Your Barbell Warm-Up, Made Simple
Not sure how to warm up before your barbell workout? Enter the weight you plan to use for your working sets, choose your starting weight and rounding increment, and the calculator will create a simple warm-up progression for you.
Enter your weights below and get ready to train!
Barbell Warm-Up Calculator
Enter today’s work-set weights and choose how much each lift should increase for the next workout.
01Work-set weights
Ready for today’s workout.
02Warm-up plan
| Set | Reps | Load | Squat | Deadlift | Press | Bench | Power Clean |
|---|
Warm-up percentages are based on each lift’s work-set weight. Power Clean percentages remain at zero until a work-set weight is entered.
Warm Up Smart. Lift Strong. Train With Confidence.
A good warm-up prepares your body for the work ahead. It helps you gradually increase the weight, practice your technique, and get ready for your working sets.
Our Barbell Warm-Up Calculator makes it easy to create a warm-up plan for your workout. Simply enter the weight you plan to use for your working sets, and the calculator will build a gradual warm-up progression for you.
What Is a Warm-Up Set?
A warm-up set is a lighter set you perform before your working sets.
The purpose isn’t to tire yourself out. Instead, warm-up sets help you:
- Prepare your muscles and joints for heavier lifting
- Practice proper lifting technique
- Gradually prepare your body for the weight
- Build confidence before your working sets
- Make the transition to your working weight smoother
As you move through your warm-up sets, the weight gradually increases while the number of repetitions generally decreases.
Think of it as preparing your body for the workout—not doing the workout early.
How to Use the Barbell Warm-Up Calculator
Using the calculator is easy. Just follow these four steps.
1. Enter Your Work-Set Weight
Start by entering the weight you plan to use for your working sets today.
The calculator can create warm-ups for:
- Squat
- Deadlift
- Press
- Bench Press
- Power Clean
Only enter the exercises you are doing during your workout. You can leave the other exercises blank.
Important: Enter the weight you actually plan to lift for your working sets—not your one-rep maximum or the heaviest weight you have ever lifted.
2. Choose Your Rounding Increment
Next, select the rounding increment that matches the plates available to you.
For example, if your gym allows you to increase the bar by 5 pounds at a time, choose the appropriate 5-pound increment.
This allows the calculator to create practical warm-up weights that you can actually load onto the bar.
3. Choose Your Starting Warm-Up Weight
Select the starting weight you want to use for your first warm-up set.
Your starting weight should be light enough that you can perform the movement comfortably and focus on good technique.
4. Follow Your Warm-Up Progression
Click to calculate your warm-up.
The calculator will generate a series of warm-up sets showing you:
Weight → Repetitions → Next Weight
Simply follow the progression from the lightest set to your planned working weight.
Take your time between sets and focus on controlled, technically sound repetitions.
A Few Tips
Don’t rush your warm-up. The goal is to prepare your body—not to see how quickly you can get to your working weight.
Focus on technique. Every warm-up set is an opportunity to practice good form.
Listen to your body. If something doesn’t feel right, don’t simply add more weight. Stop and talk with your coach.
Your coach comes first. The calculator is a helpful training tool, but it doesn’t replace coaching. If your One with the Water coach recommends a different warm-up, weight, number of sets, or repetitions, follow your coach’s instructions.
Warm up smart. Move well. Lift strong.