Spend long enough in a gym, and at least once, someone will ask you for help getting out from under the heavy bar resting on his chest. A good spotter could have prevented that, just as a good spotter can prevent the dangerous thump-thud of heavy dumbbells being flung out of control when the wielder can no longer handle them.
Your Own Safety
If you're bodybuilding or power training with high-weight, low-repetition sets, lifting to the point you can no longer get the bar up off your chest -- or worse, to the point it drops down onto your chest -- is a very real possibility. The potential consequences are worse than just the embarrassment of having to ask for help; you could be seriously injured or even killed if a barbell or dumbbell falls on you. The spotter's primary job is to keep this from happening by helping you keep the weights under control and rack them safely again.
Other People's Safety
Your spotter is also an important safety measure for others, because he keeps you from losing control of a 7-foot-long bar in a gym that might be crowded with people. But spotters aren't only for barbell exercises. If you lift dumbbells to the point of failure, the only way to get rid of them is to toss them down on the floor. If you're lying on a bench, you're in a poor position to make sure the weights won't land or bounce onto someone's foot or hand. You could also damage the dumbbells or the floor. A good spotter can help you maneuver the dumbbells to a safe position, then take them from you.
Feedback
A knowledgeable spotter can provide valuable feedback about your technique. Your spotter is the second line of defense against the urge to lift more weight than you can safely handle -- you are your own first line of defense. A good spotter who knows you well can also look out for the gradual loss of control that signals you've hit and passed muscular fatigue, and stop you before you get hurt. Good spotters can also provide just enough assistance to help you finish that last repetition if you're deliberately lifting to failure, or help you position the weight for doing negative repetitions.
Spotting Technique
Although having a spotter is a useful safety technique when lifting heavy weights, if your spotter is inattentive or uses poor technique he might as well not be there at all. He should be focused on you before you begin the lift, and stay focused until the weight is safely racked again. He should stand where he can actively help you rack the weight or ease the dumbbells into a safe position and take them from you -- if you're doing supine exercises, this usually means standing or kneeling at the head end of the bench. If your spotter is loitering down by your feet while you do a bench press, he isn't going to do you any good when you need him.
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