Ramping up weight is very important… If I am say beltless squatting at 80% 1rm it would look something like this:
45 x10
95 x8
135 x7
185 x6
225 x5
275 2x4
330 2x3
385 5x3 (This is the 80%)
I think the suggestion at the start was actually insufficient. If I am putting on belt and knee wraps, there would be even more warm ups:
This is essential. If I ever skimp, those are the days that the weight feels heavy and I hurt myself. I also would always recommend you do 5-10 minutes of mobility work somewhere before the first set of 45lb and the 2nd or third set… If that makes sense. IE A couple minutes before 45lb set, then a couple minutes between each of the next couple sets.
This may be a stupid question but I’m here to learn…so what I’m getting is just by warming up APPROPRIATELY (which I’m sure what I consider a warm is inappropriate) I can see a significant difference (higher weight totals) in my lifts? I feel like a fairly strong individual, especially with only about 2 solid, serious years of training under my belt and none of my Big 3 lifts are less than 300 lbs and I just broke 400 on deadlift not too long ago, so if I warmed up properly I could actually be stronger than the numbers I put up? Will it prime my CNS and make me see a difference instantly? By the way I’m 22 so forgive me if I seem a bit naive.
It seems like the OP likes the MAX-OT warm up style since the weight progression is similar and his descriptions are almost identical to Paul Cribbs ideas on warming up, although the explanation isn’t as good. Never liked it all that much but when you do that program for those that aren;t familiar your supposed to really use fast eccentrics for 4-6 reps on your bench and squat with 6-8 working sets and I felt his style did help you do more weight for the working sets as opposed to just 1 or 2 of the typical warmup sets described by the OP
Personally, When I did heavy back squats I liked starting at 135 2x10
Then I would add a quarter to each side do 3 reps, take it off and add a plate do 3 reps, put the quarter back on top and do 3 reps, take the quarter off and add a plate do 3 reps. I would take about 30-45 seconds breaks till I got to 15 lbs lighter then my first working set. I would only do one rep at this weight at then wait 2-3 minutes before my working set. Heaviest I ever got to was 390lb working sets. I don’t heavy back squat anymore but this protocol worked great for me.
[quote]Iron Dwarf wrote:
I don’t know how old the OP is, but when you reach my age, warming up is PARAMOUNT! You do what you have to do… especially if you have chronic injuries. On leg day, for example, I spend almost a half hour warming up for squats alone. [/quote]
Amen!
I joke with the youngsters that GPP should be at least one minute for each year old you are.
[quote]BlueCollarTr8n wrote:
IMO…the warm-up is the most neglected aspect in most people’s routine. [/quote]
That’s because you’ve been lifting long enough to know the long term damage of NOT doing so.
Most of these guys aren’t there yet and probably still think they can’t or won’t ever get hurt.
I warm up more now than I used to. I also don’t think it should be that much of a concern unless you are truly serious about making some real progress.
I get the feeling that some on this site just lift to go through the motions (even though this forum is seeing way more people making progress).
[quote]BlueCollarTr8n wrote:
IMO…the warm-up is the most neglected aspect in most people’s routine. [/quote]
That’s because you’ve been lifting long enough to know the long term damage of NOT doing so.
Most of these guys aren’t there yet and probably still think they can’t or won’t ever get hurt.
I warm up more now than I used to. I also don’t think it should be that much of a concern unless you are truly serious about making some real progress.
I get the feeling that some on this site just lift to go through the motions (even though this forum is seeing way more people making progress).[/quote]
This is true. I’ve just recently began warming up and stretching post workout or throughout the week when I’m not doing anything. But for this to happen I had to get hurt a few times.
As others have said, definitely more important as you age. The guy that does the So You Think You Can Bench video advocates for a long warmup.
On bench I currently do the following:
10x45
10x75
10x105
5x135
3x165
1x185
Then my working sets which range from 5x190 to 1x255
My squat warmup is similar. Most exersices after the first I do far less as a) I’m already a bit warmed up and b) they are usually lifts that are easier on the joints.
When I was in my 20s I felt like I could get away with just 2 warm up sets, usually starting with 135.
That said, I WAS taught to do dynamic activation work before touching a weight.
But still, no.[/quote]
Are you saying that one should go straight from bodyweight warmup sets to working weight sets? I’m not clear on what ‘dynamic activation’ actually entails. Care to fill me in?[/quote]
LOWER BODY DYNAMIC ACTIVATION (Dynamic Flexibility/Hip Mobility/Glute Activation):
Thoracic Extensions on a Foam Roller
Pulsed Hip Flexor Mobilizations
Split-Stance Kneeling Adductor Mobilizations
Two Legged Glute Bridges
One Legged Glute Bridges
Frontal Plan Hip Swings
Front-to-Back Hip Swings
Dynamic Calf Stretchin
Squat to Stand
(Some People do the Agile Eight… these are the ones I’m in the habit of doing)
UPPER BODY DYNAMIC ACTIVATION (Dynamic Flexibility):
Thoracic Extensions on a Foam Roller
Side Lying Rotation Extensions
Bent over Thoracic Spine Rotation
Scapular Push Ups
Shoulder Dislocates
Dynamic Blackburns
Scapular Wall Slides
Actual Warm up Sets with weights are low rep 1-3 sets with progressively higher weights but low rep to avoid ridisual fatigue.
I SHOULD ALSO NOTE: I am following 5 3 1 rep scheme for my main lifts which has already built in weight progression. On my other lifts I do one to three progressivly higher weight low rep sets depending on the lift.
I start with an empty bar and ramp up from there until I have a good sweat going. Nothing groundbreaking, but has been good for me these past few years. Once I’m sweating, I’m good to go.
Warming up is paramount for me. I wouldn’t be able to lift anything serious if I didn’t do a good 4 or 5 warmup sets. Hopefully this helps prevent any serious injuries in the future, as I hope to have a long lifting career(seeing as I am only 20).
I do dynamic stretching and a bit of foam rolling before I walk to the gym, then a bit more dynamic stretching, then light weights with slow, methodical movements, concentrating on feeling the muscle work and then I do my warm up sets lol. Sucks getting old.