What to Do When You Fail While Squatting

Woman squatting
Photo by Li Sun from Pexels

One of the things about lifting heavy weights is the concern about what to do when the weight is too heavy and you can’t lift it. But the truth is that failure is a very normal part of working out, and there are totally safe ways to fail a lift. In this article, we’ll talk about the best way to fail a squat safely.

First, if you are going for a heavier weight than usual, it’s always a good idea to lift with a spotter, meaning that somebody stands near you and is ready to help you pick up the weight should you fail the lift. Even if you don’t have a gym buddy, you can always ask a stranger at the gym to help spot you, as long as they’re not in the middle of a set of their own.

But if you don’t have a spotter, you can still safely do a heavy squat by setting up the safety pins in the squat rack. That way, when you fail your squat, you can sink further down, letting the barbell rest on the safety pins, and then step out from underneath the bar. It’s very simple and won’t hurt you at all.