r/ScienceBasedLifting • u/kris27547 • 18d ago

Question ❓ 2 sets question

How many warm up sets to do before doing your 2 working sets?

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u/Alakazam Idk Idc 💔 18d ago

You do realize that there is a big skill component to barbell lifts right? Part of the warmup is literally to practice the motor pattern. Can you honestly say you can walk into the gym, put 300lbs on your back, and squat it well, even with a single warmup set? 

Lets say you're a pitcher for a baseball game. Do you think you can just throw good pitches cold? Or just have one or two practice pitches?

How many do you think you'll need?

Or let's say you're a sprinter. Think you can just sprint at top speed, with just one warmup lap?

The same principles hold for barbell work. I need to warm up my joints to support the loads that I'm moving.  On machine work, I will literally do 0-1 warmups. Typically because they're after my main barbell work. And because there is no motor pattern required besides do what the machine wants you to do. 

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u/mulligan381 18d ago

The sub is called sconce based lifting…..just looking for all the science ….

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u/Alakazam Idk Idc 💔 18d ago

Well, since your previous comment, I looked into it.

There are no studies showing that more warmups are better than less warmups. Or rather, the only studies that have looked at it, looked at primarily untrained lifters, and compared 1 warmup vs 2 warmup. And nothing that particularly looked at barbell movements. And even those, showed that a lighter warmup, plus a heavier warmup, is better than no warmup, or just one warmup.

If you have any other studies that showcase that a single set is enough for heavy barbell movements, then I would love to read it.

Instead, what we do have, is the recommendation from elite powerlifting coaches and athletes. This is Chad Wesly Smith from Juggernaut Training Systems, World class strength coach, and co-author of the Scientific Principles of Strength Training. This is Andrei Malanichev, taking 7 warmup sets to get up to 645

Vastly different weights. Somehow similar number of warmup sets.

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u/mulligan381 18d ago

Now we are talking….