Squat Warmup

[Higgy]

Today I went to the gym and was squatting and noticed that by my last set (doing 5x5) I felt the best. The weight seemed lighter and I was as deep or even deeper then my pervious sets. So my question is does this mean I should do more warm ups? What do you do for your warm up and how does this compare to your work out sets? Do you warm up differently if you are going heavy or light and does the number of sets you are doing come into play? Thanks in advance for your input.

[Stephen Johnson]

Today I went to the gym and was squatting and noticed that by my last set (doing 5x5) I felt the best. The weight seemed lighter and I was as deep or even deeper then my pervious sets. So my question is does this mean I should do more warm ups?

Drawing a conclusion on how many warm-up and work sets that you need based on one workout is a crap-shoot at best. You might just have had an above-average day at the gym today. Your next workout could be better, the same or worse.

You should keep a training diary and record your workout dates, reps poundages and how you feel during and post workout. That will make it easier for you to measure your training progress and spot trends

If you have been keeping track of your progress and your last work set seemed light, it sounds like it's time to up the weight of the work set, not do more warm ups. Too much warming up will fatigue you for your work sets.

[Jungledoc]

You say your last set felt easier than the earlier sets?

Yeah, that might mean that you sere just getting warmed up, and that more warmup would hlep. But like Stephen says, maybe it's just a one-time phenomenon. Records are important, but I admit that I don't keep very good records of my warm-ups anymore.

For squats I always start with body-weight squats, just free squatting, going as deep as I can with good lumbar position. Then I go to the bar for a few. Then I divide the difference between the bar and the first work set into thirds, and do sets at those weights, usually no more reps than I'm planning for the first work set. If I feel sluggish, I might divide it 4 ways, and just do a few at each weight.

I seldom have a later work set feel easier than an earlier one any more, though I did in the past when I didn't spend as much time at warmup. Except chins. It's common for the 2nd or 3rd set to feel easier.

[Higgy]

No it is not a one time thing and yes I do keep a log. I do not however record my warmups. Squat seems to require, at least for me, more warm up sets then any of my other lifts. Was interested in how others approach their warm up for squats.

[jackthestrat]

Later in my SS progression I consistently found that my first work set was crap regardless of my warmups. Once I get through that set though, set 2 and 3 were usually much better. I just chalked set 1 up to convincing myself that I could handle the weight.

[Oscar_Actuary]

I'm same as jack on this so far.
And I do warm up sets about 35/65/85% of working weight. With Reps 8/5/3. Pretty much for all the main lifts.

[bam]

I always start off with a set of chins just to loosen up. Then I stick to the prescribed 531 warm up:
5x40%
5x50%
3x60%

So far so good.