Warmup Sets for Beginners: How to Warm Up Before Lifting
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Full bio →What Warmup Sets Are (and What They’re Not)
Warmup sets are lighter practice sets you do before your main working sets. They prepare your body for the heavier weight you’re about to lift.
They are not:
- Extra exercise you do to get tired before the real work
- A replacement for the working sets
- Optional once you feel warm enough
The purpose of warmup sets is threefold: raise joint temperature (so movement feels smoother), prime the nervous system (so your muscles fire harder), and rehearse the movement pattern (so your technique is sharp when the weight gets heavy).
Use the Warmup Calculator — enter your working weight and it generates your complete warmup sequence automatically.
How Many Warmup Sets Do Beginners Need?
Beginners need fewer warmup sets than advanced lifters, because beginner working weights are lighter. A 200 lb squat needs fewer warmup sets than a 400 lb squat.
Beginner warmup set count by working weight:
| Working Weight | Warmup Sets Needed |
|---|---|
| Under 75 lb / 35 kg | 1–2 sets (bar + one set) |
| 75–135 lb / 35–60 kg | 2–3 sets |
| 135–185 lb / 60–85 kg | 3 sets |
| 185–225 lb / 85–100 kg | 3–4 sets |
| Over 225 lb / 100 kg | 4 sets |
Most beginners are working in the 95–185 lb range for their main lifts. For that range, 3 warmup sets is the right target.
The Simple Beginner Warmup Protocol
For every barbell compound movement (squat, bench press, deadlift, overhead press), follow this template:
| Set | Weight | Reps | Rest After |
|---|---|---|---|
| Set 1 | 45 lb / 20 kg (empty bar) | 8–10 | 60 seconds |
| Set 2 | 60% of your working weight | 5 | 60–90 seconds |
| Set 3 | 80% of your working weight | 3 | 90 seconds |
| Working sets | 100% | per your program | 3 min |
Example: beginner squatting 135 lb
| Set | Weight | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Set 1 | 45 lb (empty bar) | 8 |
| Set 2 | 80 lb (60%) | 5 |
| Set 3 | 110 lb (80%) | 3 |
| Working set | 135 lb | 5 × 3 |
Example: beginner benching 95 lb
| Set | Weight | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Set 1 | 45 lb (empty bar) | 8 |
| Set 2 | 60 lb (60%) | 5 |
| Set 3 | 75 lb (80%) | 3 |
| Working set | 95 lb | per program |
When your working weight is close to bar weight, the warmup jumps will be small. That’s fine — at light weights, technique practice matters more than physiological warmup.
What About Deadlifts?
Deadlift warmups follow the same principle but with fewer reps per set, because pulling from the floor is more fatiguing than squatting or pressing.
Beginner deadlift warmup:
| Set | Weight | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Set 1 | 50% of working weight | 3 |
| Set 2 | 75% of working weight | 2 |
| Working sets | 100% | per program |
A beginner deadlifting 185 lb: Set 1 = 95 lb × 3, Set 2 = 140 lb × 2, then 185 lb working sets.
If you deadlift after squats in the same session: your posterior chain is already warm from squatting. Start your deadlift warmup at Set 2 (75%) and skip the lighter set. Your hips, glutes, and lower back are already prepared.
Should You Warm Up for Every Exercise?
No — only the first heavy compound exercise of the session needs a full warmup. After that, your joints are warm and your nervous system is primed.
Rule of thumb:
- First lift of the session (squat, bench, deadlift, OHP): Full 3-set warmup as above
- Second lift in the session: 1–2 lighter sets are enough
- Isolation exercises (curls, tricep extensions, rows): Usually 1 set at 50–60% or no warmup needed
If you squat first and then bench, your bench warmup can be abbreviated — 1–2 sets instead of 3.
Common Beginner Warmup Mistakes
Doing too many warmup sets. Beginners sometimes warm up for 10 minutes with 5–6 sets and arrive at their working sets tired. At beginner working weights, 3 well-chosen sets is more than enough.
Making warmup jumps too large. Going from 45 lb directly to 185 lb for your squat opener is too big a jump. The intermediate sets at 60% and 80% exist to step your body up gradually — don’t skip them.
Resting too long between warmup sets. Warmup sets should move at a comfortable pace — 60–90 seconds between sets. You’re preparing to work, not recovering between hard efforts.
Counting warmup sets as working sets. A warmup set is not a productive training set. If your program calls for 3 sets × 5 reps at 135 lb, you do those 3 sets after your warmup — not instead of it.
No warmup on “easy” days. Every training session that involves a barbell compound lift requires a warmup, regardless of how light the working weight is. The warmup is preparing your joints, not just your muscles.
How to Know When You’ve Warmed Up Enough
You’re ready to start your working sets when:
- The final warmup set felt controlled and technique was sharp
- You feel no tightness or stiffness in the joints involved
- There was at least 90 seconds of rest since your last warmup set
You’re not ready if:
- The last warmup set felt heavy or slow
- You’re breathing hard from the warmup sets
- You skipped the intermediate sets and jumped to 90% too quickly
Beginner Warmup Summary
| Exercise | Warmup Sets | Template |
|---|---|---|
| Squat | 3 | Bar × 8 → 60% × 5 → 80% × 3 |
| Bench Press | 3 | Bar × 8 → 60% × 5 → 80% × 3 |
| Deadlift | 2 | 50% × 3 → 75% × 2 |
| Overhead Press | 3 | Bar × 8 → 60% × 5 → 80% × 3 |
| Second lift of session | 1–2 | 60% × 5 → 80% × 3 |
The Warmup Calculator handles all the math — enter your working weight and it rounds each warmup weight to the nearest plate increment and shows you exactly what to load. For lift-by-lift warmup protocols with reference tables for every weight, see Warmup Sets by Working Weight.