Spotting


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1. Stand behind your lifter here. You might want to ask the lifter if they need a “lift-off” (an assist lifting the bar off the rack before the first rep begins).

2. You should also ask the lifter how soon they would like your help: immediately or whether you should let them struggle with the weight before jumping in. Generally, for a novice you should jump in immediately, whereas you might permit an advanced lifter to struggle with the weight for a bit.

3. From there, let the athlete lift and when you see him or her reach a point where they are unable to move the bar, use a reverse grip (one overhand and one underhand), to ensure you can pull the bar up should the lifter fail during the lift.


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