The time may come when you’re in the gym, and someone comes over to ask you for a spot. Naturally, you’re thinking they’re talking about bench press, but then they walk over to a weight that’s set up around chest height, and from the upper body pump they have going on, you know they’re not getting ready to squat.
Uh-oh, that means they’re probably looking to hit those shoulders.
Spotting an overhead press takes a slightly different approach than other forms of spotting since the weight is above the head. This difference will take a little more tact and thought and will vary if the overhead press is standing or seated and uses a barbell or dumbbells. Let’s get into it.
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Assess the Lifter’s Setup and Form
If there is a fair amount of weight on the bar or heavy dumbbells nearby, you can assume that the lifter has a pretty good idea of what proper form should look like. For those who seem like novices, checking their stance, grip, and posture can help the lifter avoid injury and even increase the amount of weight they can lift.
If standing, their feet should be around shoulder-width apart, with an engaged core without lower-back arching. Their grip should be slightly wider than their shoulders, so when their upper arm is parallel with the floor, their elbow is at a 90° angle.
For dumbbells, the starting position is usually the dumbbells resting on the shoulders until the first press, and then the bottom of the movement is usually out away from the shoulders a little bit more.
If sitting, their feet should be planted firmly on the ground, core braced; this is especially necessary if they aren’t sitting with their back supported. Grip position should be the same as standing.
Position Yourself Correctly
You’re not going to do much good staring at them from 10 feet away. If they are doing a standing overhead press, you’ll want to be close enough to grab the bar/dumbbells immediately.
If they are seated, then stay right behind them within arm’s reach of the weights. Unless the lifter says stay with me, DON’T TOUCH THE WEIGHT! Which leads to the next part.
Communicate Clearly
Before the lift happens, you should discuss what their target rep range is, where they want the spot (this applies more to dumbbells than barbells), how much help they want, and a word they can use for you to end the lift safely if need be.
Some people want hands on the bar or elbows/wrists at all times, and others don’t want you to touch the bar unless absolutely necessary. Make sure you know exactly what the lifter wants before starting. If they’re a novice, err on the side of caution and stay with them during the lift.
Spotting During the Lift
During the lift, make sure you’re paying attention to how well the weight is moving on the way up and down. Most people only pay attention to the way up and neglect to notice when the weight is starting to come down without much resistance from the lifter. If the weight starts coming down really fast, that means fatigue is setting in and a spot might be needed quickly.
If the lifter is using a barbell, spot from the elbows. You can help keep the weight moving up and down at an appropriate speed. Use only as much force as needed to keep the weight moving; don’t do the whole rep for them. Try to use steady, even pressure so their bar path stays the same.
If the lifter is using dumbbells, ask them if they would prefer elbows or wrists. More advanced lifters will probably ask for the elbows. It’s a good idea to spot by the wrists for inexperienced lifters so you can avoid the weights collapsing in and hitting them on the head (yes, that actually happens, and it’s not a fun time).
It may feel a little awkward spotting from the wrists, but it’s worth it because you have more control over where the weight moves. If you do feel the weight starting to collapse in, you can throw their wrists out to the side, avoiding injury.
Re-Racking the Weight
Just because they’re done with their set doesn’t mean the spotting job is done yet. Part of spotting includes making sure they can re-rack the weight safely. Ending a barbell overhead usually involves putting the barbell back onto the J-hooks.
Once the set is over and the lifter is starting to move towards the rack, adjust your hands to grab the bar outside their hands. Apply some forward pressure to make sure the bar is safely racked. That means both sides. I’ve seen people miss on one side, which ends up with weights flying all over the place.
With dumbbells, watch your feet. There’s not really a great way to help someone bring dumbbells down besides suggesting they lower them to the top of their thighs if they’re seated rather than dropping them all the way to the floor.
Congratulations, you’ve successfully spotted someone on overhead press!
Extra Overhead Press Spotting Tips
- Stay focused: The only thing you should be thinking about when spotting someone is their safety. Don’t look around the gym at everything else going on. Zone in on the task at hand.
- Don’t do the lifter’s job: I can’t tell you the number of times someone has either had their hands on the bar the whole lift or grabbed the whole thing up when I started to slow down. A spotter is there to ensure the lifter doesn’t hurt themselves and add a little help when needed. Let them work through the rep unless they say, “TAKE IT!” you should be offering as little help as possible to keep the bar moving.
- Know your own limits: If you don’t think you can help them through their lift, either decline to spot them or grab someone else for a two-person spot. It’s better to swallow your pride and keep someone safe than to take on a job you can’t handle.
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Wrap-Up
At this point, you’re pretty much an expert on spotting someone doing any variation of the overhead press. While the positioning of spotting might be specific to this particular lift, everything else can be applied to spot other lifts. Communicate with your lifter to find out how they want to be spotted, focus while you’re spotting, and pay attention to small cues that may indicate your services might be needed in a few seconds. Maybe this guide will help you communicate with your spotters in the future, too. Happy lifting!
