# Warmup sets question

**URL:** <https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/warmup-sets-question/12096>\
**Category:** Training Q&A \[Moderated\]\
**Created:** [February 21, 2022, 2:07pm UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/warmup-sets-question/12096 "2022-02-21T14:07:55Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Paulscaff1](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/forum.barbellmedicine.com/paulscaff1/32/446_2.png) [@Paulscaff1](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/Paulscaff1)\
**Post date:** [February 21, 2022, 2:07pm UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/warmup-sets-question/12096/1 "2022-02-21T14:07:55Z")

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Hi Jordan/Austin

Just starting week 2 of PB1.

Quick question on warming up.

On week 1, the big lift sets were 5@6, 5@7, 5@8.

Week 2 Becomes: 5@8, before doing the backoff sets.

Should I still do full 5@6 and 5@7 sets as part of the warmup?

Or should I reduce/taper off my reps as I apporoach my top RPE 8 set, in order to preserve strength/reduce fatigue to that I can give the top set a max effort?

Thanks Guys

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**Author:** ![Jordan\_Feigenbaum](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/forum.barbellmedicine.com/jordan_feigenbaum/32/1315_2.png) [@Jordan\_Feigenbaum](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/Jordan_Feigenbaum)\
**Post date:** [February 21, 2022, 5:21pm UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/warmup-sets-question/12096/2 "2022-02-21T17:21:32Z")

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Hey Paul,

You _can_ do the ramp up sets if you want. I generally find that people choose a more appropriate top set (5 @ 8 in this case) load than if they don’t do ramp up sets, though some more experienced lifters can do this just fine. I think any difference in performance is inconsequential for situations when you’re not testing strength.

-Jordan

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Paulscaff1](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/forum.barbellmedicine.com/paulscaff1/32/446_2.png) [@Paulscaff1](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/Paulscaff1)\
**Post date:** [February 23, 2022, 4:45pm UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/warmup-sets-question/12096/3 "2022-02-23T16:45:12Z")

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Thanks Jordan.

So just to confirm would it look something like this in the example below?, which is what I will be doing tonight.

Bench 1ct Paused- 5@8, (then remove 5% and do 3 x 5)

(For bench I normally ramp-up in 10kg increments.)

Empty bar x 5 reps  
Empty bar x 5 reps  
30kg x 5 reps  
40kg x 5 reps  
50kg x 5 reps  
60kg x 5 reps

65kg x 5 reps @RPE 6  
70kg x 5 reps @RPE 7  
**75kg x 5 reps @RPE 8**

(Remove 5%)

72.5kg X 5 reps x 3 sets.

So basically, on this particular week, all sets that are RPE 6 and above will total 6 sets, and then 6 warmup sets beforehand?

Cheers

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Jordan\_Feigenbaum](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/forum.barbellmedicine.com/jordan_feigenbaum/32/1315_2.png) [@Jordan\_Feigenbaum](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/Jordan_Feigenbaum)\
**Post date:** [February 23, 2022, 5:36pm UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/warmup-sets-question/12096/4 "2022-02-23T17:36:13Z")

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Yep, that’s fine by me. I don’t think I’d explicitly advise for any particular amount of warm-up sets or “sets above RPE 6”. Rather, the prescription is 5 @ 8 and then 3 back-off sets. How you get there is mostly personal preference, but I do like the ramp-up sets, yes.

-Jordan