How to Warm Up for Heavy Lifting (Without Overthinking It)
If you’ve been in class at Homegrown Fitness recently, you’ve probably heard me banging on about our warm-up sets when we’re getting into heavier squats, deadlifts, or any big barbell lift.
Warming up for heavy lifting isn’t optional.
But - and this is important - it also doesn’t need to be complicated, long, or filled with 12 different mobility drills you found on Instagram. With some thoughtfulness and a bit of tuning-in, your warm-up can set you up for safer, stronger, more enjoyable lifts.
First things first: There’s No One “Right” Warm-Up
If you asked 10 different strength coaches how to warm up for heavy lifting, you’d likely get 10 different answers.
And they’d probably all work.
I’m not here to offer you the ‘best warm up progression’ (although that would probably pump my content out much more than the nuance I am going to give you) but rather offer you some suggestions and considerations when deciding the best warm up protocol for YOU.
Warm-ups are flexible. There’s no perfect formula. The best warm-up is the one that gets you ready to lift.
Why Warm Up At All?
Generally strength classes will consist of a general warm up at the beginning of class, and then a specific warm up when getting into the major lifts. The general warm up will consist of movements that gently and gradually raise the heart rate, increase blood flow, and get the joints moving through comfortable ranges of motion. Think of it as a way to tell your body, “hey, we’re about to do some work,” without jumping straight into heavy or demanding exercises. The specific warm-up that follows is more targeted: lighter sets or similar movement patterns that prepare the exact muscles, joints, and coordination needed for the main lift of the day. Together, these warm-ups help you feel more prepared, move more confidently, and lift with better control once the real work begins.
So why warm up at all? In simplest terms, a warm-up helps you settle into the movement, find your groove, and feel ready, both physically and mentally.
From a physiological perspective, warming up will improve muscle activation, blood circulation, joint lubrication, and neural readiness.
Warming up will help prime your nervous system and decrease perceived heaviness. Doing a specific warm up will help improve your coordination and will give you information on how your body is feeling that day. These are all really important considerations when choosing to skimp out on the warm up sets.
How Many Warm-Up Sets Do You Need?
When speaking about the specific warm up - while there is no absolute here, a thorough warm-up often means 2–5 warm-up sets, more reps at lighter weight and fewer reps as the weight increases. Your last warm-up set should still feel smooth and not exhausting.
Here are the things you may want to consider when building a warm-up protocol for heavy lifts (squat, deadlift, heavy barbell work):
Use the same movement pattern: Warm-up with the same lift you will be doing in class (e.g. if you are squatting, warm up with a squat, if you’re deadlifting, then warm up with a deadlift). This is going to be more effective than just general cardio or mobility (which can be great for a general warm up at the beginning of class, but isn’t ENOUGH to actually prepare you for heavy lifts.
Progressively increase load: Each set of your warm up should increase the load by ~10-15%. Start light (often ~40–50% of your working weight or 1RM), then add weight in increments so your last warm-up set is maybe ~5–10% below your working set. Take bigger jumps when the weight is lighter, and smaller jumps when the weight is higher.
Start LIGHT: The biggest mistake I see is folks starting their first warm up set too heavy. If it feels like work, it’s probably too heavy. You should be choosing a weight that you could easily do 10 + reps of without too much of a challenge. (you COULD do 10+ reps, you probably won’t 🤣).
Be mindful of reps and volume: I generally end my warm up using the rep range I will be using that day, and start with higher reps. So for example if I am doing reps of 3 in my main workout, I may do my first warm up set at 6 reps, my second at 4, and my last 1-2 at 3. This works well for me.
Adjust based on context: First lift of the day? You may need more warming-up. Already moved earlier in the day (or squatted earlier and now doing deadlifts)? You probably need fewer warm-up sets. It also depends on how heavy the working set is, how your body generally feels, how technical the lift is, your mobility that day, etc.
Don’t overdo it: Warming up is all about doing the least amount of work to adequately prepare your body. If you do too many warm-up sets or too heavy, this will impact your ability to perform your main sets. A warm-up should prepare you, not tire you out.
🧠 Warming Up for Your Body & Nervous System — Not Just Muscles
One of the things I emphasize a lot in class is that warming up isn’t only about your muscles and joints. You’re also tuning up the nervous system — establishing the movement pattern, coordinating muscle firing, reinforcing the form that works for your body, and giving your brain a chance to focus and mentally rehearse the lift.
Because of that:
If you start too heavy, that nervous system “jump” can make the lift feel much harder.
People respond differently: some need slower progressions to truly feel warm and “wired in”; others can jump more aggressively.
That’s why I often say: you need to figure out what warming up strategy works best for you!
🎯 What This Looks Like at Homegrown Fitness
At Homegrown Fitness, in our classes and personal training sessions, we don’t force a one-size-fits-all warm-up. Instead:
We offer options: some clients thrive on more gradual ramp-ups; others prefer quicker progressions.
We encourage attunement: check in with your body — how does it feel? Are your joints feeling stiff today? Are you mentally “there”?
We emphasize movement quality, control, and readiness over hitting a quota of sets.
Because ultimately: a warm-up isn’t just a warm-up — it’s the foundation. Getting it right often means the difference between a strong, clean lift and one that feels “heavy” and “sloppy”.
✅ Final Thoughts: A Simple Rule of Thumb
TL;DR. Take whatever weight you plan to lift, and start your warm-up at about 40–50% of that number.
Then increase by about 10–15% each set:
Bigger jumps when things are light
Smaller jumps as you get closer to working weight
Warming up for heavy lifting doesn’t have to be a confusing ritual full of mobility drills, foam rolling, and random moves. A well-designed warm-up is simple, movement specific, loaded gradually, and with a ton of awareness and self-tuning.
At Homegrown Fitness, we want you to find what feels right for your body. Because that kind of attunement — combined with consistency — is what keeps you moving well and feeling strong.
