Warm-up Calculator

How to warm up before a heavy lift

Start light — usually the empty bar — then do a few sets that climb toward your top set while the reps drop, so you practise the movement without getting tired. A common pattern is the bar for 8 reps, then about 50% × 5, 70% × 3 and 85% × 1 of your top set.

That default is a sensible starting point, not a rule. Heavier lifters often need more jumps between the bar and their working weight; lighter lifters may need fewer. Rest briefly between light warm-ups and a little longer before the last one.

Adjusting the warm-up

• Jumps are percentages of your top set. Add more for a heavier top set (for example 40, 55, 70, 80, 90).
• Reps are listed starting with the first (bar) set. Keep warm-up reps well short of fatigue — the point is to rehearse, not to tire out.
• Start at lets you skip the empty bar, for example starting a deadlift at 135 lb.
• Jumps that land at or below the starting weight are skipped automatically, so the ramp only goes up.

Warming up for a 1RM test

A max attempt needs a more structured ramp than a normal training day, with longer rests and single reps near the top. Follow the step-by-step protocol inhow to test your 1RM safely, which is based on the NSCA approach.