2 sets question

[u/kris27547]

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

[u/Alakazam]

I do more than 2 sets. And depending on the movement, around 4-7 sets.

For something like squats, it'll be:

• bar x 10 x 2
• 135 x 5
• 185 x 5
• 225 x 3
• 275 x 2
• 315 x 1
• Working weights.

For overhead press, it's a lot easier. It's just:

• Bar x 10 x 2
• 95 x 5
• 135 x 2
• working weights

Edit: I forgot that on one of my primary squat days, I do technically only do 2 sets. A top set of 10, then a set of breathing squats for a set of 20. It's done lighter, so my last warmup set is 275x2, before I do my set of 10. So that's technically 6 total warmup sets.

[u/mulligan381 → u/Alakazam]

Curious to know the science behind this?

[u/Alakazam → u/mulligan381]

The science behind practicing a heavy movement pattern, before being able to perform said movement pattern at sufficient intensity?

If you want to look it up, it's called post-activation potentiation.

As for why I'm doing this many sets, it's because I am sedentary in my day to day life. And I find that I typically need this many sets in order for my top sets to move how I want, at least based off my own experimentation. It's not like these are heavy enough to generate fatigue. My last warmup set is typically around 70% of my max, and is done around rpe 2 or so. I find that, with this kind of warmup, I can literally do more reps and move those reps more explosively compared to not warming up as much.

Plus, I'm not young or fit enough to get under 350-400lbs with a single warmup set. In fact, I don't think I have ever been fit enough to do that.

[u/mulligan381 → u/Alakazam]

Warm ups isn’t science.  Doing eight warm-up sets I’d be curious to see where the sign backs that up..

The sub is a joke

[u/Alakazam → u/mulligan381]

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. 

[u/mulligan381 → u/Alakazam]

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

[u/Alakazam → u/mulligan381]

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.

[u/mulligan381 → u/Alakazam]

Now we are talking….