“If it doesn’t challenge you it
doesn’t change you”
A lot of times in the gym you will hear the phrase, “do you need a spot?”
Gym Spot:
A spot is the
act of standing nearby in a “supportive”
capacity as a person attempts a heavy lift where assistance might be required.
The spot might include assistance in the case of failure to complete a lift…
aid in bringing a heavy weight into starting position… or added lifting help
for an intense trainee forcing repetitions beyond his or her own physical
limits.
The perfect
spot is to assist, but not to lift it
for them. If too much “spot” is applied, the trainee will not receive the full
benefit from the stress of the heavy weight.
The
overcoming of the heavy weight is known as, “The
SAID principle” by exercise physiologists.
The SAID
principle is “Specific Adaptation to
Imposed Demand.”
By
overcoming stress, the body adapts by being coming stronger. This allows the
lifter to build upon past stressful workouts in a more tolerable manner for
future stressful loads.
Life Spot:
If you’ve
never been in a seemingly unbearable position in life, you may not know what
needing a spot means.
A spot is
the act of standing nearby in a “supportive”
capacity as a person attempts to overcome a heavy burden in life where
assistance might be required. The spot may include assistance in the case of
failure to overcome a situation… aid in bringing an issue into a starting
position… or added emotional support for a vulnerable person experiencing
repetitive setbacks that may be perceived to be beyond his or her own
psychological limits.
The perfect
spot is to assist, but not to lift
the heavy load for them.
If too much
“spot” is applied, the person will not receive the full benefit of the specific
adaptations that comes from the coping skills developed by the stress of the
heavy load.
By
overcoming stressful situations, the mind adapts by being coming stronger. This
allows the person to build upon past stressful life occurrences in a more tolerable
manner for future issues that may occur.
Conclusion:
Whether
we’re spotting someone in the gym, or in life… it’s important that we are there
in a “supportive” capacity that assists, and not enables. It is of utmost importance that the spotter remembers that carrying or lifting the load for someone does not allow for an adaptation to occur, and therefore no lesson is learned. This type of spot is not service for the individual…..its self-service for the spotter.
So now you
are prepared for the next time you see someone struggling.
Hey! Need a spot?