Self-Spot

   Having a  spotter is one of the best tools any lifter can have. Having someone there to motivate, inspire,  protect, 
and help you achieve all of your goals, but what about the majority of  us that don’t have anyone.  I have joked  with 
many people that I think it is harder to find a lifting partner than a  wife.  I know that sounds bad but to get someone
that shows up on time, never misses, has the same goals and  determination is no small feat.  So, the  key is how do 
you control the weight by yourself.  Now they are many machines out there that  will help you do just that, but what 
if you are using free weights.  Here are a few techniques that will allow you  to push your intensity to the next level,
but still allow you to stay  safe.  

   The finger spot- one of the biggest challenges to  spotting someone or yourself is trying to figure out how much 
you are  helping.  If you are assisting the lift  too much than how will the lifter make any gains?  Resistance is 
the key and progression is  essential in making progress.  One  technique I use is the finger spot.  For  example,
if I am doing a preacher or concentration curl and I get to rep #5 and  am having trouble finished the rep I will 
take one finger from my other hand  and place it on my wrist to finish the rep.   If I can’t lift with the one finger
 than I will add another as necessary  in order to squeeze out at least two more reps.   Now this obviously will only 
work with single arm lifts. 
   Chair Pull-ups- Pull-ups are probably the best back  builder than any other apparatus in the gym.   Most people 
cannot do even one pull-up so they typically don’t even try  or instead use the cable pull-down machine until they can 
build up enough  strength to do one.  For those of us that  never had a pull-down machine in their garage but some sort 
of pull-up bar  something else had to be done.  For  example, I would use a chair and cross my feet and place one toe 
on the chair  behind me.  Now as you are pulling  yourself up and reach the critical sport where you can’t make it push 
with your  quad like a leg extension to finish the rep over the bar.  The key to the spot is getting the chair or  stool
 high enough to allow the push.  As  you get stronger getting a lower chair will eventually lead to getting rid of  it 
all together. (Also will work for dips)
   Push-Ups/Chest  Training- Doing a full pushup is still hard for many to master especially  if they have gained a 
little weight since high school gym class.  So starting basic with as little body weight  as possible is the key to 
slowly developing strength in the shoulders, chest,  and triceps.  Really basic push-ups would  be to start with your 
feet together facing a wall then taking a step back until  you find a comfortable amount of resistance.   If that is 
too easy then move to a kitchen cabinet height around 3 feet  or so using the same feet position.   Taking it to the 
floor is optimal, but many still cannot hold their own  weight, so starting on your knees but placing your feet in the 
air is a great  way to measure where your strength is at.   If you want free weights instead stack a few cushions on 
each side of  the barbell until your find a weight that is comfortable then take a way a  cushion or two until your arms 
touch the floor and eventually working into a  real bench.
  
 …For more information and tips, check my website, www.chadamartin.com. Thanks to Universe  
Gym for supplying equipment for this show.