by Therese Iknoian

A key step to lowering the intimidating factor when you're new to any situation is learning how and what people say. The weight room is no different.

With a few key phrases under your weight belt, you'll discover the weight room isn't such a ferocious place. In no time at all, you too will be "working in," "racking your weights" and "stripping your bars" with the best of them. Wait, we're getting ahead of ourselves ....

• "Can I work in?" -- "To work in" means to alternate with someone else on one piece of equipment. If you're using a machine and someone poses that question, then bustles onto your bench, don't be intimidated and leave. They're asking politely to use the equipment with you. Just step aside, let the person do the exercise, step back for your turn and alternate quickly until done. Don't be afraid to ask that question if you need a particular machine that's occupied. Just wait until the person is taking a break and, like a weight-lifting pro, pop the question: "Can I work in?"

• "Do you want me to spot you?" -- "To spot" means to standby while someone lifts a weight as a safeguard in case the lifter needs some assistance. If someone poses that question, the person is trying to be nice, not intimate that you obviously need help. Sharing "spots" is a great way to get to know people in the weight room too, and the more people you know, the more quickly you'll be comfortable there. It's also a good way to learn alignment and ensure safety.

• Being a "spotter" -- What if someone asks you to be a "spotter?'' Stand ready, but don't touch the bar or weight he or she is using. Just be alert. Once the person's lifting rhythm slows, lightly use your fingers or hands to help maintain the pace. Don't suddenly grab or lift the weight for the person, but don't wait too long either. Sudden muscle failure from fatique could lead to injury. There's nothing like a bar around your neck. Likely, it'll be pretty obvious if the lifter wants to stop, but you can always ask, "More?" or "Enough?"

Some people also like verbal assistance from spotters, from counting aloud to verbal enouragement such as "Come on, you can do it," or "Push a little harder," or "It's all you!" Grunting and groaning often goes with heaving the weights while a spotter is verbally coaxing. Try some quiet grunting yourself sometime. It helps. Really.

• "Do you have another set?" -- "A set" is a a group of repetitions (also called "reps") while lifting weights. A person might do three sets of 8 to 12 reps, resting about 60 to 90 seconds between sets. If someone poses that question while you're resting your muscles, the polite response is, "Yes, do you want to work in?" (See how good that already feels to speak the language?) If you've been day-dreaming between sets and only have one more, say something like, "One more, then it's all yours," then finish up, strip your bar and move on.

• There's that stripping stuff again. "To strip," in weight- room argot, means to take the weight plates off the ends of the bars or from the machines and to return them to their proper racks (or "to rack them"). The opposite of a stripped bar is a "loaded" bar. Sort of like putting away your toys when you're done. The same cleaning-up applies when you use dumbbells, the small weights you hold in each hand. They should be returned to their racks and not left lying on the floor. Picking up after yourself makes a workout easier for everyone because you won't spend half your time searching the floor for the proper weight. So, how about it, do you want to work in?

© 1998 Therese Iknoian. All Rights Reserved.