Explain Warm-up sets

2horns

Old Man
I definitely believe in 1-2 all out sets for a given exercise as do others. My one major question is that i see others who also say they do one all out set after they "warm-up" but the way it looks like to me is that their "warm-up" isnt exactly a warm-up. It seems they do pretty heavy sets(relative to their own strength) anywhere from 5-6 or more and then perform their 1-2 all out set(s). It seems like a pyramid of sorts. I know others with 1-2 allout sets but i see squat w/o's of people and there were 6-7 sets of very nice weight leading up to 1-2 all out sets. Just because you are exerting(sp) all energy on 1-2 sets at the end doesnt qualify it for 1-2 work sets. I think anyone who is doing poundages on any exercise of 3-500lbs for a few reps for 4-7 sets lets say, before they say they do "1-2" WORK SETS are actally just pyramiding like a lot of volume trainers just in a slightly dofferent way. I understand you need to warm up your muscles for the heavier weights to come but it seems like too much for those that say they only do 1-2 work sets, its actually a lot more imo.
 
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so would you have me jump from a 225 squat to a 805? what you are saying makes little sense if you look at it this way. by the way what are your numbers on squats and deads? i mean if youy only pullin 315 for reps then obviously a 300 warm up is rediculous. for a 315 warm ups would be somethig like this

135x10 or so
185x 5-8
225x 3-5
275x 1
work sets with 315.

if you pulin 315 for reps then 275x1 is not gonna take anything away from you.

this insures that you are warm and ready for a good workout. stretching and being warm is to prevent injuries.


i saw a guy come in the gym yesterday. he benches 225 for a few reps. (has been for years too) po fella aint gotta clue. but he knows it all if you ask him.

anyway he does one warm up set with 205 then puts 225 on the bar and does like 8 sets of the ugliest freakin benches you have ever seen.

i have a 585 bench to my credit and i always start with the bar first for my 1st warm up.
 
I understand that you cant go from 225 to 800 in a few sets, but what is the point of doing a set(s) of 1 or 2 reps of a weight (relative to ones strength) before you do work set or 2? Im not questioning you or anyone else but wouldnt a guy who squats 315 for say 6 reps w/u more like this?
135 for 10-12
185 for 8-10
225 for 6-8
315 for 6
I understand its not that much different but doing 225 for a 6 is more of a "warm-up" than doing 275 for 1, plus what is the point of doing something 1 time before an all out set or 2? Im just wondering and trying to understand thats all.
 
2horns said:
I understand that you cant go from 225 to 800 in a few sets, but what is the point of doing a set(s) of 1 or 2 reps of a weight (relative to ones strength) before you do work set or 2? Im not questioning you or anyone else but wouldnt a guy who squats 315 for say 6 reps w/u more like this?
135 for 10-12
185 for 8-10
225 for 6-8
315 for 6
I understand its not that much different but doing 225 for a 6 is more of a "warm-up" than doing 275 for 1, plus what is the point of doing something 1 time before an all out set or 2? Im just wondering and trying to understand thats all.
getting a feel for the weight as it increases is essential imo , if you did 10 warm up sets with 135 you would obviously be warmed up but that doesnt meen 405 wont feel like a ton lol . ease up to the work set or maxx attempt with small jumps this allows your body to adjust to the heavier weight . in your example above it wouldnt kill you to do a single or double with 275 before going on to 315 , tiny meeker benches in the 800s and he starts with the bar only and takes small jumps when he gets anywhere near his maxx .
 
lower rep warm up sets allow you to keep lactic acid to a minimum, at least that is what i have been told. I don't do sets higher than 5 reps when i warmup. Getting used to progressively heavier weight is good also.
 
I scale up on a lot of movements, the stronger you get the more you seem to need to do things that way.
 
Isn't the point of warmup sets just that? TO WARM UP?

Therefore, doing a rep of 271 x 1 will acclimate your muscles to heavy weight, preparing for the intense heavy weight sets.

Going from 225 x 6 all the way up to 315 x 6 for working sets isn't acclimating anything.
 
I agree with DAWG and PB, also the heavier the weight gets the more warm ups you will need, a guy Benching 315 for his workset will only need 2-3 warm ups sets, but a guy who is Benching 550, will need 4-5 warm ups, but remember these are just that, warm ups, no energy wasting here, save this for your workset...
 
I must say, as someone who lifts tiny weights (ie 195 work set for bench) I still need plenty of warmup sets to get into my groove. My lifts decrease if i deviate from my routine and try to jump right to my work set weight.

95x10
135x10
165x8
195x6x2 work set

Just the opinion of the smallest guy on this board :)
 
well there you have it hornguy. even i can understand whats been listed here. but you know what? i am not into a bunch of scientific stuff. i just use common sense in training. too many guys outsmart themselves out of moving heavy weight.

this stuff is simple. eat, sleep, lift get bigger. if you getting tangled up on warm up sets lord knows whats going thru your mind on work sets. if you dont want to do the warm up sets dont do them. put 315 on the bar and have at it. dont get into thinking too much. its gonna stall your progress. go lift like the big boys do if you wanna be big and quit trying to make more out of it than it is. its WEIGHT lifting, plain and simple.
 
pullinbig said:
this stuff is simple. eat, sleep, lift get bigger. if you getting tangled up on warm up sets lord knows whats going thru your mind on work sets. if you dont want to do the warm up sets dont do them. put 315 on the bar and have at it. dont get into thinking too much. its gonna stall your progress. go lift like the big boys do if you wanna be big and quit trying to make more out of it than it is. its WEIGHT lifting, plain and simple.

No shit, as I have said oh so many times, science is not needed here, the shit ain't brain surgery, ok, contest prep, different story, but its still trial and error no matter how you look at it.

ex, you know, you just might have some good smarts after all, you know that, I knew you hills folk could learn something, its possible you might be more gooder than others...
 
In-Human said:
No shit, as I have said oh so many times, science is not needed here, the shit ain't brain surgery, ok, contest prep, different story, but its still trial and error no matter how you look at it.

ex, you know, you just might have some good smarts after all, you know that, I knew you hills folk could learn something, its possible you might be more gooder than others...

well i couldnt have said it better in-saneoe boy. btw its flat around here. we closer to the beach than the moutains. sides last time i went to the moutains some hunters started yelling bear and opened fire on my ass. just cause i raided there camp and ate their precious little food. sheesh. idiots.
 
pullinbig said:
well i couldnt have said it better in-saneoe boy. btw its flat around here. we closer to the beach than the moutains. sides last time i went to the moutains some hunters started yelling bear and opened fire on my ass. just cause i raided there camp and ate their precious little food. sheesh. idiots.

LOL, I see it now, ex gutted and spread out on the hood of some hunters buick, man the sight of that, poor shocks on that car...
 
In-Human said:
LOL, I see it now, ex gutted and spread out on the hood of some hunters buick, man the sight of that, poor shocks on that car...

gutted and spread out, hmmmmm........ thats got a nice ring to it. that gives me an idea. let me go find the little lady.

hey baby youy got a minute?
 
In-Human said:
Please do not tell me it only takes a minute, I heard some shit about DAWG though...
hey if you do it for a minute enough times in a row you still lasted 20 minutes :insane2:
 
pullinbig said:
well there you have it hornguy. even i can understand whats been listed here. but you know what? i am not into a bunch of scientific stuff. i just use common sense in training. too many guys outsmart themselves out of moving heavy weight.

this stuff is simple. eat, sleep, lift get bigger. if you getting tangled up on warm up sets lord knows whats going thru your mind on work sets. if you dont want to do the warm up sets dont do them. put 315 on the bar and have at it. dont get into thinking too much. its gonna stall your progress. go lift like the big boys do if you wanna be big and quit trying to make more out of it than it is. its WEIGHT lifting, plain and simple.

I was just asking a question bro as i underrstand shit is simple, its not that big of a deal.
 
2horns said:
I was just asking a question bro as i underrstand shit is simple, its not that big of a deal.
easy big guy pullinbig was just makeing a point , theres no one on this board who will try harder to help you with a problem than that big ugly bastard , hes a damn good bro just dont bend over in front of him . :jump:
 
No, i know PB is a good guy but sometimes you gotta know when someone is just trying to learn a little something. I understood, just not the 1-3 rep stuff before a workset. Everyone has their own way, no big deal.
 
did someone say bend over? which way did he go.

2horn i aint ragging you bro. just keeping it simple is all. to many guys get into mental masterbation over this stuff. weight lifting is like being a cave man, its basic instynct. its survival at its most primative basis. either you get the rep or you dont.

as far as learning something i think the answers given by the other members were all right on time. you got your answer. no need to get you drawers all wadded up in you crack cause you didnt like the answer.
 
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