Warm-up set
Also known as: Ramp-up set
A warm-up set is a preparatory set performed before the main working sets of an exercise. It rehearses the movement and exposes the body to progressively heavier loads while limiting fatigue. When the load rises from set to set, it is also called a ramp-up set.
Warm-up sets are part of the exercise-specific warm-up, not a replacement for every form of general warm-up. A typical sequence increases weight while reducing repetitions as it approaches the working load. Before a heavy squat, for example, someone might use the empty bar, then several intermediate loads for a decreasing number of reps. Repeating high-rep sets at every step would create unnecessary fatigue before the work that matters most.
The number and size of the jumps depend on the exercise, working weight, training experience, temperature, and how ready the lifter feels. Heavy compound lifts generally earn more preparation than a light isolation exercise performed after related muscles are already warm. There is no fixed percentage sequence that fits every lift or person. The final warm-up set should usually feel like preparation, not like an extra maximal working set.
A warm-up can improve immediate exercise performance, although study results vary by activity and protocol; a systematic review of warm-up effects found performance benefits in most included comparisons. This does not mean a specific set sequence guarantees protection from injury. Sensible load selection and sound technique still matter, and pain is not something to "warm through" automatically.
The Alpha Progression Pro warm-up calculator can suggest preparatory weights and repetitions from the exercise, the first working set’s weight and repetition target, the available weights, and the user’s experience level. Its rules are customizable by exercise size, whether the relevant muscles are still cold or have already worked earlier in the session, and whether the working set has a very low or high repetition target.
Suggested warm-up sets are not completed and stored like normal working sets. Instead, they can be copied into the exercise notes with one tap. This keeps preparatory work visible during the workout without mixing it into working-set performance or volume.