Warm Ups at 5 reps

[tlambert]

Forgive me if this topic has been covered but I haved search without being able to find an answer.

I am doing my first HST workout now. Actually starting the 5 rep range tomorrow. My question is now that the weights are getting a bit heavier how many warm-up sets and how many reps are suggested prior to executing the working set of 5 reps?

 

[Peak_Power]

There are lots of options, I did two warm ups sets of 5 reps each, one with 50% of the working weight, one with about 75% of working weight. Then I'd do 3 sets of the working weight.

You could also do a 5x5 style, which would be very similar, progressing each set by a fixed amount (thus only 1 working set with the working weight).

For instance:

100-125-150-175-200 (5x5)

as opposed to:

100-150-200-200-200 (HST)

There are other options but I would recommend either of these two, the HST version is more workload with the higher load, but the version 5x5 will work better when you reach your 5RM and above (because its only 1 set with your 5RM, instead of 3).

 

[Fausto]

Welcome tlambert

I am with Peak on this one, Personally I like option 1, but it can be quite time consuming.

With some exercises the 5 x 5 approach works best for me, then I do about 2 worksets, specillay now that I am on negative territory:

Here's some of my personal warm up setups:

Squats (ATG) - all weights in Kgs

50 x 5/70 x 5/90 x 3/97 x 5 x 2 (that is my working load)

Deadlifts (Full)

50 x 5/70 x 3/90 x 3/118 x 5 x 2

Bench Press

50 x 12/70 x 10/90 x 5/102 x 5 x 2

Dips

1 x 15 body weight/2 x 5 x 20 Kg

Bent over rows

50 x 10/60 x 5/72 x 5 x 2

Chins - straight with 28 x 5 x 2

Military press

Sometimes warmup with 30 x 10 then 50 x 5 x 2

Hope this helps some.

It is abit of a personal thing. Doing too many warmup reps can also influence your work load negativelly.

 

[Lol]

My squats my 5s go a bit like this:

5 x 135
3 x 225
5 x 315
4 x 315
3 x 315
3 x 315
10 x 225

That gives me 15 reps with my working weight and then a bit of extra work with the last set to keep that progressing too.

With deads I do a similar thing but do a max of 10 total reps with my top loads (eg. 5, 3, 2). For my final set I'll finish up with 10 reps @ 315lb.

 

[quadancer]

Concepts: Warmups, as I know them,
a.) Signal ATP production
b.) Activate neural pathways, getting cells to fire
c.) Warm the joints, tendons
d.) Physically and mentally set the paths of motion
e.) Promote metabolism

So, you want to do what you need, but only what you need so that what Fausto warned about won't happen. You need to know your body by paying attention to it and logging results so your workout doesn't end up being two hours long. If I start with squats, I ramp up like Peak's second option (HST) but if I do abs or deads afterward I'm allready warmed up. If I follow bench with arms they're warmed up. Following pullups with rows, same thing you see?
But because of b.) and d.) above, you may wish to do one warmup set anyway.

 

[Fausto]

<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">If I follow bench with arms they're warmed up. Following pullups with rows, same thing you see?
But because of b.) and d.) above, you may wish to do one warmup set anyway.</div>

Agreed but I still think doing too many will make you loose the edge, specially when doing the big ones.

With regards to being warmed up for the smaller ones I also agree, but some require a samll warm up for me. Maybe it is a mental thing!

 

[robefc]

I've always been a fan of as little warm up as possible (light weight set of 10 for the first exercise of a muscle group being about it).

However reading starting srength is quite interesting, for the big lifts (deads, squats, bench, press, power clean) rippetoe advocates a couple of sets with the empty bar and then 3 warm up sets with the weights evenly spread out between the weight of the empty bar and your work sets weight. Then there are 3 working sets so that's 8 sets in total!

A lot of this has to do with practising the technique under light weights mind...also if you've done squats first then fewer warm up sets for the deads would be necessary etc.

Also bear in mind that his routine looks at 3 exercise per workout so a lot more sets can be done.

I think I might try it to see how it compares to my usual warm up.

Cheers

Rob

 

[tlambert]

Thanks for the feedback. These are some really well thought out responses that make sense. If anyone would like to see the HST program I am doing the log sheet is here: http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=pbeXjlLSxfLiZ2IuCxdPdUg

I think for the 5's warm ups I will do something along the lines of 15 at 50%, 10 at 75% maybe a bit lighter as I approach my 5 RM the last 2 weeks. Any feedback on what I have been doing thus far would be appreciated.