A look at a growing safety problem in high school sports
Taking Spotting Seriously A look at a growing safety problem in high school sports BY DR. MARC RABINOFF head, and is now brain damaged for life. technique. For example, if a gymnast an you give me a spot?” is a I saw a video of the accident, and it’s common question heard in any is performing a rotation off a high bar, the athlete can’t stop the rotation in the obvious that the person spotting didn’t gym. And although the person middle of the movement – he or she has know what the hell he was doing. you ask may be willing to help out and This brings me to my last major to try to perform the complete movemay have good intentions, it’s simply point, which I will make by using an ment.
A spotter, by pushing a certain unacceptable for someone to spot if analogy of an airline they do not have the pilot. These days the skills or physical capabilplanes practically fly ity to do so properly. themselves, but if Think about it. something goes wrong What is the purpose with the plane, the of a spotter in weight pilot must take over training? There is basiand that pilot had betcally only one: to get the ter know what he or weight off the person she is doing. Likewise, lifting should that indianyone can spot a skill vidual fail to complete done well. It’s when the lift.
Rarely do we use the skill fails that the spotters in weight trainspotter must be on ing for the purpose of Use of a power rack and proper spotting technique, as shown here by their toes and their working on technique, athletes at Berrien High School, will help prevent accidents and injury in training comes in. because one nice thing the weightroom. Offering moral about this activity is support when a person is lifting is fine, part of the athlete’s body or by helping that you can safely work on technique but if someone is not trained how to to hold up the athlete, can help them with very light weights.
As the weight spot properly, then they absolutely increases, the spotter must be ready, able complete the movement. The second should not be doing it. There’s never a major purpose is to keep the athlete’s and willing to hold the weight should good reason to settle for anyone other the lifter fatigue or miss the lift or make head or neck from hitting anything. than a trained spotter. It’s your life I am currently working on a case an error. we’re talking about. in which a Level 10 male gymnast was The spotter’s role is different in gymnastics and in cheerleading (the lat- performing a horizontal bar routine in a ter, unfortunately, is responsible for the meet.
During the dismount the athlete “The Dark Side of made a serious error, and the spotter, highest number of catastrophic injuries Sports” is a regular feature instead of trying to help prevent the in the United States for women). In by Dr. Marc Rabinoff that athlete from seriously injuring himself, both cheerleading and gymnastics, a answers questions about moved out of the way! The result was spotter has two major purposes. The safety and liability based that the athlete missed the mat, hit his first is to help the athlete master their upon actual litigations.
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From BFS Magazine — January/February 2010. Part of the BFS Magazine Archive (1980–2014).
