Getting Rid of Warm Up Sets: Do Prep Sets Instead
- Jake Hicks
- Aug 1
- 7 min read
This is the most important concept to understand for anyone looking to be your very strongest. It is a concept backed by logic and science. Learn how to use the Size Principle more effectively each and every training session.
When it comes to lifting, most of us think warm-up sets are just a way to gradually increase weight before hitting our working reps. But what if I told you that warm-up sets aren’t really warm-ups at all? They are actually prep sets—purposeful, intentional movements designed to prime your body and nervous system for the heavy work ahead. Understanding this subtle but powerful shift in mindset can transform your training and help you get stronger, faster.
Rethinking Warm-Up Sets: They’re Prep Sets
The goal of warm-up sets should be more than just moving the barbell a few times to “get loose.” Instead, these sets serve as preparation, helping you build speed, elasticity, and confidence with each lift. Prep sets will also give you an idea of how you will perform that day. If you keep speed of the reps a top priority, you'll be able to know when your warm up or submax weights are moving extra fast, you're gonna have a good day. If they feel slow, you might need extra sets or you might have a slightly off day which is completely normal in training.
Before moving up in weight, ask yourself an important question: When should I increase the load? The answer is simple but often overlooked—you don’t move up in weight until you can move the current weight as fast as possible.
VBT- If you're measuring bar speed, here is where VBT can really help. I like to look at average velocity. If my average velocity is higher than my last set I'm probably doing another set until the speed is no longer significantly faster. That tells me I've recruited all the motor units I can and to recruit more motor units I need to add weight and do it again.
Your body is recruiting motor units based on demand. The demand comes from the external load and the internal effort. The reason I like to repeat the weight a few times is because I know the first set is slowest. Usually the next set is faster and the sometimes the 3rd 4th or even 5th set is fastest. Why does this happen? Because when you TRY to move a weight faster, you are telling your body you need to recruit more, so it does each set until it can't anymore. The effort is asking your body to give me some more. Once I know I can't move the weight any faster, I add weight and repeat.
How to Use Prep Sets Effectively
Here’s how you can apply this concept to your training:
Start Light and Build Speed: Begin with a manageable weight, like 135 pounds, and perform multiple sets until you can move the barbell without hesitation and at maximum speed. This might take several sets, and that’s okay.
Gradually Increase Weight: Move up to the next weight increment that matches your ability. For me on a bench press, if I start at 135, I move to 225 next but use your personal abilities to pyramid up. Perform at least two sets for each of your warm up sets. The first set just use to acclimate. The added weight tells your body we need more motor units. The second set you try to move it faster and you might know the 3rd set could be faster so you do another set. Once you know you can no longer move the weight any faster that's when you add weight and repeat.
Repeat the Process: Continue this pattern through 3-4 different weights all the way up to your first working set. The first set helps you get used to the load, and the second lets you perform with intent and speed.
How many reps? I can already here you through the screen asking the question. There's no right answer there are many. Lightest weights I look at time. I move the weight as fast as I can for 5-10 seconds. I would put this time frame around warm up sets of less than 40% of your max. From 40-60% I might cap the set at 5 seconds. All reps in a row for 5 seconds max. If during the set I feel the reps getting slower I rack it. If the reps are getting slower, that means I'm starting to fail. Starting to fail means I'm starting to accumulate fatigue. Starting to accumulate fatigue inhibits my ability to recruit motor units. That's not going to help me, so please re read that because it's a very important part to this concept. After 60% nothing more than 3 seconds. Usually you can take this time frame up to your first working set. So really emphasize the speed, stop counting reps and start looking at set durations more. When the bar slows you need to be able to feel it and act immediately. This is an advanced concept, but worth learning if you're looking to really push to a new level.
This approach ensures every set is intentional and improves your readiness for the heavier lifts. It’s not about mindless pyramiding; it’s about progressively preparing your body to handle maximal effort with more and more weight. Warm up sets should have a ZERO percent chance of failure and fatigue. This is a performance based mindset, not for the average job or the fitness and wellness oriented lifters. Different goals I would advise different strategies.
Adjusting for How You Feel
Some days, you might need more prep sets if you’re feeling off or fatigued. Other days, you’ll feel sharp and ready to move quickly through the weights. Listen to your body and adjust your prep sets accordingly, always prioritizing speed and quality of movement over simply adding weight.
The Benefits of Treating Warm-Up Sets as Prep Sets
Increased Bar Speed: Moving weights quickly improves power output and efficiency. An overlooked benefit is this mindset will actually help your body self organize into the patterns that produce the most force.
Reduced Injury Risk: Gradual nervous system priming helps prevent strains and mishaps. This is a delicate strategy. It is operating on the idea that you are accumulating more and more motor units. One of the things you are looking to avoid at all costs here is fatigue. There are no failing reps. Failing as reps that are getting slower and slower in the set. You are focused on high quality, high out put reps.
Better Performance on Working Sets: You’re physically and mentally prepared to lift heavy with confidence. This mindset preps you for your heavy lifts. A fast lift IMO is more stressful to the body than heavy sets IMO. The difference is the fast sets with full effort only place that extreme high stress on the body for a VERY SHORT time. Heavy sets can place less total stress but for longer durations.
Enhanced Elasticity and Explosiveness: This approach trains your muscles and tendons to react quickly and forcefully.
Applying This to All Your Major Lifts
Whether you’re bench pressing, squatting, or deadlifting, try viewing your warm-up sets as prep sets. Performance based reps ALWAYS. If you are prepping yourself to lift your heaviest, you have to do that with effort. Therefore you should take that same mindset into your prep sets. Each set should be a deliberate step toward your goal, focusing on speed and quality of movement. This mindset shift can help you break through plateaus and make your training sessions more productive.
Additional Benefits From Prep Set Mindset
One word. Elasticity. Elastic muscles are stronger muscles. They are also more injury prone. Too many people who don't understand strength think it makes you slow. And if you strength train with the wrong mindset, they might be right. Strength is measured in speed, not pounds. An amateur will watch a big lift and say "wow, that's a lot of weight". An experienced lifter will watch that same big lift and say "wow, that was fast". Force equals mass x acceleration. The faster you accelerate a mass, the more force you produce. That is strength. Field athletes and strength athletes both need to be able to produce more max force. They also need to be able to reach that max force as fast as possible. This is often referred to as rate of force development. Max strength requires very little time constraints giving the lifter the most time to reach his or her max force. Lighter weights have much more time constraints and allow the lifter very little time to reach his or her max force. That is why you will often hear seasoned coaches talking about the importance of "surfing the curve". You need to practice your max force out put on both weights that have little time constraints AND the ones that have a lot of time constraints, forcing you to reach that max force FASTER. The mindset of prep sets is checking this box for you and allowing you to do this every single training session. Speed is an element of every single session. If you understand and apply this mindset you will never be slow, it would be impossible.
Quick note, if by speed you mean sprinting, then you need to sprint. Lifting does not make you a slower sprinter, but not sprinting does. Sprints have much more time constraints than any lift in the gym and are at a much faster frequency and it's not even close so make sure you sprint and jump to compliment the weight room.
Conclusion
Next time you hit the gym, don’t just go through the motions with your warm-up sets. Treat them as intentional prep sets designed to prime your body for maximal effort. Remember, you don’t move up in weight until you can move the current load as fast as possible. This focus on speed and preparation will not only improve your lifts but also enhance your overall training experience.
Give this approach a try on your next session and watch how it transforms your strength and performance.
Super Sets
The first 3 weeks of Super Sets is focused on teaching this exact concept. This is the most important concept so much so that I make everyone who starts this program with a 3 week phase of using it. Each session will take you through these "prep sets" and I have added a lot of coaching notes specific to each exercise. The concepts of motor recruitment and potentiation are extremely important. Sometimes hard to grasp but well worth the time and effort to figure it out if you're looking to unlock your very best in the strength realm. Sign up today for a FREE 10 day trial. Don't forget to shop all my programs as I offer many other programs to fit anyone's needs.
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