Warm ups.(Barbell Logic)

[Arkansan]

Listening to the podcast this morning on the way to work. Has got me thinking I’ve been doing it wrong. I’ve just used the SS app. for warm ups. Then looking through the books I’ve seen where you can do less warm ups for the bench, and deadlifts after your squats.

I don’t want to think about this to much, but is there a set percentage I should be shooting for??

[Michael Wolf]

Asking that question means you are on the wrong track. Worry not, gentle Arkansan, we will set you aright.

The reason we often give set %s for novices warm-ups is because the whole thing is so new to them that they have no data or context or reference to do things differently. They need to be told, "Do this," and then just do it. So 1-2 sets of 5 with the bar, then 40% x5, 60%x3, 80%x2 is fine - it's good enough to do the job for 99% of situations. It doesn't need to be optimized yet. But that isn't supposed to be the long term situation where you just do a set % by rote. Eventually you need to learn to apply the warm-up concept, the warmup Prime Directive if you will, to your own personal proclivities. Some people do better with less warm-ups and bigger jumps, preserving energy. Some do better with more warm-up sets of smaller jumps. Some like to do higher reps on the lighter warm-up sets for the physical warmth and joint lubrication, others don't feel as much benefit from that and maybe it tires them out more. How do you know? Well, you just make one small change to the warm-up once you get more advanced in your training, say advanced novice, and see what happens. Add a single at 90%. When you get later on, change your first sets from 135x5 and 225x3 to 135x8 and 225x5 and see what happens. If you've been doing 135, 225, 275, 315, 365, 405, see what happens when you just do 135, 225, 315 365. And so on.

The Prime Directive, is of course, not to interfere with the natural development of alien civilizations. Wait. Wrong Prime Directive.



The warm-up prime directive is do what you need to do to prepare to be fully ready for the work-set(s), without being at all fatigued before you get there.

[Arkansan]

Thanks coach, (nice box jump you posted yesterday)

I believe I was over thinking it yesterday after listening to the podcast. Then going down the rabbit hole looking for my answer in past forum questions about warm ups and articles about the warm ups. It left my head spinning.

Thanks again,