Intro
Most warm-ups fail in one of two ways. Either they jump from the empty bar straight to something heavy and the first working set feels like a shock, or they pile on so many sets that the warm-up itself becomes the workout. This calculator builds a ladder that avoids both. You pick the lift, enter your working weight, and it returns a set of warm-up sets that climb from the bar to the working weight in sensible steps, with the plates for each set laid out beside it. The ladder is lift-specific: squat and bench follow the standard ladder, deadlift uses fewer sets with singles near the top so the warm-up does not drain the lift itself, and overhead press uses smaller jumps because the weights are lighter and a big jump lands harder. The goal is simple. By the time you reach your working weight, you have already moved through the positions, felt the bar get heavier in stages, and saved your energy for the sets that count.
Calculator
Warm-Up Generator
Bar to working set: every jump with reps and exact plates per side.
| Set | Weight | Reps | Plates per side |
|---|
Rest about 1–2 minutes between warm-up sets (longer before the working set on heavy days); keep every warm-up rep fast and crisp.
Plate breakdowns use a standard plate set (kg: 25/20/15/10/5/2.5/1.25 · lb: 45/35/25/10/5/2.5) and are rounded to the nearest loadable step (2.5 kg / 5 lb). Not inventory-aware — if your gym lacks a plate shown, use the closest loadable weight.
Then load your working set. See also: the One-Rep Max Calculator and the Plate Calculator.
Estimates only — see our Disclaimer
Estimates only — see our Disclaimer.
How it works
Per-lift ladders
- Squat and bench press — standard ladder. Bar ×8 (squat) or ×10 (bench), then 50% ×5, 70% ×3, and 85% ×2, then the working sets.
- Deadlift — fewer sets, singles near the top. Deadlift warm-ups stay shorter on purpose. The ladder uses fewer total sets and switches to singles earlier, so the warm-up prepares the pull without tiring the back and grip before the working sets.
- Overhead press — smaller jumps. Press weights are lighter, so the same percentage jump is a bigger share of the lift. The press ladder uses smaller steps between sets so no single jump feels like a leap.
Rules the ladder follows
- Steps are clamped to at least the bar. No warm-up step drops below the empty bar. If a percentage step would land below bar weight, the ladder starts at the bar instead.
- Reps fall as weight rises. Light sets carry more reps for movement preparation; heavy warm-up sets carry one or two reps so they prime the lift without building fatigue.
- Plates are standard-set breakdowns, not inventory-aware. Each set shows the plates per side from a standard plate set. The calculator does not know which plates your gym owns. If your gym lacks a plate the breakdown calls for, round to the nearest load you can build and check it against your plates.
Inputs
- Lift. Squat, bench press, deadlift, or overhead press. The lift picks the ladder shape.
- Working weight. The weight of your first working set, in the unit you train in. The ladder is built as percentages of this number.
- Bar weight. The bar you will use. The ladder never goes below it.
Honest limits
- The ladder is a planning aid. It does not know how you feel today, how you slept, or what you lifted yesterday. Adjust a step up or down when the day calls for it.
- Percentages are rounded to loads the standard plate set can build. A rounded step may sit a kilo or two off the exact percentage.
- The plate breakdowns assume a standard plate set. They do not check your gym’s inventory.
How to use the warm-up ladder
- Pick the lift and enter your working weight and bar weight. The ladder is built as percentages of the working weight.
- Start at the bar. No warm-up step drops below it.
- Follow the ladder upward. Reps fall as weight rises: more reps on light sets, one or two reps on heavy warm-up sets.
- Deadlift: fewer sets, singles near the top, so the warm-up does not drain the lift. Overhead press: smaller jumps, because the weights are lighter.
- If a breakdown calls for a plate your gym does not have, round that set to the nearest load you can build and check it against your plates.
FAQs
How many warm-up sets should I do?
As many as the ladder gives you for the lift — usually three to five sets. The point is to arrive at the working weight prepared, not tired. If the ladder feels long, check whether you are adding extra sets beyond it.
Why does the deadlift ladder have fewer sets?
Because deadlift warm-ups cost more. Every deadlift rep taxes the back, grip, and whole body, so the deadlift ladder stays shorter and moves to singles near the top. A long deadlift warm-up leaves less in the tank for the sets that count.
Why does the overhead press use smaller jumps?
Because the weights are lighter. A 10 kg jump on a 40 kg press is a quarter of the lift; the same jump on a 140 kg squat is a small step. Smaller jumps keep the press ladder smooth.
What if my working weight is close to the bar?
The ladder compresses. Steps that would land below the bar are clamped to the bar, so a light working weight gives a short ladder: bar, one middle step, then the working weight. That is correct — light weights need fewer steps.
Can I use this for a top set in a program like 5/3/1?
Yes. Enter the top set as the working weight and the ladder builds up to it. The warm-up sets sit before the program’s working sets; they do not replace any programmed set.
The plate breakdown calls for a plate my gym does not have. What do I do?
Round that set to the nearest load you can build from the plates your gym has. The breakdowns are standard-set breakdowns, not a check of your gym’s inventory. For exact loading from your gym’s plates, use the plate calculator.
- Out: Barbell Plate Calculator — exact plates for every warm-up set. One-Rep Max Calculator — estimate the working weight first. Homepage — all tools.