“I Got Your Back” – Teammates in the Weight Room

By Michael Irr

You don’t mess with teammates.  It is a unique bond sealed with sweat, tears, and emotion that resonate through the hard work at practice and the competition on game day.  Teammates have each other’s back on and off the field, and while working with the strength and conditioning staff, this should be no different.  Just as motivation and accountability are demanded of teammates in the weight room, awareness and safety are equally important.  There are only two ways to get hurt while strength training: 1) bad technique and 2) accidents - both of which can be prevented with proper spotting.  But let’s not think of it as merely spotting, we’re looking out for our teammate.  Here are a few ways to prevent injury in the weight room with a few tips on correct spotting.

1.  Hey, you’re not Superman, get a spotter.  You never know when an accident may occur making you wish you had a teammate there to grab the bar off of you instead of pealing it off your chest.

2.  Before starting a lift:

·         Know proper spotting – if you don’t know how for an exercise, ask a strength coach!  Don’t put a teammate at risk of getting hurt.

·         Know proper technique

·         Be sure you are strong enough to lift the weight your teammate is attempting

·         Know how many reps your teammate is doing – COMMUNICATE!

·         Be attentive to your teammate at all times – stay focused and COMMUNICATE!

3.  Barbell exercises typically require only one spotter, but if the weight is extremely heavy then three spotters can be used- one behind the lifter and two at the ends of the barbell on the outside

·         GRIP – always use an alternating grip when spotting because it forces to the bar to stay locked in your fingers rather than sliding out at the thumbs

4.  For dumbbell exercises use two spotters (if possible), one for each dumbbell, and when providing help, do so at the wrists (closest to the weight), not the elbows.

5.  Spotting is NOT used for lifts done on the platform (power clean, snatch) because your teammate can simply bail by throwing the bar.

6.  Communicate to your teammate whether you want a lift off and how you want it handed to you.

7.  Always help your teammate rack the bar by grabbing it (alternate grip) or pushing it against the rack while the lifter’s limbs are in full extension, then let the bar slide down the supports.  Make sure that both you and your teammate’s fingers are not between the supports and the bar.

These procedures seem tedious but in order to practice and play, athletes must stay healthy and use every precaution to prevent being sidelined in the weight room.  You’re teammates for life, but you only get to play with each other for at most four years (maybe five), so let’s not let one unsafe weight room event decrease the time you have together.