Warm-Up Calculator
Enter your working weight to get a warm-up ramp from the empty bar, with every set rounded to a weight you can load and the plates to put on each side.
Working sets of about 5 or more reps.
- 1Empty bar45 lb × 10Empty bar
- 240%90 lb × 5Each side: 10 + 10 + 2.5
- 360%135 lb × 3Each side: 45
- 480%180 lb × 2Each side: 45 + 10 + 10 + 2.5
- →Working225 lb
Why ramp up to your working weight
Warm-up sets let you rehearse the movement and check how it feels before the sets that count. Gradually adding weight is a common coaching approach: lots of reps with the empty bar, then fewer reps as the weight approaches your working sets.
The three styles
- Standard: empty bar × 10, then 40% × 5, 60% × 3, and 80% × 2. Suits working sets of about five or more reps.
- Heavy: adds smaller steps up to 90% for a single. Use it before triples, doubles, or max attempts.
- Quick: three sets for when you are short on time or have already warmed up on a similar lift.
Weights are rounded to the nearest jump you can load in pairs: 5 lb with 2.5 lb plates, or 2.5 kg with 1.25 kg plates. Steps that would round to the same weight, or to the empty bar, are merged.
Adjust it to you
These are starting points, not rules. If a lift feels stiff, add another light set. If you are warm from a previous exercise, skip the empty bar. Your working weight should feel prepared, not tired.
Need different plates or a different bar? Use the plate calculator. To choose a working weight from an effort target, try the RPE chart. To see where warm-ups fit in a full training week, the 4-day upper/lower split lays out every session.
Frequently asked questions
How many warm-up sets should I do?+
It depends on how heavy the working sets are. A light working weight may only need the empty bar and one or two ramp-up sets. Heavier triples, doubles, and singles usually call for more, smaller jumps. Three to six warm-up sets covers most situations.
Should warm-up sets be tiring?+
No. Warm-ups should prepare you, not fatigue you. Keep reps low as the weight gets heavier, and stop every warm-up set well short of failure.
Do I need to warm up for every exercise?+
The first big lift of a session usually benefits most. Later exercises that use similar muscles often need only one or two lighter sets, since you are already warm.
How long should I rest between warm-up sets?+
Short rests are usually fine for the lighter sets, often just the time it takes to change plates. Take a little longer before the last heavy warm-up and your first working set.
Should I count warm-up sets in my training volume?+
Most lifters don't, because warm-ups are well below working intensity. Logging them as warm-up sets keeps your history accurate without inflating your working volume.
Mark warm-ups separately from working sets
Gainr lets you tag a set as a warm-up or a working set as you log it, and shows the plates per side for barbell weights.
Free logging and progress charts · 14-day Coach preview