Training styles

How Many Warm-Up Sets Do You Need? Three Worked Examples

You know your working weight, but the sets before it feel like guesswork. Warm-up sets bring you toward that load in manageable steps. These three examples show where several steps help and where a short rehearsal may be enough.

Updated Oct 9, 20264 min read

Three jobs before the working set

A general warm-up gets you moving: a few easy minutes of cycling or walking can be a starting point. A movement rehearsal lets you check your stance, grip and control. Preparation sets then move toward the planned working load.

These jobs can overlap. A light squat rehearses the movement while preparing it. You do not need a whole new routine before every exercise. Research examines varied warm-up protocols, so one percentage sequence cannot automatically fit every exercise and situation.

Case 1: bench press is your first heavy lift

You plan working sets at 80 kg for around six controlled repetitions. The bar weighs 20 kg. This example starts light and reduces the repetitions as the load rises. Every weight includes the bar.

Step	Weight	Repetitions	Share of working weight
Preparation 1	20 kg	8	25%
Preparation 2	40 kg	5	50%
Preparation 3	60 kg	3	75%
Preparation 4	70 kg	1–2	87.5%
First working set	80 kg	6	100%

The percentages refer to the planned 80 kg, not your one-repetition maximum. The final preparation set should leave energy for the work ahead. Use suitable safety supports or a reliable spotter when benching.

Case 2: a similar exercise later in the workout

After bench presses, you move to a familiar chest press machine at 50 kg. Your chest and arms have already worked, but the grip and movement differ. One set of six at 25 kg and one set of three at 40 kg is a possible transition.

25 divided by 50 gives 50%; 40 divided by 50 gives 80%. Those are example steps. If the first rehearsal already feels clearly familiar, you may not need the second. A long interruption or unfamiliar machine can justify more preparation.

Case 3: a lighter machine exercise

You plan twelve repetitions on a leg curl at 30 kg. Adjust the seat and pads, then try six controlled repetitions at 15 kg. That is 50% of the working load. If the movement is clear and the effort light, rest before moving to 30 kg.

If the next suitable stack setting is 20 kg rather than 15 kg, choose a manageable option and keep the set short. Machine numbers are most useful for comparisons on that same machine. Do not improvise unsuitable add-on weights to reach a supposedly perfect percentage.

Adjust the number of steps

A bigger gap between a light starting load and a demanding working load makes intermediate steps more useful. An unfamiliar movement also deserves extra light practice. If an empty bar is already heavy, use a lighter bar or an appropriate variation first.

A demanding set of three generally calls for a different approach from twelve easy repetitions. Use the warm-up calculator as a starting point and round to loads your equipment allows. Its output is a practical load sequence; it cannot promise an injury-free workout.

Rest enough to arrive ready

Between very light sets, changing the plates may provide enough time. After heavier steps and before the first demanding working set, take longer, for example two to three minutes. Start when your breathing and concentration are ready for the task.

If you are already grinding through repetitions before the working weight, the preparation may be too tiring or today's load may be too ambitious. Reduce repetitions in the later warm-up steps or adjust the working weight. The point is to arrive prepared, with useful effort left for the main sets.

Recognise a warm-up that does its job

You have rehearsed the movement, approached the working load and feel ready for a controlled set. Adding more preparation is not automatically an improvement. Keep an approach that repeatedly works for the same exercise.

Then compare your working sets in LiftPal. Similar preparation, exercise order and rest periods make weights and repetitions easier to interpret. Persistent pain needs its own assessment; extending the warm-up ladder is not a solution to an ongoing complaint. If a new movement keeps feeling awkward, get help with the setup before adding load.