Ep. 17 | A Good Spotting Crew Keeps You Safe And Unlocks Your Full Potential

Ever felt a rock-solid set turn sketchy in a blink? We’ve been there and that’s why we’re unpacking the real reasons spotting should be a priority when you’re moving meaningful weight. Safety is the first objective, but the bigger story is how the right spotter crew sharpens focus, frees your mind, and actually helps your squat and bench move faster and cleaner.

If you’re lifting at loads where real consequences exist, grab a spotter, set clear roles, and let the energy of a good crew lift with you.

 Enjoyed this one? Subscribe, share it with a training partner, and leave a review to help more lifters train safer and stronger.

Transcript

Setting The Stage

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Welcome to another episode of the Fortis After Hours podcast. I'm your co-host, Nate, joined by my wife Liz. Hi. And sounds like Toby needs to join us as well. There you go, partner. You want to do your intro? Okay. Yep. Um, anyways, thank you for joining us for another episode of the podcast. We have an awesome one today. We're gonna be talking about spotting and getting a spotter and why it's important. And we're gonna, you know, obviously give you guys one reason that you've probably thought of before uh hint safety. Uh and then something else that you'll have to stick around for if you want to find out what that is that quite possibly might be as equally as important in my opinion.

SPEAKER_01 0:43

And I feel like this has come up in conversation frequently at the gym lately, which is why we wanted to talk about it. Yeah. Because it has been like a very frequent topic of conversation.

SPEAKER_00 0:55

Yes. Um, so first things first, you know, we'll start with, of course, safety is the number one reason right there. Um, and you know, specifically talking about our squats, bench, and deadlift. Um, deadlift not so much, mainly squats and bench. Um, but having a good spotter or a few spotters, especially if you're lifting a lot of weight, is definitely just going to be the safest way to make sure you're staying safe while you're training. I think that's uh one thing that always cracks me up is like people like, oh, like I'm not planning on failing or I'm not doing this. And it's like, and I mean I get that.

SPEAKER_01 1:28

Like I'm I mean, really, no one should be going into it unless you're planning on failing.

SPEAKER_00 1:32

Planning on failing, but you know, if it's a weight that can basically, if you're lifting a weight that you feel like possibly could hurt you, it's probably a good time to get a spot.

SPEAKER_01 1:41

Um I mean, even I would even go as far as that. Like, because I don't ever go up to weight and be like, oh yeah, this could probably hurt me. Like, if I started thinking about that, I would never squat the weight I'm squatting. Um, ever.

SPEAKER_00 1:52

But I my coffee is a slushy.

Safety First On Squat And Bench

SPEAKER_01 1:54

Yeah. Okay. Um, but like I don't really know where I was going with that exactly because that just totally threw me off track there. But like no one is gonna be like, oh yeah, this weight could probably hurt me. Because I mean, technically you could get hurt with like one plate, like if you totally mess something up or if you do something wrong. Like, no one is going into a lift thinking that like, oh yeah, this is probably gonna hurt me. Like, but weight can hurt you even if you're not thinking about it. So I feel like pretty much for like most like top sets or working sets or things like that, it is just smarter to have a spot because you really never know what could happen while you're lifting. Like you could have some freak accident, some freak injury. I still remember there was one day, which this is taking me a long time to work back up to this weight without getting a spot, but it was I don't even know if you remember this, but it was I was squatting, it was uh 319. There's two reds and a green. And I it was a very regular weight for me, like one that I was doing regularly. Yeah. And I still don't know what happened, but I almost kind of went like night night in the middle of the lift, and then I like started going down, and then I was like, oh god, no, I need to stand back up. And like you kind of like saved me and like got me back up and in, but like I still don't know exactly what happened because then I like did it right afterwards and was totally fine. But it's just one of those like weird freak things that like you technically don't know. So it is just smarter for like to get a spot your own body because it's way better to just be like, hey, can you spot me on this and like not need it than it is to be like not ask someone to spot you and then accidentally get hurt doing it when it could have been prevented if maybe you had a spotter.

SPEAKER_00 3:44

And that was yeah, that was kind of my point. Like, I mean, you can, like Liz said, you can get hurt from like any weight. And like, I don't, I mean, I'm not saying I spend time thinking about it, but I do understand that weight is heavy and and you know, weight you just never know. Like Liz said, like, you never know what it could do and or what you could do, and or you know, sometimes you have like equipment malfunction. Sometimes clips come off, sometimes you hit the rack, like things like this happen, and you just are never sure. So I think that having a spotter or a few spotters, depending on what kind of weight you're lifting, um, is just a nice way to have just a safeguard against number one, having those thoughts because you might be thinking, like, oh man, like hopefully. And number two, you are literally going to be safer lifting with a spotter or two uh than not. So that way you can focus on like we always tell people, you can focus on what you're doing. You're supposed to be lifting the weights, not thinking about like other things, whatever, like you're here to lift the weights. And you know, having a spotter, that's one super simple, like probably pretty obvious reason why you want one is just so that you're safe.

Freak Accidents And Near Misses

SPEAKER_01 4:47

And I will say, like, just to talk a little bit more about being safe, like if you were to be like benching or squatting, whatever, and you get like a little tweak or a little something, like your knee like starts to give out a little bit, or like your arm or chest or whatever, and like you have a spotter of someone that like can save you and catch you and pull it off of you, like okay, maybe you have like a little tweak. But if you don't have someone there and you get like just a little tweak and then you fail it without a spotter, you could get like way more seriously injured than like maybe just like a little oops, like that kind of hurt a little bit, and then like you're fine the next day versus a catastrophic. Yeah. Yeah, because I think So it's just kind of part of it too. Like, I don't know, like of course, we don't want to ever think about getting hurt. No, but like if it happens, like I would rather have a little like, oh, that was kind of uncomfortable, and then I'm saved and we're fine, versus like, oh my god, my knee feels like it's giving out, and now I'm gonna fail this squat and fall with this bar on top of me. Like, way worse situation.

SPEAKER_00 5:48

Yeah, and I think that um, you know, like having having this spot just it just kind of it's gonna clear your mind whether you realize it or not. Because some of you may be listening to this, you're like, I'm fine. And you know, I I think to clarify, I'm not saying you need a spot with every single set. Um and I'm not honestly, I'm not gonna give a percentage, I'm not gonna give really an RPE. Here's the deal like you know when you're getting close to a weight that you know you're at a weight that where you're like, if something happened, you know, I don't know if I can just like work this off my body, whether it's a squat or a bench or something. Um, and you know, I think that's when you would get a spot. Uh bench, you know, especially if you got a combo rack, uh, you could set that up a little bit safer to where if I mean you literally have face savers there. If you set them up correctly, if you set them up correctly, which is something else that I that's not we're not talking about spotters today or face savers today, but low-key, always set them up. Uh, you just never know. Um, but you know, with squats specifically, it's definitely safer just to have a spotter or a group of spotters. On the safety note, I want to touch on this because I see this often. How do we spot um for squats and then bench specifically? Deadlift, there are such things as a deadlift back spotter, but that's really more for like it meets, and I kind of agree with that.

SPEAKER_01 6:57

I don't really unless you're a person who is prone to passing out or falling over, then okay, maybe grab a back spotter for your deadlift. But if most people are not. No. But if you are a person that is prone to passing out, like absolutely get some people to kind of catch you because them catching you would be better than falling on your face or your head or whatever.

SPEAKER_00 7:16

But try to avoid head injuries. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 7:19

So I mean, but if you're not prone to passing out, that would be like a rare instance, I guess. But yeah.

SPEAKER_00 7:25

Um, so yeah, so some quick notes, and then we're gonna move on to the maybe. The real reason, obviously. Or second, second reason.

SPEAKER_01 7:32

Real reason.

Clearing The Mind With A Spot

SPEAKER_00 7:33

Um for back spotting, I like to number one, I only back spot if I'm comfortable grabbing the person and the weight. Um, that's something I used to not be as like, you know, uh strict with, but now I'm like, I just need to know for sure that I can grab the person and the weight, or just the weight by itself, like grab it off their back. Uh otherwise I get three. Um, I like I like three spots for for back squats. It's just a little bit safer for everybody involved. That's the other thing. As a spotter, you want to make sure you're safe and you're not injured, like not injuring, you're not putting yourself and the lifter in danger. So you need to be confident in what you're doing. But for back spots, I I like to just have my arms uh underneath either the bar or the person. It honestly kind of depends on their dimensions, to be real, um, and where things are sitting at. And then I like to have the side spotters, which if you're on the YouTube, you'll be able to see this. If you're not, uh go to the YouTube.

SPEAKER_01 8:25

Maybe we could make a video on this, like an actual video too. Just like a quick like how-to spot squats.

SPEAKER_00 8:30

Because side spots, like, I think you guys can see this thing, so no, maybe you can't.

SPEAKER_01 8:34

Um basically you want the bar and like the crook of your arm.

How To Back Spot Squats

SPEAKER_00 8:38

So you want the bar like here, um, not like this. Because like this, when you have your yeah, I'll just describe what I'm doing. When you have your hands like together like a cup, like a goblet squat type thing. The problem is even if you're very, very quick, there is still a possibility that that bar could slip through. So you want to make sure, and you know, if the bar, if you're catching the bar, something probably happened. So you need to make sure you got that thing, and you want to have it right here in that joint, the crook of the elbow, that's gonna be locked in. You don't need to be touching the other hand is like around the plates, but not touching the plates. So that's what I like for backs, uh, for back squats. Um, for spotting bench press, I like to be pretty close to the bar. I'm not gonna lie, I don't touch the bar, but I like to be pretty close, especially so like the grindier the lift, like some lifters I know are pretty grindy, um, and they can take their time on the bench press, and that's totally fine. But with that, like when that happens, and I kind of developed this technique um over the years, honestly, just from spotting Liz, because earlier on, like, she'd be able just to grind, I mean, she still can, but grind these reps. But sometimes she'd be grinding and then just and then it's done.

SPEAKER_01 9:43

And there is no more anything.

SPEAKER_00 9:45

I like to stay pretty close. I'm not gonna lie. I and that just allows I just feel like it's just the safest thing. And I have saved knock on wood a ton of benches over the years, and zero people have gotten hurt. So I like it's just gonna allow me the quickest reaction. So I like to be very close to the bar and the bench press for spotting, and then you know, if you don't feel comfortable, um, then you can get some side spotters for the bench press, and that's a little different. Obviously, getting way down there with the crook of your elbow might be a little not possible. So there I like to interlock the fingers and just again just follow the bar down and back up because that way, again, you have like a stable surface just in case to grab the bar. Um, and then one last thing about safety, it's always good to have kind of a leader. Like if you're if you have a crew of people spotting, one person needs to be in charge. That's the only person that should say take it. Um, and that's just going that's part of their job, in my opinion. So you have one person that's gonna be calling that if they do need to take it, and that's just gonna keep everyone safe. If you have three different people thinking about like take it, not take it, take it, like that's just gonna be too much. Um, and of course, you want to listen to the lifter, but you know, in my opinion, if you got a crew of people spotting, one person kind of needs to be like the lead spotter, and then you have like other people doing that. So, yeah. So, yeah, reason number one, safety. Want to stay safe for powerlifting while we're lifting heavy weights in general. Um, and then the second reason is honestly something that I always thought was important, but I didn't really realize how important it was until a few years ago when we had a group of uh dudes join the gym, younger guys, and they kind of just showed me exactly how important it is to just have a crew of spotters uh because of the energy and like the untangible like feeling of like having people around you, the aura, whatever you want to use, like it's just the stuff that you can't really put a definition on, but it does exist and it does matter. And I mean, if you're a power lifter or you've powerlifted before, or you've pushed your body in any it doesn't need to be powerlifting, really any way, you know like how awesome it feels to have some people in your corner. Um, it would be, I'm not a boxer, but I would assume it's similar to that, where you go back over and you got, you know, you're not just there by yourself. Um so yeah, I mean that's one of the kind of things that people I I think really just overlook is the confidence uh and really the energy that it can give you in your Sometimes.

SPEAKER_01 12:14

I call this an emotional support spot.

Side Spotting And Elbow Crook Cue

SPEAKER_00 12:17

Emotional support spot. There you go.

SPEAKER_01 12:18

Like you just need a little emotional support knowing that someone is there, whether it's knowing they're there to save you, whether it's knowing they're there to kind of cheer you on, or to like uh literally like have your back. Yeah. Like sometimes just having that little emotional support spot like really makes a big difference.

SPEAKER_00 12:34

Yeah. Um and I think that you know it really can make a big difference in just your mental because I'll tell you right now, like, and this is this is where I really like bought into it because like I said, I always delivered energy to other people, like I mean, that's just how I am. So like I'm always loud and like cheering people on. That's just my personality, but I never really had like uh the intensity that these young men brought until they came to the gym. Now I had now I've always had the intensity from my training partner Joel, I'll tell you that. But that's just like you know, when we squat, we like to have three, and it's just Joel. Um, so we usually have a couple others. So I generally have Joel on the back spot. He spotted me for years. I trust him. Uh and he also is, you know, no problem with like, hey, take it, whatever. Like he'll he'll he's loud and he'll he'll talk as well. Um, but yeah, we had these these young guys join the gym. Um and they I pretty much will tell you between them and Joel and like and then my wife, like Liz doesn't really usually spot me, but like she believes in me with like programming. But uh I would tell you, like, that whole group of people is pretty much responsible for me bringing my squat back from like it was about like 500 at the beginning of the year to 585 in one year. That would not have happened without like the conviction and belief of like those other dudes. Because like every time I go into a bar, like I literally was like, I don't know, like I think I could do this. Like the math added up. It's not like I was doing like foolish things, but I just literally I was like, I don't know. They were just like, yeah, we could do it, you can do it.

Bench Spotting Positioning And Timing

SPEAKER_01 14:14

Well, and part of I think that along like why you were able to do that and why it like allows even me to do the squats that I can do, yeah, is like like yes, it's a little bit of the energy, but it's also you just trust them that like they are there if something goes wrong. Yeah. Which I mean, I guess kind of goes back to safety, but it's also kind of just a trust thing, too, of like, these are like my people, these are gonna like they're here, they're supporting me, and like it's like full faith like in them that you're going to squat it. And if you don't squat it, you'll be you'll be fine because they will save you or they'll catch you or they'll keep you safe essentially. So it like allows your brain to go to uh okay, maybe this is just me. I don't know. It allows like your brain to go to like a different space of just like I'm gonna squat this because if I didn't have people I trusted, I would never have tried to squat 400 pounds. Like if I did not have full faith in like the three of you guys spotting me, that never would have happened. Like doing that at some like random gym with some like random spotters, like, oh yeah, just straps to save me, absolutely not. Yeah, it's just it's different knowing that people are there like supporting you, yelling at you, and knowing that like they will keep you safe, yeah, no matter what. So it allows you to really like mentally push to that next level.

Lead Spotter And Clear Commands

SPEAKER_00 15:31

Yeah, see, and it's interesting because we have different perspectives of like what's happening. Because for me, I feel like I feel like everyone's like helping me lift the weight. I mean, obviously they're not like actually touching the weight, but in my brain, I'm like, all right, well, like we're all doing all these guys are like they're they're ready to go, so I gotta be ready to go. And it makes me push to that next level. And yeah, I just think it's I think it's really awesome. And it was really cool to see because that was something that I didn't expect when all those kids joined the gym. Um, but I'm gonna tell you the conviction and the energy that they brought to every session, um, and like some some of them still come here, like that they still bring, is really what like showed me the actual importance of like having a good spotting crew, of course, safety, but there's another level, you guys. I'm telling you, it's you got like Liz said, you you have people next to you that are believing in you, that are ready to help you if you need it. Um, and it's just gonna allow you to train with freedom, really. And and it's gonna allow you to like open it up, so to speak. And I'm not saying like, you know, every single attempt is RPE 10. That's not what I'm saying at all. But it's going to allow you, you know, we talk about this a lot. You want your weights to move good. I talked about this recently on the podcast. It's gonna allow you to like put the pedal down. Because if you don't have a spot, even if you have the safety things, whatever, there's gonna be at least, at least a 1% of your brain, or a half a percent, there will be some part of your brain that is like, okay, like hopefully I don't, you know.

SPEAKER_01 16:52

I mean, even just the other day, there was one, like I was doing like heavy pod squats for a couple blocks on like Saturday mornings, and there was one Saturday morning, there was no one here to spot me. Yeah, so I went into the cage and did with the straps. So like I knew I was safe. So like deep down, I knew that I was fine, like safe, whatever. But like that rep moved way worse than it moved like the week before and the week after with more weight the week after. Like, and when I hit that, I think as a warm-up, I don't know, whatever. But like it was, I got it and it was fine. And like it wasn't, I don't want to say it was bad, I guess, but like definitely harder than just doing it with even just you spotting me. I think just having you know the mental like clarity of like, oh yep, we're good, like, and we're fine and we're safe and we're encouraged, and someone's yelling in my ear and whatever, like it's fine. Otherwise, I was just in there by myself and I was like, Well, I guess we're gonna try this now. Like, I don't know.

The Intangible Energy Of A Crew

SPEAKER_00 17:52

No, and I think I think that's just it. It's like, you know, like getting a spot. I mean, well, number one is for safety, you guys, but number two, it's gonna deliver, like I said, that intangible, untangible uh energy and just kind of belief and conviction from others human beings that you cannot, like I said, you can't really put a label on that, you can't really define it, you're not really gonna be able to like quantify it. It just is going to like help you. And you know, I think to kind of wrap it up, because it's you know, a pretty simple podcast this week. Like, if you have an opportunity, if you're in a gym like ours and you got people around and you have an opportunity to get a spot, just get a spot. Like, it's not, it doesn't have to be, it's not that deep, is I guess I think like some people they're like, Oh yeah, like I don't I don't need one just yet. It's like look, like I don't really like, you know, I mean, I would say for a majority of my stuff, I am like pretty like convicted, whatever, like I'm pretty much like I'm gonna get this, or I won't even try it type thing. Um, but I still get spots.

SPEAKER_01 18:49

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 18:50

Um, and then it allows you sometimes, you know, heaven forbid, like I missed my squat whatever a few weeks ago. Like, I I I mean, I I had no intention of missing it, but I knew it was a possibility. I mean, I always there's always a possibility, and I do which might be just unique to me, whatever, but I do think of like failing almost any attempt, like bigger attempt that I do, so that I understand what I'm doing, like and I understand the consequences. And it makes me try harder. Help. But apparently, Liz doesn't do that.

unknown 19:17

Nope.

SPEAKER_01 19:17

I don't think about that. Anyways, um, and also one little fast final thing. You have spotters at a meet. So, like, I've had people tell me before, they're like, oh, well, I'm just not comfortable with having people spot me. And like they're gonna be competing soon.

SPEAKER_00 19:32

I competed three weeks.

SPEAKER_01 19:33

So then we have to go over the fact that there will be spotters at the meet. And so it would be better to just get comfortable with having people spot you before meet day, so that way it's one more thing that is more constant versus just like another variable that's changing.

Trust, Confidence, And Bigger Squats

SPEAKER_00 19:48

Yeah, so I mean, it's just it's just all around better, like I said, and shout out to those to those guys for always bringing the energy um and and really showing me a different side of spotting and uh you know, like encouragement that I never really uh experienced myself. Like I said, I would imagine because I've always I've always been yelling at people's side. Imagine I've probably like help other people with that, but like for me, that really helped me out a lot. Um and you know, I think it can help you out as well, you guys. So yeah, if you have the opportunity, get a good crew of spotters behind you, they're gonna take care of you. Make sure you're safe, make sure you're confident in your lifts, and watch your lifts blow up to the next level. Um, if you guys are not already subscribed to the YouTube channel, please consider subscribing. It's absolutely free and it helps us continue to grow um and reach more and more people with our message redefining strong for everyone. Strong does not look the same for everyone, you guys, but we can all work together uh to get stronger, whether we're trying to build mental strength, physical strength, um, or maybe emotional strength, whatever you're working towards, we can do it together as part of the Fortis community. So thank you guys so much for being a part of the community. If you already are, and if you're not, consider hitting the subscribe button. And we'll see you guys in the next episode. Peace. Bye.