The best thing to do I would think is to Shush them as they get close to you. Have your ear phones on and shush them as if your concentrating. When I'm getting amped for a lift I pace and talk to myself and no one ever seems to bother me lol. I guess people aren't inclined to interrupt a crazy Mofo that looks like he's about to rip someone's head off. This doesn't stop them from approaching me after the lift, but by then I'm to tired to care. I'm too busy catching my breath and calming down.
You see, that does work, actually. But anyone who has ever watched weightlifters lift knows they never do that. A lot of concentration and proper technique is required, and weightlifters are usually calm and focused. We need to be. There's no screaming like a mad mofo and such.
Take a look at a world championship in powerlifting and compare to a world weightlifting championship. You will *never* see a weightlifter going ape shit crazy before a lift. There may be a few sych weightlifters, but those are the exception and not the rule. With weightlifters, even on an elite level, it's usually calm before the storm. Not saying it wouldn't help, but it's really not a weightlifters style. Though I understand what you're getting at - I've been having a much more meaner look on my face as of late due to all the aggravation, people actually think twice before asking me for a spot, but they do it anyway.
But yeah, you have a point.
All kidding aside, ^^^Like Joe said. And there is also the, "I don't want to seem rude, but I don't like to be distracted when I lift.", honest kind of approach. We all go through it, just a part of standing out, I guess.
Very true, that would be good. I've come up with the idea to tell them all not to ask for a spot at all anymore, and just be done with it. It's really aggravating to be interrupted by people who don't even train seriously, and have no idea what it means to compete for a medal.
I have been facing some problems in my new gym. Just like you some idiots interrupted my workouts including a stupid trainer who don't even know the difference between dumbbell shoulder press n inclined dumbbell bench press. Now my harsh behavior keeps them away from me n I'm enjoying my workout without interruption. Try to tell them how busy you are if it doesn't work then just listen to the music n keep expressions on your face like you are about to kill an enemy.
Good luck!
Yeah I do have that look on my face. Doesn't seem to help. I did agree to spot people back when I began weightlifting because I didn't find it that annoying back then, but then again I also thought that at some point they wouldn't be asking me anymore. Well, tough luck for me I guess xD
You get mad when people ask for your help with a spot? You sound kinda whack
Lol, thanks?
We weightlifters don't really give a crap about spotting. It annoys a lot of us. Weightlifting is not a team sport like powerlifting
It's just you and the bar, if you can't handle it, you fail. I never ask for a spot on anything, just don't need it. Don't get me wrong , I'm not trying to sound rude or anything, it's just the nature of our sport. I don't know a single weightlifters who ever asked me for a spot. We just don't spot. Period. Don't need it, don't want it, don't wanna do it. I know a ton of weightlifters, *none* of them ever has a spotter, regardless whether they snatch, clan and jerk, front squat, back squat or whatever.
My gym is full of powerlifters who always put more weight on the bar than they can handle. If they could handle it, they wouldn't need wraps, a belt, 3 spotters, not to mention shortening the range of motion of the squat by like 1/2 almost just to lift it. God. And of course, a 4th person whose job is to film his "awesome" attempt, because God forbid the youtube community be deprived of the sheer awesomeness of a 5 inch ROM squat.
But I digress. That's the nature of their sport, and I'm fine with it.I hope you don't take this the wrong way. Nothing against it, but it really takes a toll on my concentration and my time, and I really can't afford that when I'm training seriously. Powerlifters, on the other hand, have 15 minute rests between workouts, or even longer (don't ask me, I don't know), while my rest is around 2-3 minutes, and I don't have the time to be standing there, spotting someone for a whole minute. It really breaks my concentration. Whatever rest I got between attempts I require in order to focus properly, and prepare for the next attempt, which is usually very hard.
Thanks for the reply man, no hate
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