Add More Weight to ALL of Your Lifts, IMMEDIATELY

[LeBrunFitness]

Add More Weight to ALL of Your Lifts, IMMEDIATELY

by Shawn C. LeBrun
Personal Trainer
http://www.shawnlebrunfitness.com


Do you want to learn a method that will guarantee you will be able to instantly add weight to all of your lifts?

Learn how to warm up correctly

I do not mean just warming up before you start a workout, but warming up all the way right up to your heavy sets.

In my opinion, most people do not know how to warm up correctly before their weight training routine. This could have a significant and negative impact on their ability to lift maximum weight and overload the muscles sufficiently.

If you do not achieve proper overload, there will be no new muscle fiber stimulation and no new muscle growth.

Many people warm up either way too much before a weight workout or way too little. You must fall between these two. Not only will a proper warm-up lessen our chances of becoming injured. It will increase our strength the very first day we put this principle into practice.

So, how does this relate to warming up correctly?

Simple. Most people spend way too much time and energy warming up to the point that when it is time to perform their heavy, muscle-building sets, they are too wiped out from their warm-ups. This has defeated the purpose of weight training. Lighter weights lifted, less muscle stimulation. This means less muscle growth as a result.


The single biggest mistake I see people do time and time again is that they warm up with too many sets and too many reps before attempting their heavy, results-producing sets.

Take the bench press for example. Just the other day, I witnessed someone performing the following routine.

This person started with the bar, which in most gyms is 45 pounds. They busted out a quick, easy set of 10 reps. They then put on 45-pound plates and did another set of 10. So far, so good. Then they went up to 155 pounds and did another 10 reps. Here is where we are starting to go wrong. They are beginning to use way too much energy on these warm-ups.

They then did another set with 175 pounds for 10 more reps, then 200 for a set of 8 reps. So far, 5 sets and this person hasn’t even started their “heavy and intense” sets yet! They have wasted time, energy, and intensity all before it really even counted.

On the 6th set, they notice they were starting to tire quickly and could only handle 210 for 5 reps. So this is where they stop the bench press portion of their workout figuring that since they are fatigued, they have worked the muscles sufficiently. After talking briefly with this person, I realized they had been at this weight and unable to break past this plateau for months. They just assumed it’s where they were meant to be, that they couldn’t get any stronger. People often come up with many excuses instead of stepping back from the picture and learning what it may be they are not doing correctly. If you are not progressing forward, something may be wrong.

Now I will show you how I added over 20 pound to a person’s bench press, THE FIRST DAY I WORKED WITH HIM!


Warming-up correctly means you should acclimate your muscles to be able to handle additionally heavier weights while progressing through your sets. This means doing just enough reps on a warm-up set without tiring yourself to the point where you have no juice left to finish your heavier sets. You are allowing the muscle group being trained to acclimate to a heavier resistance and more overload without unduly fatiguing.

Back to how I added 20 pounds to a person’s bench press the first day.

After this person warmed up on the bike for 5 minutes, I met him at the bench press (it seems everyone uses the bench press as a gauge for how things are going). I had this gentleman place 135 pounds on the bar and had him perform ten smooth, easy reps. After resting for a couple minutes, we placed just 20 pounds more on and he did an easy set of eight reps. Then we bumped it up to 175 pounds and he did six reps. He was starting to work harder, but he was not tiring because he was starting to decrease the number of reps he was doing. This is very important. As you go heavier, decrease the warm up reps. After a couple minutes rest, we placed 200 pounds on the bar and he only did three reps. Then we went to 210, his previous best, and I had him only do two reps.

"Gasp", I hear you going. Why only two reps, I thought you were going to help him lift more?

After resting a couple minutes, we placed 230 pounds on the bar and he proceeded to get six good, strict reps. Last week he was only able to push up 210 for four repetitions. In one week, by lessening his warm-up reps and sets, he had added 20 pounds and two reps. Not a bad week’s work?

This illustrates the important points of this topic. Do not overdo your light warm-up sets. They are just that, to warm up, not to fatigue. As we place additional weight on the bar, decrease the reps performed so that you are not tiring out too much on your warm-ups. If staggered correctly, you will have reserved more strength and energy for those last heavy sets and you should notice an increase THE FIRST DAY YOU PUT THIS INTO PRACTICE.

Learn to get rid of wasted reps and wasted sets in the gym. We are striving for efficiency. This doesn’t mean you are working any less; you are just working smarter at working harder.


Think quality of sets over quantity of sets. Its not the number of reps and sets that count, it is how you perform them.

[Trevor1900]

im a victim of too much reps with higher warm up weight.

awesome read bro, will def put this into practice as now I am bulking!!
reps =)

[taterman67]

Good read.

[muali]

good read, thanks

[OhTheInsanity]

Good post! Up until about 1 month ago i was a victim of warming up too much, I got really lucky and found a video that explained this whole concept. All lifts went up!
Rep'd

[Pattycakes55]

everytime you go into the gym, you should be improving in weight somewhere, if you come in every time you lift and do the same weight you comfortable with and KNOW you can do, you will never improve. You have to try heavier weight and fail, it makes you strongere.

[seanpark]

Good read. I've been doing something like this for a while now.

Heres how I usually bench:
10 reps - 135
8 reps - 185
6 reps - 205
3/4 reps - 225

And thats where I stop. Is this good or should I try to put some more on the bar for a few more reps? or is this good? thanks.

[Clewallen11]

Ok i have Chest/Tri tomorrow here is my usual workout+Reps for bench i always do it first then after tomorrow ill post with his way and see. ( i have no spotter so i cant risk that last rep if i dont feel it)

Max 275

Usual:
165x8
185x8
205x6
225x4-5
245x1-2
Then i come back down.

Tomorrow i will try this:
135x10
155x8
175x6
200x3
225x2
245xGoing to shoot for 4

[armyworrell]

Good read, I usually don't warmup too much before I lift, it hasn't affected me yet but the ppl I workout with are starting to feel shoulder pain and pain in other areas. I think it would be a good idea to start warming up.

[Clewallen11]

Ok i have Chest/Tri tomorrow here is my usual workout+Reps for bench i always do it first then after tomorrow ill post with his way and see. ( i have no spotter so i cant risk that last rep if i dont feel it)

Max 275

Usual:
165x8
185x8
205x6
225x4-5
245x1-2
Then i come back down.

Tomorrow i will try this:
135x10
155x8
175x6
200x3
225x2
245xGoing to shoot for 4

Ok well... Here is how it went

135x10
155x8
175x6
200x3
225x2
245x3** New PR for reps
225x5
205x5
185x8
155x8 Wide Grip

[swift64]

Good stuff. I almost never warm up enough.... I guess I shuld lol.

[pacificd]

glad you confirmed this for me. I totally notice this.

[ajdelosr]

I was looking at ramping sets and this definitely helped. I had my first two sets at 15 and 12 and I'm definitely gonna lower that to 10 and 8 and maybe throw out the first really light warm up set.

[blackdove212]

Agree that too many warm-up sets are a waste of time and (real) effort. Even the empty bar warm-up seems ridiculous to me, unless maybe you just woke out of bed.

[Phil185]

Wow, I am also a huge victim of warming up too much. I'm going to try your tips and see if my lifts go up.

[TonyMuscoli]

Ok well... Here is how it went

135x10
155x8
175x6
200x3
225x2
245x3** New PR for reps
225x5
205x5
185x8
155x8 Wide Grip

Thank you CLewallen11 for posting your results. I can't wait to try this for myself next week.

[TelochDeOiad]

I've actually followed this strategy for a while now. I usually only do three warm up sets max, and my intense core sets I do 3x7. Works great for me.

[Trevor1900]

took my bench from 185 - 205!

granted im still cutting and not bulking as previously mentioned!

not only that, I believe I am still pulling too much reps into warm ups, wasting energy. Will work on this concept more, as it is hard to sit there and hit 3 reps on a previous 8 repper set =P

[Riley0724]

great article, i read this before i went to the gym today and tried it and added 10 lbs more to my dumbbell press just from warming up properly..

[Akos1712]

haha this was true for me
when i first started weight trainning, i was so afraid of overtraining, injury ... ( i know i was like a baby girl lol ) therefore, i try to warm up until i feel pump, and therefore, my actual set was never at max weight.

[TrueIce]

Ok well... Here is how it went

135x10
155x8
175x6
200x3
225x2
245x3** New PR for reps
225x5
205x5
185x8
155x8 Wide Grip

I really think you should remove 200x3, and go straight to 225. Or, instead of 175 and 200 for two sets, do 185 for 5 reps just 1 set.. Your heaviest set is your 6 set and I think that is way too deep into your workout.. 4th or 5th set should be your target but do whatever works for you..

Regardless, good job on the new PR. I'm going for a new PR 3 plates on Friday if I guage it right..

[TrueIce]

This is a great article.. It is so key that people get a proper warmup and not rush into their heavy set right away.. I've seen people go for their max by the second set.. That's the worst thing for your muscles and joints..

[nm5079]

so basically only do one "working" set after warming up properly?

[reymemo]

good post, i almost felt like you were talking about me for a second lol except im stuck at 225. im going to try your method at the gym today. thanks

[jvalla]

Wanted to chime and say that I used this warmup method this morning and did exactly has the title suggests.

Today squatted (my heavier sets) 8/225, 6/235, 4/245 and 2/255 - Last week I was able to do 5/225 and 3/235.

I used to warmup 20/0, 8/135, 8/185, 6 to 8/205, 6 to 8/215 then into the 225 range. Today my warmup nice and easy 20/0, 8/135, 8/185, 4/205 then into 225. Worked out well. Reps.

Edit: on second thought - original post was from 9 years ago and OP has only 96 posts. Not sure if he still exists.

[TrueIce]

^^ lol even if he doesn't the thread lives on and is good for newcomers... Good to see this article is working for people..

[aksel114]

u know how to get a person unsure lol

[GrantB13]

It's said that the person in the example went from the empty bar to immediately adding 45's on the next set for 10 reps.

90lbs sudden increase with the same reps doesn't sound very "so far so good" unless I'm mistaken.

[brianhsauls]

A principle of the Max - ot program is a warmup that prepares you for the load you are about to lift. Take the Bench. Say you want 3 sets of 6 at 275. Warmup as follows.

Stretching
12 reps @135
10 reps @185
6 reps @225
3 reps @245
1 Rep @ 265

A couple minute rest between each warm up.
I personally love this warmup and do not tire from it. When you hit your working sets you are ready for a load.

[stoz]

good write up dude