Warm-Up Sets

What is this?

Warm-up sets are preparatory sets performed before the working sets of an exercise. In the Workout Builder, you can mark specific sets as warm-up sets so they are visually distinct from working sets. Warm-up sets help clients gradually prepare for heavier loads and may be tracked differently from working sets in volume calculations.

Why is it useful?

Proper warm-ups reduce injury risk and improve performance during working sets. By programming warm-up sets directly into the workout, you ensure your clients follow a structured preparation protocol rather than guessing how to warm up. Marking them as warm-up sets also means they can be excluded from working volume totals, giving you a cleaner picture of the actual training stimulus.

Step-by-Step Guide

Marking a Set as a Warm-Up Set

1. Open the Workout Builder and locate the exercise where you want to add warm-up sets.
2. Click on the set row you want to designate as a warm-up.
3. Look for the set type indicator or label on the set row. Click on it to open the set type options.
4. Select Warm-Up from the available set types.
5. The set row changes appearance (e.g., different colour, "W" label, or lighter styling) to visually distinguish it from working sets.
6. Configure the reps and weight for the warm-up set. Typically, warm-up sets use lighter loads and may have different rep counts.

[Screenshot: A set row marked as a warm-up set with distinct visual styling]

Adding Multiple Warm-Up Sets

1. Add the desired number of sets to the exercise using the Add Set button.
2. Mark each preparatory set as a warm-up set individually.
3. Arrange them before the working sets so the exercise flows from warm-up to working intensity.

A common warm-up progression for a heavy compound lift might look like:

[Screenshot: Exercise with warm-up sets and working sets clearly separated]

How Clients See Warm-Up Sets

In the mobile app, warm-up sets appear with a distinct visual marker so clients know they are preparatory. Clients log warm-up sets just like working sets, but the data may be categorised separately in progress reports.

Things to Note

• Warm-up sets are visually distinct in both the Workout Builder and the client's mobile app.
• Warm-up sets may not count toward total working volume in analytics and progress tracking, depending on your settings.
• You can convert a working set to a warm-up set and vice versa at any time.
• Warm-up sets are especially important for heavy compound lifts like squats, deadlifts, and bench press.
• If a client skips warm-up sets, they can still mark them as completed or skip them in the app.

FAQs

Do warm-up sets count toward total volume? Warm-up sets may be excluded from working volume calculations to provide a more accurate picture of training stimulus. Check your analytics settings for specific behaviour.

Can I set warm-up sets for every exercise? Yes. Any exercise can have sets marked as warm-up sets. However, warm-up sets are most commonly used for the first heavy compound exercise of a session.

Is there a recommended number of warm-up sets? This depends on the exercise and working weight. For heavy compounds, 2-4 warm-up sets with progressively increasing weight is typical. For lighter isolation exercises, warm-up sets may not be necessary.

Can clients add their own warm-up sets in the app? Clients log what you have programmed. If you want them to have flexibility, add notes suggesting they warm up as needed before the prescribed sets.