If you do not have a spotter while lifting, you may wish to consider waiting until you do. Multiple options exist to keep yourself safe and healthy during training. Use dumbbells instead of barbells, and special racks and cages will protect you from injury when using barbells. Bodyweight exercises and machines do not require a spotter, although they are not the most effective exercises for building size and strength. Consult your physician before beginning any diet or exercise program.
Dumbbells
Dumbbells are a convenient option for exercising without a spotter, as there is no bar to get pinned under. Dangers still exist when performing exercises such as the dumbbell bench press -- you can drop the dumbbells on your chest. Difficulties arise as you cannot squat effectively or perform many other exercises for your lower body. There are exercises that are easier with dumbbells, such as overhead triceps extensions. Exercises such as alternating curls can only be performed with dumbbells and not a barbell.
Safety Cage
Safety cages come it two types -- squat racks and power racks. Squat racks are more limited, with bars that rarely go above waist height but will catch a bar if you lose a squat. This allows you to safely get out from underneath the bar without getting hurt. A power rack is far more adjustable, featuring bars that can be set to catch a barbell at practically any height. A power rack will allow you to safely perform any exercise without getting pinned under a bar. You can squat, bench press or overhead press in a power rack just by changing the pin settings.
Machines
Many people use machines as the basis of their training, but weightlifting and powerlifting both have very low injury rates. If you do not have a coach, spotter or power rack, you may be forced to use machines. The leg press and leg extension machines can be used to work your legs, but neither is as effective as the barbell squat. Exercises that produce maximal power, such as the snatch and clean and jerk, cannot be done at all using machines.
Bodyweight Exercises
Exercises such as pushups and bodyweight squats do not require a spotter, but do not give you much resistance. Jumping jacks, burpees and various other bodyweight exercises can work many of the muscles of your body, but are not effective at building strength or size. Bodyweight exercises work well as conditioning exercises, and can be useful in helping you recover from regular resistance training. If no other options are available to you, find a bar to perform chinups from and alternate with sets of pushups and squats.
References
- "Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research"; Relative Safety of Weightlifting and Weight Training; B.P. Hamill, February 1994
- "Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research"; An Electromyographical Comparison of the Squat and Knee Extension Exercises; J.F. Signorile, et al.; August 1994
- "Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise"; Power Production by Olympic Weightlifters; J. Garhammer; 1980
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