That spotter in Baltimore who told me I was swinging too fast

Honestly, this was maybe 4 years back on a job in Baltimore. I was doing my usual rhythm, picking and swinging, felt smooth to me. This older spotter, guy named Red, just pulls me aside during a break and says 'you're not moving fast, you're moving jerky. Slow the swing down by half and let the load settle.' I thought he was nuts, figured I'd lose time. First few picks felt like forever. But after about 2 hours, I realized I wasn't fighting the load as much, had way less bounce on the tagline. Ended up finishing the day quicker than my usual pace. Now I always watch how the load behaves after the initial swing, not just my hand on the lever. Has anyone else had a veteran spotter tell them something that flipped their whole setup?

1 comments

1 Comment

zara_hunt25d ago

Red told me the same thing once, and I argued with him for a full 10 minutes before realizing I was the one who looked like a rookie. Now I just nod at old guys and secretly time my swing on my watch.