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Articles » Health & Fitness » Muscle Building » Is A Weight Lifting Spotter Required For Substantial Muscle Growth?
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- Article Views: 738
- Word Count: 849
- Date Contributed: Mar 09, 2009
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| Is A Weight Lifting Spotter Required For Substantial Muscle Growth? |
One of the most important bodybuilding concepts for maximum muscle gain is achieving failure on each workout set, where a bodybuilder takes a certain weight lifting exercise to the point where no additional repetitions are possible, and this requires some form of spotting on certain exercises, especially those involving the legs and chest, so many opt to pair up with a weight lifting partner so that they can always have a safety mechanism to reduce the risk of injury.
Even bodybuilders who otherwise prefer performing bodybuilding workouts alone decide to find a partner specifically to protect themselves when reaching failure on certain weight lifting exercises, and for those who cannot find a friend for such a purpose, they will soon join a gym and interrupt other busy weight lifters to offer a spot during certain sets, which is not only agitating to any bodybuilder who is attempting to complete a workout without distraction, but in reality, finding such a spotter is not always possible depending on type of gym. Although there are some bodybuilders who can locate trustworthy weight lifting partners to accompany them for every workout session, the chances are far greater that this will not be possible, leaving either the random spotter technique (asking various gym members for a watchful eye), which as mentioned is quite rude and distracting to others, or requires using machines exclusively, which naturally prevents the need for all spotting.
But what if a bodybuilder wishes to train with free weights on workout exercises such as the bench press, shoulder press, and triceps press, and wishes to perform these specific weight training exercises alone, without the benefit of a partner? This is easily doable through use of a power rack, where two beams allow positioning at a variety of locations to protect a bodybuilder from becoming trapped underneath a heavy weight during the workout. Since a power rack has adjustable spotting bars, the unit is not only helpful for upper body weight training exercises such as the bench press, but also for the squat and calf raise, lower body movements which many wish to perform with a free weight barbell as opposed to machines.
Some opt for a squat rack instead of a power rack, and this is a mistake given that the spotting beams which comprise a power rack are designed specifically to serve as a protective mechanism in case a bodybuilder relinquishes control of the weight, while a squat rack does not allow this important level of protection. With a power rack, spotting is possible without assistance from a weight lifting partner, as you can place the weight on a small set of pegs to begin the exercise, and the large, lengthy spotting beams are positioned lower for complete protection during each weight lifting set. Many gyms provide power racks, although some may only invest in one, and any bodybuilder who understands the value of this particular piece of workout equipment will quickly monopolize the device, which requires others to either "work in" (which is extremely intrusive unless both bodybuilders are using identical workout exercises and weight, which almost will never occur), or wait until the power rack is no longer occupied, which is wasted time (and others may then ask you to "work in" as well!). So, if space permits, purchasing a power rack for your basement or home workout room is a superior option, as combining a power rack along with a workout bench, two dumbbell collars, barbell and free weight plates, dramatic muscle gain is possible at home, alone, as you will reach failure safely on all weight training workout exercises without need for a spotter.
The other serious difficulty with attempting to find a weight training partner to spot during heavy shoulder pressing and other similar workout exercises is that, unless you are surrounded by an army of numerous extremely powerful bodybuilders, it's quite easy to become trapped underneath a weight even when a spotter is watching, as reaching failure requires that you can no longer muster the energy to complete a repetition, and for a spotter to hoist dead weight from a standing position is extremely difficult, to the point where your weight training partner may be unable to help you avoid becoming stuck underneath a barbell as your available strength declines during a workout set. With a power rack, this is not an issue, as you simply transfer the spotting beams to a location where the barbell cannot cause you to become trapped underneath, regardless of how heavy a weight you may be using for your bodybuilding workout session, so I firmly recommend, even if you train with a trustworthy and very powerful partner, to always rely on a power rack for spotting during all pressing exercises so that you can ensure a heightened sense of safety and maximum intensity without needlessly risking a severe and dangerous mishap.
Francesco Castano authors the  www.MuscleNOW.com web site, which is a workout plan for muscle building without supplements or drugs. He also owns the www.FatVanish.com site, where you will find his natural fat loss program.
Article Source: UnArchived Articles
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