Warm-up sets are an often overlooked piece of the training puzzle, and the way they’re used, or not used, can improve or inhibit your training. Whether you’re new to the gym, or you’re a seasoned vet with years of training under your belt, warm-up sets are an area of training where most people could stand to improve. There are plenty of ways to set up your warm-up sets, and there certainly isn’t just one right answer, but there are a few common mistakes regarding their use.
Benefits Beyond Just Warming Up
Warm-up sets provide benefits outside of just getting you ready to lift. If you are new to training, the additional sets provide an opportunity to work on technique and groove efficient patterns. In the beginning of your training journey, one of the biggest limitations you face is your lack of experience. Warm-up sets allow you to put in additional work at relatively low stress levels, and helps you to expedite the process of becoming proficient at these movements.
Warm-up sets are also a great opportunity to work on bar speed. Since you’ll be using lighter loads, you’ll be able to move the bar faster than you will during your working sets. Bar speed is often a major limiting factor for beginning lifters, and the intent to move the bar as fast as possible can then carry over into the working sets, and help to improve your strength and power numbers.
For More Than Just Your Main Lift
Warm-up sets should be used for most of your movements in the gym. For curls or lateral raises you probably don’t need them because you’ll be handling relatively light weight and they’re not complex movements. For most other movements, especially compound movements, you will probably need at least one warm up set, and the stronger you are the more warm-up sets you’ll need.
For example, RDL’s may not be your main lift on any given day, but you’ll probably be using relatively heavy weight, and you’ll want to get comfortable with the hip hinge before you load up the bar with your working weight. The same goes for your rowing, pressing, and lunge variations.
Too Few/Too Light
One, is not doing enough and/or heavy enough warm-up sets. Unless you’re brand new to the gym and your strength numbers are extremely low, having no warm-up sets or just a single warm-up set with an empty bar isn’t going to cut it. Prior to handling heavy weights and training at a high intensity your muscles and central nervous system (CNS) both need to be warmed up. Warm-up sets allow you to ease your body into training for the day and it gives your body a preview of what’s to come. By gradually increasing the weight or intensity of what you’re doing, you groove your movement patterns for the training session and prime your body for a high level of performance.
Too Many/Too Heavy
At the other end of the spectrum is the lifter who does a million warm-up sets. You don’t want to do so many warm-up sets that you’re worn out by the time you get to your working sets. The stronger you are the more warm-up sets you will require, but since you are handling heavier weight you will need to make a greater effort to manage fatigue within your working sets. This likely means as you get above 75% of your working weight for that day, using just 1 or 2 reps per warm-up set. The goal is to prime your muscles and CNS to move some heavy weight, and to get a feel for the movement.
Setting Up Warm-Up Sets
There are a few ways to set up your warm up sets, but I’ll show you how I like to do it for myself and my stronger athletes. For beginner athletes the first 3 warm-up sets will probably suffice.
Empty bar x6
40-50% (depending on strength level) of working weight x3-5
60-75% of working weight x3
75-85% of working weight x1
85-90% of working weight x1
Working sets
So to use a 400lb deadlift as an example:
Empty bar x6
160 x5
240 x3
300 x1
360 x1
400 for working sets
Try adding these warm-up sets to your next training session and see how much better you feel and perform. For training inquiries or questions shoot me an email or leave a comment!