Lifting without a spotter

[rapless]

I'm considering going solo with my workout efforts for a little while. My trainer has helped me a hell of a lot, but going solo would be an opportunity to save some money for at least a while, and also trying new things outside of my trainer's methods.

None of my friends lift, so I guess I'll be without a spotter in my new efforts. How will this affect my progress? I want to begin lifting heavier with fewer reps, keeping it in the 8-10 rep range as per DIESEL's guide to bulking/cutting. I guess repping to failure is out of the question in this case (not safe or practical), but do I still stand a good chance of putting on good muscle despite that?

 

[Warboss Alex]

You can still go to failure (whether you should or not is another matter) without a spotter and many people train solo. Your exercise selection may be a little limited as far as barbell benching goes but you can use dumbbells or get a spot from a random gym member.
it shouldn't affect your progress at all.

 

[DJDamage]

Your exercise selection may be a little limited as far as barbell benching goes but you can use dumbbells or get a spot from a random gym member.

Or if your gym has a Smith Machine you can do a bench press and squats much easier then free weights, although don't rely on them too much.

 

[Warboss Alex]

Or if your gym has a Smith Machine you can do a bench press and squats much easier then free weights, although don't rely on them too much.

depends on your level of experience.. if you do 400-500lb smith squats then yeah they're good, but if you can't squat 200 yet stick to free weights.

 

[mrRuckus]

I bench solo in the rack. If i can't finish a rep it's easy enough to set it down on the safety bars and scooch out from underneath it.

 

[blinkwatt]

You'll be cool without a spotter. If you want to go till failure use dumbbells on your last exercises that way to can drop them if you need to,you can't do that with barbells.

Good Luck!

 

[DarthJuan]

I train solo.
There has been a couple of instances where things have gotten hairy.

I had been doing regular, flat bench presses earlier in the week. No problems at that particular weight doing five sets of four.
I then did the same bench press weight later that week, but with the bench inclined - I nearly took my head off lifting it the very first time because I wansn't ready for that weight at an incline.
I just didn't really have much energy that workout, I didn't realize I was feeling so flat and "blah". Luckily, one side of the bar caught on the stand on the way down, which prevented it from falling straight down onto my forehead. So only one side came crashing down behind me while the other side lay caught up on the stand. Luckly, all I got was a little cut on my hand from getting it crushed under the bar when the bar hit the stand.

Be careful.

 

[BMX]

It's good to see I'm not the only one who trains solo with weights. Rest/Pause throughout a set if you have to with barbell exercises.

 

[Quiksilver]

just ask for some random to spot you on your worksets. You shouldnt need a spot for warmups.

 

[donjuanjovi]

Use a power rack, or ask somebody to spot you.

Never use a smith machine...............Never.

 

[mintxx]

I bench solo in the rack. If i can't finish a rep it's easy enough to set it down on the safety bars and scooch out from underneath it.

roger. also, if you're mega into failure, if you set the bench press fairly high, you can do slow forced negatives down to the safety catches, get up, re rack it, and go again. most bench presses have a lower set of safeties about an inch from your head level.

 

[mrRuckus]

You'll be cool without a spotter. If you want to go till failure use dumbbells on your last exercises that way to can drop them if you need to,you can't do that with barbells.

Good Luck!

Yeah man.. and bonus:

You can always be the cool guy who slams them down as hard as possible after every set of of 4 half reps at a weight 10 lbs too light.

 

[mrRuckus]

Never use a smith machine...............Never.

Ridiculous.

 

[int3l]

i go without a spotter and it's not really that hard at all. i usually achieve close to failure on the 3rd set of the last rep and i think that's whats meant to happen anyway. You're going to have to mentally prepare yourself though..mental power!! lol but seriously it helps.

and usually people at the gym will help out when your in a hairy situation. like...it was embarassing but i wasnt able to lift the barbell at one point and i kind of rolled it to my legs (it was incline chest) and some beef'd up guy came over and helped me set it back up...lol

 

[mrRuckus]

The thought of getting pinned summons super human strength in me. "Oh no i've failed.. wait a second no spotter.. sh1t sh1t ARRRRGHHH.. oh that was easy."

 

[stronglifts]

Who want to spot my one arm snatch?

The only lift you truly need a spotter would be the bench press. If you can press more than 1.5 your bodyweight.

I train without spotters, go heavy & do max attempts weekly. Learn to know your abilities.