Warm-Up Sets Calculator
Build a ramp of warm-up sets to any working weight — weights up, reps down.
Free · No sign-up · Works on your phone between sets
How the ramp is built
Each warm-up set is a fixed percentage of your working weight, with reps tapering as the weight climbs. The default three-set ramp runs 40% × 10, 60% × 6, 80% × 3 — enough exposure to groove the movement without accumulating fatigue that costs you working-set reps.
With five sets the ramp starts lighter (30%) and climbs in smaller jumps to 85%; with one or two sets it starts at 50%. Pick more sets for heavy top sets or the first lift of a session, fewer for accessories when you are already warm.
Why the weights look rounded
For barbell lifts, every suggested weight is rounded to something you can actually load with standard plates — the same greedy plate math as the plate calculator. For dumbbell and machine exercises, weights round to the nearest 2.5 kg or 5 lbs instead.
Warm-up principles
- Ramp, don't repeat. Each set should be meaningfully heavier than the last — plateaus in the ramp just add fatigue.
- Cut reps as weight climbs. The last warm-up set is 2–3 crisp reps, never a grinder.
- Mark them as warm-ups. They should not count toward your training volume. Gript excludes warm-up sets automatically.
Frequently asked questions
How should I warm up before a heavy set?
Ramp up in 3–5 sets: start light around 40–50% of your working weight for higher reps, then increase the weight while cutting reps each set — for example 40% × 10, 60% × 6, 80% × 3. The goal is to prepare the movement without accumulating fatigue.
How many warm-up sets do I need?
Three sets works for most working weights. Use more sets (4–5) for very heavy top sets or first thing in a session, and fewer (1–2) for later exercises when the muscles are already warm.
Should warm-up sets count toward my training volume?
No. Warm-up sets are deliberately submaximal, so counting them inflates your volume numbers. Mark them as warm-ups in your log — Gript excludes warm-up sets from volume automatically.
Why do the suggested weights look rounded?
For barbell lifts the calculator rounds each set to a weight you can actually load with standard plates on your bar. For dumbbell and machine exercises it rounds to the nearest 2.5 kg or 5 lbs.
