Free tool
Barbell warm-up calculator
The warm-up sets to do before your working weight, with plates per side.
Short answer: Warm up by ramping from the empty bar towards your working weight in a few easy, low-rep jumps, so the heavy sets feel familiar without tiring you.
Your warm-up sets, then your working weight
| Set | Weight | Each side |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 40 kg | 1 × 10 |
| 2 | 55 kg | 1 × 15 + 1 × 2.5 |
| 3 | 70 kg | 1 × 25 |
| 4 | 85 kg | 1 × 25 + 1 × 5 + 1 × 2.5 |
| Working | 100 kg | 1 × 25 + 1 × 15 |
Roughly 40, 55, 70 and 85 per cent of the working weight, for a few easy reps each, then the working set. A general guide, not a prescription — add or drop steps to suit the lift and how you feel.
Plates per side assume standard 25, 20, 15, 10, 5, 2.5 and 1.25 kg plates. Keep warm-up reps low and easy so they prepare you without tiring you. Nothing you enter is saved or sent anywhere.
Educational information for adults aged 18 and over. It does not diagnose, treat or manage any medical condition. If you have a health condition, or symptoms that worry you, speak to your doctor or a health professional.