If you’ve ever stood in front of a corner to help protect a friend during a jump or wanted to learn any acrobatic movements then you’ve had some experience with spotting already. Spotting is offering physical and/or emotional support during a movement to make that movement more achievable and/or safe. In Parkour we aim to understand the risks and benefits of our challenges and here we hope to outline some of the same for spotting.
Spotting is a great training tool for learning but can hinder progress or actually add risk for both parties if not done in the ideal way. In this article we will try to give you some of our practices to increase your efficacy when it comes to spotting.
All the information in this article is meant only to inform. Any actions you take from this information are your responsibility so make sure to be safe and err on the side of caution when you’re taking someone else’s safety in your hands. That being said, here are some…
“Spotting is offering physical and/or emotional support during a movement to make that movement more achievable and/or safe.”
Reasons for Spotting
Confidence
Providing a physical or emotional “safety net” when they don’t have full confidence in their own ability to complete the movement.
Trust/
Humility
Spotting can build trust and create stronger social bonds when you allow yourself to spot or be spotted. (in consensual/non predatory circumstances)
It is important to progress safely in Parkour. Spotting can be a piece of this but if your only choice to make something safer is to be spotted it might be worth your time to find other solutions.
Reasons Not to Spot
- Can inhibit self trust if relied on too much.
- Lowers fall zone awareness as your spotter handles the potential risks instead of you.
- Can be used to avoid learning breakfall techniques.
- Avoids building mental/physical strength in attempting movements on your own, which can have a snowball effect.
- Can increase risk if the spotter makes a mistake.
Since progress is a situational and personal journey it will be up to you (and the student if there is one) to decide if a challenge warrants a spot and not to feel less than for accepting a spot or more than for not accepting one.
The biggest things I will emphasize before choosing to use spotting in your training is make sure that the spotter is proficient enough to assist and the spottee is at the correct progression for the skill. If you’ve decided together that spotting is the correct path forward, here are some techniques you can utilize or be inspired by.
“It will be up to you( and the student if there is one) to decide if a challenge warrants a spot and not to feel less than for accepting a spot or more than for not accepting one.”
To develop your spotting technique
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- Practice with someone that already knows the technique (and is comfortable being spotted) first so you can work on your timing and technique.
- Make sure the spottee is well within your strength level.
- Utilize a double spot with an experienced spotter if possible.
- If you want to spot something you haven’t spotted before you can warm up (and so can your spottee) with a similar variation to develop your timing.
- Use timers! A timer is a practice run without the flip so you can see where the spottee is going to be so you can work on your placement and timing before the full send.
- Practice both sides to build strength and to be more capable when a spot is warranted.
For safety as a spotter
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- Try to keep your limbs close to your body when possible to maximize lifting efficiency.
- Keep the spottee above your center of gravity if there is a possibility of taking their full weight dynamically.
Here are a couple of techniques I use in my classes when I feel that spotting is the ideal option. The following isn’t an exhaustive list but more of a starting point. If you know any of these technique by other names let us know so we can update this article.
X
Benefits
Control Throughout the Whole Movement
Can Provide a good balance of lift and rotation
Versatile Technique
Drawbacks
Can be hard on the spotter physically
Works mostly for single moves
Requires the spotter to be quite close for some moves
Uses
-Backwards Flipping
-Front Flipping
-Side Flip/Wall Spin
-Side Cartwheel
Specific Tips
- Make sure your arms are set up so that when you rotate them they are changing their position in the same direction of the flip (see the example gif to understand)
- The bottom hand helps with lift/holding weight and the top hand helps with rotation. These roles shift towards the end of the movement.
- When the height of the spottee and technique allows, you can place the elbow of your bottom arm into your side at the beginning to help you use your hips for better lift and support.
Bump
Benefits
Agile technique that can work for connected moves
Good for helping predominantly with lift but can provide some rotation too (especially with a 2 handed bump)
Drawbacks
Not as secure as some other techniques
Not the best for rotation
Can’t help with the landing much (mostly for protecting over-rotation)
Uses
-Back Handspring
-Backwards Flipping
-Front Flipping
Specific Tips
- For backwards flipping
- try to place your hand a bit above their tailbone to aid in the lift
- The other hand can be used to push from the back of the legs to aid in rotation
- For forwards flipping
- Hand can be placed on the stomach to help with height or on the upper back to help with rotation (you can see the second option in the gif)
Lift
Benefits
Great for providing lift and assistance in the beginning phase.
Helps the spotter utilize their legs for safer/heavier spottees
Lot’s of control in the beginning to middle phase.
Drawbacks
Doesn’t help with the landing phase.
Technique is quite close so it can be hard to give tech analysis to the spottee and tips other than by feel.
Can be hard on the spotter’s shoulder.
Uses
-Backwards Flipping
-Front Hand Spring
Specific Tips
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- Aim for getting your bicep above their waist to keep their weight close to your center.
- Set yourself up a bit angled so you don’t get hit by their arm swing or if they throw their head back.
Reverse Lift
Benefits
Great for giving assistance from the end of the middle phase to the end of the technique.
A secure and sustainable technique for the spotter
Drawbacks
Doesn’t give much assistance for the start phase of the technique.
Requires coordination and strength on the part of the spotter
Needs a bit more commitment for spottees than some of the other techniques.
Uses
-Backwards Flipping
Specific Tips
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- Try to set your stations up so they are slightly flipping above your shoulder so you can more easily spot them.
- For backwards flipping
- You can side step under them to get the best support for yourself and them.
- For forwards flipping
- You can use this for Front Handsprings if their kick and pushing is good enough to get them past handstand so they can focus on the tension in the flip phase and then the landing.
Waist Catch
Benefits
Protects the head and offers a decent amount of control during falls
Great for backward oriented falls
Drawbacks
At higher weights ratios this technique is more for safety in fall than supporting for movements
Doesn’t work well for forward falls
Uses
-Climbing
-Bounce
-Cat Leap
-Rotation
Specific Tips
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- For hazard spots; aim for the upper waist near the lats to give them the most support.
- To Spot rotational movement; aim for their waist slightly above the hips.
Wrist Control
Benefits
Combined with the bump this tech gives a lot of security for swinging type moves
Protects the head in the event of a slip out.
Secure technique since you already have contact
Drawbacks
In the event of a fall this tech can put some extra stress on the spottee’s shoulder if they are prone to hypermobility, so this technique isn’t for everyone.
Only able to secure one wrist at a time.
Best applied for lower weight ratios
Uses
-Swing
-Underbar
Specific Tips
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- Take care not to pull on the arm that’s controlling their wrist. This will lower the likelihood of a shoulder injury in the event of a peel out.
Shoulder Control
Benefits
Good for protecting forward falls and can give some support.
Drawbacks
Only protects from one side
Uses
-Cat Pass
-Front Hand Spring
-Front Press spring
Specific Tips
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- Can combine this with the bump tech for acrobatics.
- For acrobatics be sure to set yourself up so they are above your center of gravity.
- You can use this for cat pass techniques if you are worried about them clipping their feet or not getting their hips back under them after the vault.
Shin Control
Benefits
Combined with the bump tech it can be super helpful for assisting with lift and rotation
Drawbacks
Only protects from one side
If the spottee loses tension then this might not be to useful.
Uses
-Front Flip
-Forward Roll
-Side Flip
Specific Tips
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- Feels mostly like a bump tech that is just placed on the shin.
- Can combine this with a bump tech or neck cradle to have more support.
Neck Cradle
Benefits
Gives good lift and support
Can help give some security
Drawbacks
Limited functionality
Uses
-Front Roll
-Kip Up
-Shoulder Roll
Specific Tips
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- The hand supporting the neck is more on the upper back and can be either with your thumb towards their head or body depending on the movement.
- You can combine this with other support methods (like the shin control in the gif) to help get the most out of this technique.
Boosts
Benefits
Gives support and can also open up to combining with other tech for safety too.
Drawbacks
Tougher with higher weight ratios
Uses
-Climbing
-Vaulting
-Climb Up
Specific Tips
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- You can combine it with the waist support to up the security when doing this technique.
- This technique can be used for assisting helping them focus on a different part of the technique. (like helping with the step part of the climb up so they can focus on the arms part.)
Obstacle Support
Benefits
Frees you up to observe technique and give advice.
Not hard on the spotters body.
Can be combined with other spotting techniques to add additional functionality.
Drawbacks
Might not be possible if you don’t have the necessary facilities.
Requires more commitment on the part of the spottee in some cases.
In the event of an unexpected fall the obstacles won’t be able to adapt to save the spottee.
Uses
-Side Flip Crouch/obstacle
-Back flip blocks
-Front Flip Blocks
-Two person obstacle support
Specific Tips
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- Be aware of fall zones when using obstacle support.
- Obstacle support can sometimes create more self reliance than other spotting methods.
- Physical obstacles can help more than a vocal cue in some cases.
Let this be a starting point or a refresher on your spotting journey so you can learn to trust yourself, others and learn some fun moves along the way 🙂