Warm up sets

I do 2-3 warm up sets. I use 5/3/1 for my programming so a lot of times I do 5 @ 40%, 5 @ 50%, 3 @ 60%.

However, I don't always do it that way. When I don't, I usually do something like this:

5-8 at around 50% of whatever my first work set weight is going to be. Then I do 1-3 more sets between that and the working set. I just try to space them relatively evenly.

Scotty2HotPie wrote: »

Oh man... You're opening a can of worms here. There's so many varied opinions on belts, you may get all kinds of answers.

My advice would be to do some research on youtube, there's lot's of good videos. Then doing the excercises with and without a belt and see what's most comfortable to you.

If you're happy with it (or without) and you're able to get solid workouts in safely, then that's all that really matters.

Agree w/this^

I'm 66, only weigh 160 and DL 350 and SQT 250. I always wear a belt doing DLs, SQTs and OHPs. I consider it insurance against injury.

The belt doesn't help you lift the weight and doesn't prevent development of your core (my 6 pack is proof of that, never did any ab exercises just the above) but it might prevent an injury.

As for warmups, there's no specific formula. I do 2-3 increasing wt sets of 10/6/3 reps at about 40/60/80% of my planned max lift.

All you want to do is get your muscles ready to do the lift in the least amount of time w/o wearing yourself out too early. Trick is not to do too much or too little. Experiment to find out what works best for you.

My warmup is generally 5 minutes on the stationary bike to get my legs moving and some blood flowing. From there I have a handful of dynamic stretching movements I do specifically to address a couple of issues I have. After that I warm up with a few sets of lighter weight before getting into my working sets.

I have no idea either so I am following the advice on this thread.
Right now I only do warm-up sets if I am going pretty heavy (3x3, 3x5 etc), and my warm ups have been 60-80% of my working sets (not my max since I don't work my max nor do I go anywhere near it atm). I don't want to go too heavy so that I tire out and won't be able to complete my reps, but I find if I go too light my muscles aren't as prepared for the heavier weight and my performance goes down. I think it can take some experimenting.

Man I do a lot of warm up sets compared to most people. The closer I am to a meet, the more my warmups approach what my warm ups will be in the meet.

Squats and bench I typically to 7 warm up sets starting from the bar. And I follow the progression that I'll be using in the warm up room. I do this so that I have practise knowing how my body takes the jumps in weights and allows slow priming of my nervous system.

Deads I'll typically only do 4-5 warm up sets. Again, it's matching what I do when warming up at a meet so I know how things feel.

As for my belt, I wear it when having it to brace against makes sense. Typically about 70-75% of my max.

AbelMendoza wrote: »

Start with a weight that you can get at least 12 reps with, with ease, then work up to an 8 rep, then a 5 and so on and so forth until you feel ready to get to your working weight. Everyone has a different definition of heavy, 5 or less reps comes to mind for me because I'm a powerlifter.

This is what I do, the first 2 sets, making sure I'm rested enough between sets as well. I'm not a body builder or powerlifter though.

I always start with 10-15 minutes of stretching and light warmups with no weight, before that though, but that might not be necessary for everyone. I'm just especially creaky and stiff after a days work.

No real advice on the belt as I started using one about 2 months ago and have to say I'm not really a fan of it. I have pretty strong stability for the most part, and it feels more like a hindrance than anything else. YMMV as always.

You'll get a 100 different answers to how to warm up mainly because everyone is different as well as their goals and their existing fitness level not to mention problem areas.

Get time under the bar on a program or three and youll get a idea of what works best for you and your goals.

As far as belts, I would first work on learning how to brace yourself with you own abs under a load since typically a belt isn't needed in most cases until 85%+ on most lifts give or take as you closer to a one rep max and does nothing for you but give you false sense of security until you learn how to brace correctly.

juliewatkin wrote: »

Willbenchforcupcakes wrote: »

Man I do a lot of warm up sets compared to most people. The closer I am to a meet, the more my warmups approach what my warm ups will be in the meet.

Squats and bench I typically to 7 warm up sets starting from the bar. And I follow the progression that I'll be using in the warm up room. I do this so that I have practise knowing how my body takes the jumps in weights and allows slow priming of my nervous system.

Deads I'll typically only do 4-5 warm up sets. Again, it's matching what I do when warming up at a meet so I know how things feel.

As for my belt, I wear it when having it to brace against makes sense. Typically about 70-75% of my max.

This really illustrates how we're all different. I take the less is more approach particularly in contest. I find it stressful to have a lot of warm ups and work in with everyone. Warm up rooms can be a s**t show. I warm up more for squat than anything. Mine goes bar, 135x3, 165x2, 195x1, 215x1. Bench is two warm up sets and DL one plate, two plate, 275. I've taken a lot of years to pare things down and get to understand what works best for me.

Belt is around 90% on squat and 80% on DL.

I claim my rack early and let people choose to work in with me or not. I don't find it stressful at all, and it helps me focus. Usually there are at least a few handlers and coaches around to handle shifting all the weights around

I generally use a version of bar, quarter, plate, quarter... until I get near my working weight.

For squats, it'll be something along the lines of 5x45, 5x95, 3x135, 3x185, 2x225, 2x275, 1x315, and then whatever, depending on the working weight(s) for that day.

Bench gets a little different, as it's usually something like 10x45, 5x95, 3x135, and then whatever - sometimes going to 185, sometimes something like 165 and then on.

Deadlifts start at 135 and work up.

IIRC, Lou/Alwyn suggest - in the New Rules of Lifting series - to pick a low weight, do half the amount of working set reps, and work up - each warmup set, doing one less rep than previous. I tried that, but found it didn't work very well. That is, however, what led me to experiment with what I typically do now.


Really, you'll just have to experiment to see what works well for you. You want to be warmed up and ready/prepared to lift your working weight(s), but you don't want to do too much warmup, so that you're tired when it comes to your work set(s).