So I was pressing for reps today without a spotter. Someone asked why I'm lifting "heavy weight' without a spotter.

Several things go into this.

1) Just like a newer guy pressing 50lbs, I'm pretty confident I can get my weight, it's just a bit heavier than what others are doing

2) I'm at the point where I can feel what's coming. Is the next rep risky? Is it too risky? Will I have just enough in the tank?

And that's coming from years of failing at hitting these reps.

3) Going close to the edge makes me push harder to ensure I can rack the weight

4) Sometimes don't hav spots for others safety too.

When I squatted 600 for the first attempt, I got some fleck for not using a spotter.

I'm the heaviest lifter in my gyms. If I fail at a heavy Squat, no ones catching it safely. I'll use safety bars to get around that