What are your thoughts on warm-up sets?

[MoneyAddyct]

The only time I do warm-up sets are when I do squats and deadlifts and that's mainly to get the form down before I go heavy. What are your thoughts on warm-up sets otherwise? I've never done them, but I know a lot of people do.

[lcpl kill]

i think there a must, not for every exersize though just one to warm up the muscles.

[IBdmfkr]

It's like stretching, its a must.

[MoneyAddyct]

Ok, then, should they be counted in the overall sets? (ie..if I do 4 sets of a certain exercise and want to start doing warm-ups, and I do one warm-up set, should I count that as part of the 4?)

[IBdmfkr]

Up to you I guess, I only count working sets, so I would say No.

[S.P.G]

The only time I do warm-up sets are when I do squats and deadlifts and that's mainly to get the form down before I go heavy. What are your thoughts on warm-up sets otherwise? I've never done them, but I know a lot of people do.

Wooow… wow, hold it right there money, one of the most important things you will have to do during your life time training experience is PREVENT INJURY you can do this by warming up properly before any workout, never go to a work set without warming-up this is madness!! you will set your self back months if you get injured….

[S.P.G]

Ok, then, should they be counted in the overall sets? (ie..if I do 4 sets of a certain exercise and want to start doing warm-ups, and I do one warm-up set, should I count that as part of the 4?)

…. No do not count your warm-ups as sets, do 3 warm-ups then perform your work-sets...

[SwoleCat]

Wooow… wow, hold it right there money, one of the most important things you will have to do during your life time training experience is PREVENT INJURY you can do this by warming up properly before any workout, never go to a work set without worming-up this is madness!! you will set your self back months if you get injured….

Totally agreed.
All it takes is one time to lift heavy w/a cold muscle and you will hear......

"RIP"

or.........

"SNAP"

then you are up shit's creek w/out a paddle.

~SC~

[spywizard]

i do them with 60% of my max lift... it's about muscle memory..

[chest6]

I do the bar like 20-30 times, then 135 15 or so...then 225 5, then 275 3....then work sets...i used to do too many warm up sets this is a cut back version

I think they are crucial, I hurt my right pec because of stretching a cold muscle, I wouldn't recommend that at all either, I knew better.

[IBdmfkr]

Wooow… wow, hold it right there money, one of the most important things you will have to do during your life time training experience is PREVENT INJURY you can do this by warming up properly before any workout, never go to a work set without worming-up this is madness!! you will set your self back months if you get injured….

[mark956101957]

I would consider 10 minutes on the tread mill or bike or some kind of easy cardio and than warming up with that speciific excercise before starting in.

[dprayvd]

As Chest6 said, they are crucial. As SC said, when you are up the creek, there's no undoing. Take the time. You will thank you when you are 40 and beyond.

[S.P.G]

class....... typo, m*th** **cker.....

[hulkzer]

i agree warming up is a must. i stretch out in the sauna for 10min and do 2 warm up sets of the muscle im working out.

[n4529359]

i think when your younger you can get away with not doing warm up sets on some exercises. but as you get older i think you need it.

[MoneyAddyct]

Well, I'm 19, but I'll take the advice of people on this board and do warm-up sets. I always feel like if I do them I won't have enough umpf left for my work-sets, but I guess that's not the case.

[IBdmfkr]

class....... typo, m*th** **cker.....

I know, just made me laugh.

[chest6]

i think when your younger you can get away with not doing warm up sets on some exercises. but as you get older i think you need it.

ill agree with that. My football coaches took out the warm ups for a few weeks and oh guess what....people started getting injuries. I went up and was like "i think the reason people are getting injuried is because we nixed the warm up sets" Hm well I was right, I would always warm up before regardless of what they said.

[ward065]

warm up sets are crucial. Arnold wrote a good column on chest training in this month's M&F.

As he said, warming up enables you to lift more weight for your working sets. I could not even imagine doing my first set of bench presses with 310. I have to do 4 warm up sets before i get to that weight. Bench pressing with no pump in your chest is very bad, and could lead to injury in ADDITION to not being able to lift as much

[ward065]

ill agree with that. My football coaches took out the warm ups for a few weeks and oh guess what....people started getting injuries. I went up and was like "i think the reason people are getting injuried is because we nixed the warm up sets" Hm well I was right, I would always warm up before regardless of what they said.

those coaches aren't too smart. Trying to rush a workout is stupid.