come too early, I use a combination of “I’ll let you know if I need help” or “You don’t need to grab the counter unless I tell you. “Others may advise the belayer that they do not need help unless they see the bar begin to lower during the concentric lift phase or when you have to push up.
By the time you are on the bench, let them know if you need help lifting the barbell, which is also a matter of personal preference. If you really need help, make it clear that you need help de-tracking before you start. If you don’t, the “I don’t need help getting off the rack” option will work. And by this time, you are finally ready to really reap; in general, this interaction should not last much longer than a few seconds.
As Todd Miller, professor of exercise science at George Washington University, told the Wall Street Journal , the spotter should use an alternate (top / bottom) grip and narrower than you when assisting. For the most part, both should instinctively approach the spotter.
If you need help at any time during your performance, please report it immediately. And if there is no one around to help you, the squat bench press is not a bad idea either. Just don’t burn with the rack for an hour, or you could earn embarrassment at your gym.