Powerlifting spotting tips for training safely in the gym

Safety briefings and drills are always conducted first thing in certain situations, including on flights, cruises, and amusement park rides. If we keep those instructions in the back of our minds from the get-go, we are then able to relax and enjoy the upcoming experience.

Lifting weights might seem radically different from the examples above; however, it makes just as much sense to learn how to handle emergencies before jumping into it as it does for other adventures. Alongside the effort and strain of lifting, there’s something else that makes it challenging. To put it bluntly, it is the fear of failing. After all, what does everyone worry about when squatting? Universally, it is getting stuck at the bottom – affectionately known as “the hole.” Second to that, lifters worry about being unable to get the bar to arms length on the bench press. These sound catastrophic in our minds, but they don’t have to be. We can calm down that alarm system pretty easily – especially by planning ahead. 

A major perk of lifting at SBWC is that there are people around to help you out of a tough spot. If you are unable to finish a squat or bench on your own, you’ll be assisted by a coach and/or other members ASAP. If you lift somewhere else, and want to be able to make progress, you might want to have a couple of solid partners to train with. It makes a world of difference. If not, there are still ways to keep yourself safe.

We want you to be prepared and worry-free no matter what the circumstance or where you train. These protocols will help you focus on lifting. They are logical and easy to put into practice. This guide will not only teach you what to do in the case that you are the lifter, but also how to be a spotter for someone else! Think of things from that point-of-view as you read through.

It’s important to know what to do in a variety of scenarios. Following is a series of scenarios. We’ll start with the one of the most challenging cases.

Situation #1

No Available Human Assistance (Worst Case Scenario)

BACK SQUAT

Before the lift even begins, set yourself up for success – set your safeties! If available, you should always have some sort of backup system that can catch the bar if you are unable to complete a lift. Most racks have a form of “safeties” on both sides. 

If possible, set them to a height that is low enough so the bar won’t make contact at your lowest depth, but high enough that the bar could come off your shoulders onto the safeties at a minimal distance – a few inches – while you are in a comfortable squat position. You should not be squashed down.

Now your system is in place. You are squatting but are having difficulty standing back up. At this point, your main job is to stay calm and separate your body from the bar. 

• If you partially stood up, get back into a low squat with as much control and balance as possible. Hold on to your brace if you can. If you are already in the hole, stay there.
• Guide the bar off your back in a backwards motion. At the same time, move your body forward by taking a step. 
• NOTE: Do NOT roll the bar over your neck or head! Again, you are squatting low, but not totally collapsed. 
• You should be able to stand up and recover.
• Unfortunately, you’ll have to take all of the weight off of the bar before you can move on.

BENCH PRESS

Where are your safeties set for the bench press? Ideally, they are at a height that, when you’re lying down and in a set bench position, the part of your upper body where the bar will touch is higher than the safeties. At the same time, if you were to deflate yourself and turn your head, the safeties are high enough that the bar would roll on them without touching your neck or face.

Again, now you have a good backup to help you out of a sticky situation. 

• Regardless of how far up the bar moved while pressing, it will end up back on your chest.
• At this point, let out your breath, collapsing your body so that the bar is not resting on it. 
• Roll the bar down a little bit towards your stomach. NOTE: Do NOT move the bar towards your neck or face.
• This should eliminate the contact between you and the bar.
• Slide your body to the head of the bench until you can sit up and get off of the bench.

Now that we covered the worst-case scenarios, let’s move on to the assumption that there are helping hands around. REMINDER: Use these following sections to learn how to be a spotter, too!

Situation #2

Unexpected Failure with People Nearby (but not in place as spotters)

BACK SQUAT

In this scenario, you’ve set your safeties (of course!), haven’t asked for a spot ahead of time, but there are capable humans nearby who can help you in a pinch. 

• If you cannot complete the rep, try to hold your position where you are, or go back to the transition point. In other words, if you are squatting, freeze in place or descend into the bottom of the squat. Either way, keep the bar on your back, maintain a firm grip, and stay tight and upright. 
• If no one notices that you need assistance, call out, “spot” in a clear voice.
• Two people will come to the sides of the bar, squat down, grip the ends of the bar, and all three of you will stand up together and walk the bar back into the rack. Again – TWO people should come over to help. It is much safer and easier than one.

BENCH PRESS

The action for the bench is very similar. 

• If you were in the course of pressing the bar up, hold it where it is. If you aren’t able to, or if the bar never moved off of your body, it is okay to hang out in that bottom position. Again, this is the transition point of the lift. However, it is important to keep a good double grip on the bar and hold tension in your entire body. Try not to use your torso only to support the bar.
• If no one notices that you need assistance, call out, “spot” in a clear voice.
• Either two people will come to the sides, or one person will come behind your head. 
• Staying on theme here – keep your grip on the bar. 
• Together, you will return the bar to the rack.

Situation #3

Spotter(s) in Place

BACK SQUAT

As with most things, preparation is the best defense. In the case of a back squat, ideally, the lifter who is concerned about completing the set has requested spotters beforehand. Two volunteers will stand on either end of the bar, outside the rack.*

• The two spotters will touch the base of their palms together, fingers curved, forming a “cup” around – but not touching! – the end of the bar.
• When the lifter unracks the bar and walks into place, the spotters walk out, too, staying in line with the barbell the whole time.
• As the lifter squats, the spotters squat with them.
• At any point, if there is downward motion while the lifter is attempting to come up or if the person “gets stuck,” the spotters will grasp the ends of the bar while the lifter will keep the bar on their back, and all three will come to a standing position, then guide the bar back into the rack. Note: Spotters should watch the bar as it goes back into the rack and try to keep it on an even plane instead of “lifting” it up into the hook. Hoisting it can be jarring and creates difficulty re-racking since the bar ends up being uneven.
• If the lift is successful, the spotters will keep an eye out as the lifter returns the bar to the rack. They can assist if necessary.

*With someone already in place, it is possible to use only one spotter, assuming they are relatively strong and capable. The spotter can stand behind the lifter and follow the movement, squatting in sync with the lifter. They will stand with feet shoulder width and, most importantly, arms reaching forward, positioned under the lifter’s armpits, with palms up. Alternately, they may have their arms extended, palms down, directly over the bar. A single back spotter should be used only when two people aren’t available. Ultimately, having a single spotter is better than none at all.

BENCH PRESS

In most cases, the bench press can be spotted safely with either one or two people. Everyone must know their limits – in all cases – but understand that someone can be a single spotter on the bench even if the lifter is benching a weight that the assistant isn’t able to do themself. It is not the spotter’s responsibility to take 100% of the weight when helping. Unless there are extreme extenuating circumstances, the lifter will bear a good deal of the load.

If there are two spotters, the process is very much like the back squat.

• Two volunteers will stand on either end of the bar, outside the rack.
• The two spotters will place their hands overlapping, slightly cupped, and directly under  – but not touching! – the end of the bar.
• When the lifter unracks the bar and settles into the start position, the spotters step out, staying in line with the barbell the whole time.
• As the lifter goes through the bench press, the spotters follow the action, keeping their hands in place under the ends of the bar. This may involve a small squatting motion for the spotters.
• At any point, if there is downward motion while the lifter is attempting to raise the bar, if it stalls for more than a few seconds, or if it drifts backwards towards the neck or face, the spotters will then grasp the ends of the bar while the lifter will keep a firm grip on the bar, and all three will push the bar up to arm’s length, then guide the bar back into the rack. Note: Spotters should watch the bar as it goes back into the rack and try to keep it on an even plane instead of “lifting” it up into the hook. Hoisting it can be jarring and creates difficulty re-racking since the bar ends up being uneven.

If there is a single spotter:

• One volunteer will stand behind the bench at the lifter’s head. 
• The spotter may help unrack the bar (see note below) by using a mixed grip – one hand overhand and one underhand.
• When the lifter unracks the bar and settles into the start position, the spotter remains in place, keeping close but avoiding getting into the eyeline of the lifter.
• As the lifter goes through the bench press, the spotter follows the action. If any repetition starts to look difficult, the spotter will move themself and their hands closer. 
• At any point, if there is downward motion while the lifter is attempting to raise the bar, if it stalls for more than a few seconds, or if it drifts backwards towards the neck or face, the spotter will then grasp the bar inside the lifter’s hands – closer to the center of the bar – in a mixed grip. At the same time, the lifter will keep a firm grip on the bar, and both the spotter and lifter will guide the bar up to arm’s length, then back into the rack. 

When spotting the bench, especially as a single spotter, it is a courtesy to ask the lifter if they want a hand-off and, if the lift is successful, to guide the bar back into the rack.

What is a hand-off? Also known as a liftoff, the hand off is the action of assisting the lifter get the bar out of the rack before the initial repetition. To do this properly, the lifter and spotter(s) communicate. What is the timing? (Examples: “On my count of three.” “On your count of three.” “I’ll take a breath and then nod and then we go.”) How gently or sharply should the unracking be? Where relative to the lifter’s body should the spotter guide the bar before letting go? 

At SBWC, we like to have fellow members practice all of this during sessions. When that happens, the coach will watch the entire thing and give any necessary instructions to make it a smooth process. We encourage everyone to learn these safety measures and be confident to step in when they can!

Regardless of where you train or who you train with, it is a much better experience when you know the “escape plan” – the way out of a sticky situation. If you are pushing yourself, failure at some point is inevitable. But it doesn’t have to be tragic. It can actually be a relief to go through the process of not completing a rep and seeing how easy it is to manage. Most of the time it is a pretty banal experience and reminds you that failure isn’t catastrophic. You just regroup, reset, and live to lift another day.