Warm-Up Sets Calculator

Set	% of working	Weight	Reps
W1	38%	30 kg	10
W2	59%	47.5 kg	6
W3	78%	62.5 kg	3
Work	100%	80 kg	—

Set

% of working

Weight

Reps

38%

30 kg

59%

47.5 kg

78%

62.5 kg

Work

100%

80 kg

—

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.