Firehawk

**.V.** · 07-Jan-07, 11:47 AM

Hey, thought I'd be most likely to find you in this part of the forum.

Since I'm doing 5x5 and it's more for strength, but not "real" powerlifting like you guys do it, but closer to PL than BB, maybe you can help me out.

Need some warmup advice...again.

Remember, I lost all my strength and am working my way back up again. Today is 185lb squat day. What I plan to do is warmup to my first "working" set then do 145, 155, 165, 175, 185.

For the warmup, how does this sound. 75x5, 95x5, 125x5? Is that overdoing it? Considering my tendancy to "overwarm" I don't want to do that. However, I don't want to "underwarm" and end up hurt again. 185 for me is an alomost impossibly heavy weight at this point...sad, but true.

**.V.** · 07-Jan-07, 05:18 PM

Where are you Dave? I need you here. Today did go well, but I probably overwarmed. I did 75x5, 95x5, then 115x3, 135x2 for warmup. Then got to work on the real sets. Maybe I got it right this time?

F_Mac · 07-Jan-07, 06:55 PM

Andy, perhaps I can help. I've done some 5x5 work in my last routine. I never really put a lot of thought into it, however, for the situation you described I would probably have warmed up as follows:

75x5, 95x3, 115x3, 130x2.....then onto your work sets.

I always do less then 5 reps as the weight approaches the first work set. All you want to do is get a feel for the weight and get a bit of blood flowing during warmups.....this can be done with only a few reps I have found.

**.V.** · 07-Jan-07, 06:58 PM

OK, thanks. I like being very warmed up, but when I do too much, then there is nothing left for the work.

Don't warm up enough - get hurt.

Warm up too much - run out of gas...get hurt.

Got to find that balance somewhere, and what did work wonderfully for me once, didn't any more.

F_Mac · 07-Jan-07, 07:52 PM

I usually just got by feeling, gradually decreasing the reps as I get closer to my first work set. If I'm doing triples my last warmup set or 2 will be just singles.

Works for me, it's more of a CNS warmup than a muscular warmup.

**Firehawk** · 07-Jan-07, 09:15 PM

Yep i agree with F-mac. Sorry i wasn't around.

**.V.** · 07-Jan-07, 11:52 PM

Thanks guys, so just ramp them up like I did, gradually approaching the working weight, but keeping the reps even lower.

I appreciate it. Things are just going like they should for now and I don't want to screw it up by over or under doing it on the warmups.