Anton YefanovHow the warm-up ramp is built
Every ramp starts with the empty bar, climbs in jumps that get smaller as the weight gets closer to your work set, and cuts the reps on the way up. The light sets are for moving well. The heavy ones are for feeling the load. None of them should tire you out, which is why the last warm-up is never more than a couple of reps.
These are the exact percentages of your working weight the calculator uses for work sets. Pick a set count above, or leave it on Auto.
| Warm-up sets | Ramp |
|---|---|
| 2 | Bar × 8, 60% × 5 |
| 3 | Bar × 8, 50% × 5, 75% × 3 |
| 4 | Bar × 8, 45% × 5, 65% × 3, 85% × 2 |
| 5 | Bar × 8, 40% × 5, 55% × 4, 70% × 3, 85% × 2 |
| 6 | Bar × 8, 40% × 5, 50% × 5, 60% × 3, 70% × 2, 85% × 1 |
Percentages are of your working weight, not your max. The percentage shown beside each set in the calculator is what is actually on the bar after rounding, so it can sit a point or two either side of the table.
How many warm-up sets do you need?
It depends on how far the work set is from the empty bar. A 60 kg squat is three times the bar and needs only a few steps. A 200 kg squat is ten times the bar, and in three jumps each one would be 60 kg. Auto counts how many times the bar your work set weighs and picks from this table.
| Work set | Warm-up sets | With a 20 kg bar | With a 45 lb bar |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 2× the bar | 2 | Under 40 kg | Under 90 lb |
| Under 3× the bar | 3 | Under 60 kg | Under 135 lb |
| Under 5× the bar | 4 | Under 100 kg | Under 225 lb |
| Under 7× the bar | 5 | Under 140 kg | Under 315 lb |
| 7× the bar or more | 6 | 140 kg and up | 315 lb and up |
Dumbbells and machines get two feeder sets under 15 kg or 33 lb and three above, because there is no bar to start from and the loads are small.
Warming up for a heavy single or a meet attempt
A max attempt needs a longer ramp than a set of five. Each jump is smaller near the top, the reps drop to singles from about 80%, and the last warm-up is a primer: one rep at roughly 92% that tells you how the day is going without costing you anything. On meet day the reps are trimmed further, because you warm up in a crowded room on someone else's timetable.
| Protocol | Ramp |
|---|---|
| Heavy single | Bar × 5, 40% × 5, 55% × 3, 70% × 2, 80% × 1, 87% × 1, 92% × 1 primer |
| Meet attempt | Bar × 3, 40% × 3, 55% × 2, 70% × 1, 80% × 1, 88% × 1, 94% × 1 primer |
Rest 3 to 5 minutes after the primer. On a platform, time your last warm-up so you take it a few attempts before yours is called.
Program warm-ups: Starting Strength, StrongLifts and GSLP
Beginner programs warm up in their own way, and the calculator follows each one. They are written up here as rules, because two of them describe even jumps from the bar rather than fixed percentages.
| Program | Rule |
|---|---|
| Starting Strength style | Two sets of 5 with the empty bar, then three even jumps to the work weight for 5, 3 and 2 reps. The book suggests three to five warm-up sets and smaller jumps as the weights get heavy. |
| StrongLifts 5x5 style | Two sets of 5 with the empty bar, then sets of 5 in even jumps of no more than 20 kg or 45 lb. The StrongLifts example for a 225 lb squat is 45, 45, 95, 135 and 185, and the calculator's even jumps land within 5 lb of it at 90, 135 and 180. |
| GSLP style | One set with the empty bar, then 55% for 4, 70% for 3 and 85% for 2, the ramp from the widely shared Phrak's GSLP template. |
These follow each program's published warm-up as closely as a calculator can. They are not affiliated with or endorsed by the programs' authors.
Why the numbers are rounded
A percentage of your working weight is rarely a weight you can build. 40% of 140 kg is 56 kg, which needs 18 kg on each side. So every set is rounded to the nearest load your own plates can make, and it is never rounded up into the work set. Sets that collapse onto the same weight are merged, and the first step has to be a real jump from the bar, which is why some ramps come out a set shorter than the table.
| Set | Weight | Reps | Each side |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bar | 20 kg | 8 | Bar only |
| W1 | 55 kg | 5 | 15 + 2.5 |
| W2 | 70 kg | 5 | 25 |
| W3 | 85 kg | 3 | 25 + 5 + 2.5 |
| W4 | 97.5 kg | 2 | 25 + 10 + 2.5 + 1.25 |
| W5 | 120 kg | 1 | 25 + 25 |
| Work | 140 kg | 5 | 25 + 25 + 10 |
| Set | Weight | Reps | Each side |
|---|---|---|---|
| Floor | 135 lb | 5 | 45 |
| W1 | 190 lb | 3 | 45 + 25 + 2.5 |
| W2 | 220 lb | 2 | 45 + 35 + 5 + 2.5 |
| W3 | 270 lb | 1 | 45 + 45 + 10 + 10 + 2.5 |
| Work | 315 lb | 5 | 45 + 45 + 45 |
How long to rest between warm-up sets
Light warm-ups need little more than the time it takes to change plates. The closer a set is to your work weight, the longer you rest after it, so the last warm-up primes you rather than tires you.
| Set weight | Rest after it |
|---|---|
| Under 60% of work | 1 min |
| Under 80% of work | 90 s |
| Under 90% of work | 2 min |
| 90% of work or more | 3 min |
That puts a typical five set ramp at about ten minutes, which the calculator shows above the table. A max attempt takes closer to fifteen.
Warm-up sets lift by lift
The ramp is the same idea on every barbell lift, but each one has its own quirks. Each lift has its own warm-up calculator with the right starting point and worked examples.
- Squat Warm-Up Calculator
From the empty bar to your work sets.
- Bench Press Warm-Up Calculator
Shoulders ready before the heavy sets.
- Deadlift Warm-Up Calculator
Start from the floor, not from an empty bar.
- Overhead Press Warm-Up Calculator
Short ramps for the lightest barbell lift.
Common warm-up mistakes
- Too many reps. Sets of 10 at 70% are work sets, and they cost you reps later. Past halfway, keep it to 3 or fewer.
- Skipping the empty bar. It is the cheapest set you will do and the one where you can fix your set up.
- One huge last jump. Going from 60% straight to your work weight makes the first work set the real warm-up.
- Resting too little before the work. Two or three minutes after the last warm-up is part of the warm-up.
- Warming up the same way for every exercise. The second or third lift of the day needs a set or two, not a full ramp.
General warm-up or warm-up sets?
They do different jobs. A general warm-up, such as five minutes on a bike or a few bodyweight squats, raises your temperature and loosens you up. Warm-up sets rehearse the exact lift at rising loads, and that is the part research ties most closely to strength. A few minutes of general work followed by a ramp is a good default, and on a busy day the ramp matters more.
What the research says
Warming up before strength work is well supported, though most studies are small. A meta-analysis of 32 studies found that warming up improved performance in 79% of the measures studied, with little sign that it does harm. A systematic review of upper body warm-ups found strong evidence that high load, movement specific warm-ups improve strength and power, and that short static stretching does nothing for power. In a trial on the squat and bench press, a few light reps were not enough: performance on sets at 80% of max improved most after warm-ups that included heavier sets.
Short term boosts from heavy warm-ups, often called post-activation performance enhancement, are real but depend on rest and on how warm you already are. The ramp's job is to make you ready, not to chase that effect.
Know your working weight first
The ramp is only as good as the number at the top of it. If you are not sure what to lift today, start from a recent hard set or from how heavy the last session felt.
Frequently asked questions
How many warm-up sets should I do?
Usually three to six, counting the empty bar. The heavier the work set compared with the bar, the more sets you need, so a 60 kg squat needs three or four and a 180 kg squat needs six. The calculator picks a count on Auto, or you can set one from 2 to 6.
What percentage should my warm-up sets be?
A common ramp for work sets is the empty bar, then about 40%, 55%, 70% and 85% of your working weight, with reps dropping from 5 to 2. Before a heavy single, keep going in smaller steps to a single at about 92%.
Should warm-up sets count toward my training volume?
No. Warm-up sets are light and short on purpose, so they are not hard enough to count as training sets. Count only the sets taken close to your working effort, and log the warm-ups separately if you want a record of them.
How long should I rest between warm-up sets?
About a minute after the light sets, 90 seconds to 2 minutes as you pass 70 to 80% of the work weight, and 2 to 3 minutes after the last warm-up. Before a max attempt, rest 3 to 5 minutes after the primer single.
Should warm-up percentages be based on my 1RM or my working weight?
Your working weight. The point of the ramp is to get you ready for the weight you are about to lift, so it scales with that weight. A ramp built from your max would be too heavy before a set of 8 and too light before a single.
Do I need warm-up sets for every exercise?
No. Give the first big lift of the day a full ramp. Later exercises that use the same muscles need one or two lighter sets, and small isolation exercises can often start with a lighter first work set instead.
Why does the deadlift not start with the empty bar?
An empty bar sits far lower than a bar loaded with full size plates, so the first rep would be a deeper and different pull. The calculator starts deadlifts at 60 kg or 135 lb, or at half the work weight if that is lighter, with full size plates on the bar.
Does the warm-up calculator work in pounds and for dumbbells?
Yes. Switch between kg and lb and every set rounds to the plates you have in that unit. For dumbbells or machines, choose Dumbbell or machine, enter the weight of one dumbbell, and set the smallest jump your gym has.
Sources
Research on warming up and strength performance. These studies support the principles behind the ramp. They do not test this calculator's exact percentages, which follow common coaching practice.
- Effects of warming-up on physical performance: a systematic review with meta-analysis
Fradkin AJ, Zazryn TR, Smoliga JM. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2010;24(1):140-148.
Pooled 32 high quality studies and found that warming up improved performance in 79% of the measures.
- A systematic review of the effects of upper body warm-up on performance and injury
McCrary JM, Ackermann BJ, Halaki M. British Journal of Sports Medicine. 2015;49(14):935-942.
Found strong evidence that high load dynamic warm-ups improve strength and power.
- The Role of Specific Warm-up during Bench Press and Squat Exercises: A Novel Approach
Ribeiro B, Pereira A, Neves PP, Sousa AC, Ferraz R, Marques MC, Marinho DA, Neiva HP. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2020;17(18):6882.
Compared specific warm-ups before sets at 80% of max and found that light, low rep warm-ups alone were not enough.
- Post-activation Potentiation Versus Post-activation Performance Enhancement in Humans: Historical Perspective, Underlying Mechanisms, and Current Issues
Blazevich AJ, Babault N. Frontiers in Physiology. 2019;10:1359.
Reviews why heavy warm-up sets can briefly raise performance and how much of that comes from simply being warm.