Is Your Warmup Holding You Back? Here’s How to Optimize It for Gains

If you're serious about getting stronger, building muscle, and avoiding injury, it’s time to rethink how you warm up. A new study reveals that warming up with heavier weights can significantly improve your workout performance.

Participants in the study tested three warmup strategies: 15 reps at 40% of their 10-rep max, 10 reps at 60%, and 5 reps at 80%. This was tested on the bench press, leg press, and wide-grip lat pulldown. After a two-minute rest, they attempted as many reps as possible at their 10-rep max weight.

The results? Those who warmed up with the heaviest weights (80% of their 10-rep max) lifted more weight and completed more reps during their workout compared to the lighter warmup groups. Interestingly, none of the groups experienced more fatigue, meaning the heavier warmups didn’t wear them out faster.

Researchers attribute these results to "post-activation performance enhancement" (PAPE), a phenomenon where using heavier weights activates more muscles and increases body temperature more effectively, leading to better strength and performance.

However, the key to this heavier warmup is moderation—doing too many reps can lead to fatigue. The most successful participants only did five warmup reps at the heaviest weight, making it just enough to prime their muscles for peak performance.

So, if you’re looking to optimize your workouts, try incorporating a heavier warmup without overdoing the reps, and get ready to see improvements in both strength and muscle growth.