Fewer Warm-Up Sets with Bigger Load Jumps: Effectiveness and Risks

When strength athletes talk about using fewer warm-up sets with bigger jumps in load, they mean reducing the number of gradual build-up sets before heavy work, instead taking larger weight increments and often performing only single repetitions on those warm-ups. This approach is intended to save energy for the main lifts or explosive efforts. In this report, we examine the science behind this minimalist warm-up strategy, its potential benefits for performance, the downsides and injury risks, real-world examples from elite training, and best-practice guidelines for implementing it effectively.

Impact on Performance: “Less is More” in Warm-Ups?

Warm-Up Benefits in General: Decades of sports science confirm that performing a warm-up (vs. none at all) usually improves athletic performance. A 2010 meta-analysis found that in about 79% of measured criteria, warming up led to better performance, with very few cases showing any harm . Warm-ups raise muscle temperature, improve joint mobility, and ramp up nervous system activation – all of which can translate to stronger, faster efforts. This general consensus sets the stage: some warming up is nearly always better than jumping in cold. The question is how much warm-up is ideal, and whether shorter, more intense warm-ups might actually outperform a long series of light sets.

Evidence for Heavy, Low-Volume Warm-Ups: Emerging research suggests that high-intensity, low-volume warm-ups (fewer sets, heavier load) can enhance subsequent performance via a phenomenon called post-activation performance enhancement (PAPE) . For example, a recent study compared three warm-up protocols before lifters did working sets at a 10RM load. The “high-load, low-volume” warm-up (5 reps at ~80% of 10RM) produced the greatest total training volume in the workout, outperforming a moderate warm-up (10 reps at 60%) and a light warm-up (15 reps at 40%) . In other words, the group that did a heavier, briefer warm-up was able to lift more total weight afterward (see figure below). Fatigue was similar across groups, indicating the heavier warm-up did not tire them out more than the lighter one . This aligns with other findings that a heavy preparatory set can “prime” the neuromuscular system for better strength endurance in the following sets .

Fig.1: Total training volume achieved in a workout after different warm-up approaches. HL = high-load/low-volume warm-up (heavy weight, few reps), ML = moderate-load/medium-volume, LL = low-load/high-volume. The heavy, low-volume warm-up led to significantly higher volume (performance) than the other two .

The physiological rationale is that a heavy single or near-max effort recruits high-threshold motor units and increases muscle fiber activation, as well as muscle temperature and fluidity, without greatly depleting energy if done for low reps. This creates a potentiation effect for subsequent efforts . Coaches and scientists often refer to this as potentiation or PAPE – the idea that lifting a heavy weight “primes” you to perform better on the next explosive or moderately heavy effort . It’s akin to telling your nervous system, “get ready, we’re about to lift something big,” so that when the big attempt comes, the body is fully awake.

“Less Warm-Up, More Power” – Sprint/Jump Studies: The “fewer warm-up sets” philosophy isn’t limited to weight lifting. A well-known study on sprint cyclists by Tomaras & MacIntosh made waves with the slogan “Less is More.” It showed that an experimental short warm-up (~15 min, lower intensity, ending with one brief sprint) resulted in 6.2% higher peak power output in a subsequent cycling test compared to a traditional 45-50 minute warm-up with multiple sprints . The longer warm-up caused more fatigue, whereas the shorter warm-up left athletes fresher and adequately primed. The researchers suggested that sprinters, speed skaters, and track athletes “should start thinking about adopting a shorter and less strenuous warm up for better performance.” This is a striking example in explosive sports: doing too much can sabotage performance, while a leaner warm-up (just enough to activate the system) maximizes power output.

Similarly, for jumps, some studies indicate that a few specific warm-up sets can improve jump height – for instance, doing some half-squats or loaded jump squats to activate the legs – but doing excessive repetitions or too many practice jumps can start to dampen explosive ability due to fatigue . The key is finding the minimum warm-up that yields the activation benefits without inducing early fatigue.

Expert Opinions and “Over-Warm-Up” Techniques: Many strength coaches have intuitively reached similar conclusions. They observe that endless ramp-up sets can waste energy without adding much benefit once the muscles are warm and firing. Prominent trainer Charles Poliquin popularized the “1+6” method as a way to trick the body into lifting more: you perform a heavy single (around 90% of 1RM, but not a grinding max) just before a working set of ~6 reps. Thanks to neural potentiation, the 6-rep set feels lighter and you often can use a heavier load than normal for those reps . This is an intentional use of a very intense but brief warm-up to boost performance. Powerlifters also sometimes employ an “over-warm-up” in training – e.g. working up to a single at or above their target weight, then backing off to do multiple reps – reporting that the working weight feels easier after touching a heavier load.

Even outside formal studies, experienced lifters note that fewer warm-up sets can improve the quality of their top sets. As one coach quipped, “People are far too wasteful with their warm-ups… You waste energy shifting unproductive loads” in a typical pyramid of 15-12-10-8-6-rep warm-ups . The recommended solution was to take fewer warm-up sets and stay well shy of failure on them. For example, instead of 5 different high-rep warm-up sets, you might do something like 10 reps, 5 reps, then several singles while ascending to your target weight . By the time you reach your heaviest work sets, you’re fully prepared but still fresh.

Bottom Line – Performance: Done correctly, a minimalist warm-up (few sets, big jumps, heavy singles) can be beneficial for strength and power performance. It capitalizes on PAPE to enhance neural readiness, and it avoids unnecessary fatigue from too many intermediate sets. In scenarios where time is limited or energy conservation is paramount (e.g. a powerlifting meet warm-up room, or a track athlete between events), trimming the warm-up “fat” can lead to better results than the traditional lengthy routine. In fact, researchers now advise that if you already feel generally warm, 1–2 specific warm-up sets (with the heavier one being most important) may suffice to reap the benefits for strength work . However, these advantages only hold if the athlete still gets adequately warmed-up – the approach walks a fine line between efficient and insufficient, as we explore next.

Potential Downsides and Injury Risks

While the performance upside of minimal warm-ups is compelling, it comes with trade-offs. Warm-ups serve a critical role in preparing the body – cut them too short or make load jumps too large, and you can run into problems. Here are the key downsides and risks to consider:

• Insufficient Tissue Preparation: The most obvious concern is injury risk. Cold muscles and stiff joints do not handle heavy loads or explosive forces well. A proper warm-up increases muscle temperature, blood flow, and synovial fluid in joints, which improves tissue elasticity. Skipping that process (or rushing it with a couple of singles) could leave you more prone to muscle strains, pulls, or joint injuries. Strength coaches widely believe warming up “might reduce injury risk, especially with heavier loads.” Lifting near-max weights without gradually acclimating the muscles and connective tissues is asking for trouble – akin to flooring a car on a cold engine. It’s worth noting that scientific studies on warm-ups and injury are not very conclusive (athletes who warm up likely have fewer acute injuries, but it’s hard to prove cause-effect) . Still, the consensus is to err on the side of caution. In practice, most coaches include at least a basic warm-up to “play it safe” on injury prevention, even if no one can put an exact percentage on the risk reduction.
• Feeling “Not Ready” or Technique Breakdown: Many lifters report that if they cut out too many warm-up sets, their first heavy attempt of the day feels awkward or heavier than it should. Warm-up sets aren’t just about physiology; they also serve as technical practice and mental rehearsal. For a complex movement like a squat or Olympic lift, doing a few lighter sets helps reinforce proper form (stance, bracing, groove) as you approach max intensity. If you jump in with a near-max single after only one light rep, you might find your form hasn’t “grooved” yet – things can feel off, or you hit sticking points because your body hasn’t recalibrated to the movement pattern. An experienced lifter on a forum put it this way: “Whenever I cut down warm-up sets, things feel odd when they get heavy.” Without enough preparatory sets, the sudden heavy load can catch the neuromuscular system a bit off-guard, leading to inefficient technique on that attempt. In explosive tasks like a max vertical jump, insufficient warm-up might mean your first all-out jump isn’t as high as it could be (the muscles weren’t fully activated or you hadn’t practiced the explosive firing beforehand).
• Overshooting Neural Readiness: The flip side of potentiation is fatigue. A “heavy warm-up” approach only works if the warm-up volume is low. If you miscalculate – for instance, doing several near-max singles or too many total warm-up reps – you can induce fatigue that hurts performance. The line is thin: one heavy single can fire you up, but three or four heavy singles is essentially part of your workout and will sap strength. So, taking big jumps means you have fewer total sets to get it right. Each warm-up needs to count. There is less room for gradually adjusting or feeling out the weight across many intermediate sets. If, psychologically or physically, you don’t feel “in the groove” by the time you hit your top set, you don’t have the luxury of many ramp-up sets to fix that.
• Psychological Readiness and Confidence: Warm-ups are also mental. They build focus and confidence as you approach your target weight. With a traditional pyramid, you might slowly gain confidence (“that 100 kg felt good, 120 kg felt solid, now I’m ready to attack 140 kg”). With big jumps and few sets, you have to be mentally ready to handle a heavy weight relatively sooner. Some athletes can switch on their maximum focus at a moment’s notice; others benefit from the progressive psyche-up. If you eliminate too many warm-up sets, an athlete may feel under-prepared or even intimidated when the big weight arrives, which can undermine performance. Powerlifting coaches often emphasize that the last warm-up is a key confidence booster – it’s the last checkpoint that signals “yes, I’m ready for my opener.” Skipping or rushing through that process can increase nerves.
• Individual Variability: The optimal warm-up volume is highly individual. What is “enough” warm-up for one person (especially a younger, mobile athlete) might be completely inadequate for someone else (e.g. an older lifter with mobility restrictions or a powerlifter with previous injuries). If someone has, say, a cranky knee that only starts feeling good after several progressively heavier sets, then cutting those sets could expose them to pain or injury. In short, a minimal warm-up strategy might simply not work well for certain athletes’ bodies. There’s a risk in forcing a one-size-fits-all low-volume warm-up on everyone.
• Contextual Factors: There are times when a reduced warm-up is clearly higher risk. For example, in a very cold environment (early morning training in winter or a chilly weight room), your body might need extra warming to reach a safe, supple state. Reducing warm-up sets in that context could be asking for a muscle tear. Likewise, if you’re coming off a long period of inactivity (say, first exercise of the day after sitting at a desk), going straight into heavy singles is riskier than if you’ve been moving around and are already limber. Coaches often adjust warm-ups based on daily conditions – fewer sets when the athlete feels already “warm” and mobile, but more warm-up when the athlete feels stiff or sluggish.

In summary, the downsides of big load jumps with minimal warm-ups mostly boil down to inadequate preparation – whether physical or mental. The strategy can trade a small performance boost for a potentially larger safety risk if done carelessly. Thus, it must be implemented thoughtfully, keeping a close eye on how the athlete feels and responds.

Key Caution: The goal is to do the minimum warm-up needed to be fully prepared – not less than needed. If you under-shoot that minimum, you expose yourself to injury and performance decrements. As one powerlifting coach put it, “The purpose of warm-ups is to do the minimal amount of work required to ensure [you’re ready].” In practice, that “minimal amount” might be 2 sets for some or 6 sets for others – finding it requires care.

Real-World Applications by Elite Athletes and Coaches

Top athletes and coaches often experiment with training methods to gain even the slightest edge. The idea of streamlining warm-ups has indeed found its way into some high-level training and competition strategies. Here are a few notable examples of how fewer warm-up sets with bigger jumps are used in practice:

• Olympic Weightlifting (Bulgarian Method): The Bulgarian weightlifting system under coach Ivan Abadjiev became famous (and notorious) for its maximalist training approach – athletes would work up to near-max lifts (singles) every day. To survive this high frequency of maximum efforts, the warm-up approach had to be efficient. Abadjiev advocated “training fast and taking big jumps” in load once the athlete was adequately warm . For example, a Bulgarian lifter might do a number of quick sets with the empty bar and a light weight (to ingrain technique and get warm), but thereafter they would jump in larger increments – perhaps 20 kg jumps or more – instead of inching up 5 kg at a time. An anecdote from an American coach who observed Abadjiev’s training noted: “Do not go past 60 kg until the body is moving fast and hitting good positions. I’ve seen guys do as many as 10 sets at 60 kg before moving up. [Then,] you must do the opposite [of slow workouts]: train fast and take big jumps.” . This means the lifter might stay at a light weight for a bit until they felt primed, and then leap straight to a much heavier weight. The rationale was to conserve energy for the top lifts and keep the sessions short and intense. This method clearly worked in terms of producing world-class results – Bulgarian lifters dominated international competition for decades – but it also came with high stress and a reputation for pushing athletes to their limits (many lifters broke down with injuries or burnout, especially without “assistance” of performance drugs). Still, the philosophy of minimal necessary warm-up persists in weightlifting circles: many elite lifters will take fewer warm-up attempts as they grow more experienced, because they become very tuned in to their technique and can “flip the switch” to high intensity quickly. In competition, too, weightlifters face a trade-off: they want enough warm-up lifts to be ready for their opener, but not so many that they waste energy they’ll need on the platform. It’s common to see big jumps especially in the final warm-ups. For instance, a weightlifter opening at 150 kg in the clean & jerk might do something like 70 → 100 → 120 → 135 → 145 → (open at) 150, taking at most 5 or 6 lifts in the back room. They likely could have done 5 kg increments all the way up, but that would be a dozen extra lifts draining their reserves.
• Powerlifting Competitions: In powerlifting meets, lifters are constrained by time and shared equipment in the warm-up room. You can’t take endless sets when dozens of others also need the squat rack. Good meet preparation actually involves practicing a concise warm-up protocol. Coaches often design warm-ups as a short sequence of key jumps. For example, an elite powerlifter with a target squat of 220 kg might warm up with: 70 kg × 5, 120 kg × 3, 170 kg × 1–2, 190 kg × 1 (if needed), and 205 kg × 1 as the last warm-up, then go to the platform at 220 kg . That’s only about 4–5 warm-up sets total. Each jump is ~20–50 kg. Notice the last warm-up is heavy (just a notch below the opener) – this is common practice to ensure the opener doesn’t feel like a shock. Powerlifting coach Jack Reape provides a clear example of big jumps in warm-ups: “My first set is 5 reps [with an empty bar or 60 kg]. If it feels good, I go up 90 pounds. If not, I do 5 more until it feels right. I do NOT do 10–20 reps in a row even with light weights… My second ramp-up set is 3 reps, the third is 2 reps, then if there are more ramp ups, I go to just singles.” . In practice, for his squat this meant something like 135 lb (61 kg) → 225 lb (102 kg) → 315 lb (143 kg) → 405 lb (184 kg) → 495 lb (225 kg), etc., with only a few reps on each. Reape even mentions that legendary trainer Pavel Tsatsouline encouraged him to start at a heavier initial weight (e.g. 225 lb instead of 135) because “135 is not enough for me to start with in the squat” – underscoring how a stronger athlete may need to begin warm-ups at a higher baseline. Reape’s philosophy: every warm-up set is focused and none are wasted. If something feels off, he might repeat a set, but otherwise he prefers to “keep it minimal” and let each jump build toward the goal . In his own words, “When I compete, I use the same 90-pound ramp up jumps… Every ramp up set in a meet is done focused on my target… You NEVER waste anything in the ramp up; you just prepare your mind and technique for what is to come. If it’s not right, do it over, but keep it minimal.” . This approach has been echoed by other elite powerlifters – for instance, some will plan to warm up with one plate, two plates, three plates, etc., adding 20 kg per side each time, which naturally means fewer total sets even for a big lift. The strongest lifters (those squatting 300 kg+) often can’t afford to do small jumps, or they’d tire themselves out with 15+ warm-up sets; instead they might take 70 kg, 120 kg, 170 kg, 220 kg, 260 kg, 285 kg, then attempt 300 kg. Yes, the jumps are large, but these are practiced and planned.
• “Opener as Last Warm-Up” – Confidence vs Energy: Some coaches of elite lifters even experiment with having the lifter open (first attempt in competition) very close to their gym lifts so that the warm-up can be truncated. For example, if a lifter can squat 250 kg in training, they might open at 245 kg in competition – that opener itself acts almost like a last warm-up for bigger second and third attempts. The warm-up room then only needs to go to ~230 kg. This strategy is risky if the lifter isn’t fully ready at opener (since missing an opener is bad news in meets), but it illustrates how advanced athletes manipulate warm-ups to conserve energy for the biggest lifts.
• Track and Jumps Coaching: In track & field, coaches historically had athletes go through very long warm-ups (drills, strides, build-up sprints, etc.) to ensure readiness. After studies like the Calgary one, some high-performance coaches began shortening and simplifying sprinters’ warm-ups, wary of “over-cooking” athletes before the race. For explosive jumpers (high jump, long jump, or even team-sport athletes doing vertical jump tests), a practical application is to limit the number of practice jumps. Instead of, say, 10 approach jumps to feel ready, an athlete might do just a couple sub-maximal jumps, some fast deep squats or plyometric exercises, and then go for their maximal jump attempts while fresh. They might also incorporate a potentiating activity: for example, a few reps of a loaded squat or trap-bar jump to excite the nervous system, then adequate rest, then the competition jump. This mirrors the weightlifting idea of a heavy single before a working set. The balance is critical – one or two explosive warm-up efforts can boost performance, but too many will start to cause fatigue or reduce explosiveness. Top coaches carefully monitor how athletes feel during warm-ups and will cut it short once the athlete displays sharp, powerful movement, rather than forcing them through a rote lengthy routine.
• Professional Team Sports: Although our focus is strength and jumps, it’s worth noting that even in sports like football or basketball, the warm-up philosophy has shifted toward quality over quantity. Teams still do general warm-ups and dynamic stretching, but many strength & conditioning coaches now avoid exhaustive warm-up drills that could fatigue players. They instead emphasize a few high-quality explosive actions (e.g. a few short sprints or jumps) to ensure players are neurologically activated for game time, and then trust that the game itself will further ramp up intensity. In weight training sessions for athletes, coaches might reduce accessory warm-ups if the athlete is already warm from practice or a previous exercise – essentially using the first exercise as the warm-up for the second. For instance, after doing power cleans, an athlete might jump straight into heavy squats with only a couple of lighter sets, since their legs and nervous system are already fired up from the cleans. This is an application of “fewer warm-ups” across exercises within a workout.

These examples show that elite practitioners do use minimal warm-up strategies, but usually in a calculated manner. The pattern is: as athletes become more advanced and stronger, they tend to streamline their warm-ups – partially out of necessity (heavy absolute loads require bigger jumps) and partially because their bodies “remember” the movement patterns well. An interesting comment from a powerlifting coach: “In my experience, people generally need far less warm-ups than they think.” He advises lifters to try cutting down extra warm-up sets and only hitting the key “landmark” weights on the way to their top set. Many athletes find that once they try this and get used to it, they don’t miss the discarded warm-up sets at all – their performance is just as good or better, and sessions are shorter.

However, it’s also clear that top athletes pay attention to warning signs. If an athlete shortens their warm-up and then experiences a poor performance or a tweak, they will adjust next time. For instance, if a weightlifter jumps from 60 kg directly to 100 kg and feels a twinge, they’ll likely add a set at 80 kg next time. The process is iterative and individualized.

Best Practices and Recommendations

So, when and how should you use the strategy of fewer warm-up sets with bigger jumps? The answer depends on your training context, experience level, and goals. Below are recommendations and best practices to safely and effectively implement a minimalist warm-up approach:

• Never Skip the Essentials: Cold-starting a heavy or explosive effort is a recipe for disaster. Always begin with some form of general warm-up or light movement. This could be 5–10 minutes of light cardio, dynamic stretching, mobility drills, or simply a couple of light sets with an empty bar. The goal is to raise your body temperature and ensure your joints move freely. Even proponents of minimal warm-ups concede that you must “warm up properly every damn time you train” – the debate is only about how much specific warm-up is needed beyond getting generally warm. Make sure by the time you hit your first heavy load, you’ve broken a light sweat or at least feel loosened up.
• Use Big Jumps Progressively: The idea is to reduce the number of sets, not to leap straight to your max in one go. Plan out a progression of larger weight jumps that still makes sense. A common rule of thumb: each warm-up jump can be about 10–20% of your max. For a 200 kg squat, that might mean jumps of ~20–40 kg. For a 100 kg bench, jumps of ~10–15 kg. The stronger you are (higher absolute weight), the bigger the jumps can be – e.g. advanced powerlifters might add 20 kg per set; an intermediate might add 10 kg. Ensure the first jump isn’t too drastic; many will start with around 50% of their max for a set of a few reps, then move up in larger chunks. Each jump should feel like a natural step up, not a shock. If a jump feels jarring, you likely went too big; include an intermediate set next time.
• Lower Reps as You Go Heavier: To avoid fatigue, perform fewer reps on each successive warm-up set as the weight increases. Early on, you might do 5–10 reps with the empty bar or very light weight just to get moving. But once you’re past ~50% of your max, you should drop to 3–5 reps; by ~80%, you’re doing only 1–2 reps. Many lifters will do their final warm-ups (90%+ range) for single reps only – just one solid rep to feel the weight and activate the nervous system. This way, you’re minimizing total work while still hitting the necessary intensity. For example, a minimal warm-up sequence for a heavy deadlift might be: 60% × 5 reps, 75% × 3 reps, 85% × 1–2 reps, 92% × 1 rep, then go for 100%. This keeps you warm and ready, without any high-rep fatigue from those heavy ranges .
• Consider a Heavy Single Warm-Up (Potentiation): If your goal is pure strength performance on a top set (or an explosive effort), you can experiment with incorporating a slightly sub-maximal single as part of the warm-up. This would be a weight higher than your planned working weight, done for one rep. For instance, if you plan to squat 3×3 at 150 kg, you might work up to a single at ~160–165 kg, then drop back to 150 kg for your sets. Many lifters find the 150 kg feels “lighter” after handling the heavier single – a psychological and physiological boost . This is essentially the Poliquin 1–6 principle or the heavy-over-warm-up idea. Guidelines for using this method: the single should be challenging but not a grind (perhaps ~90–95% of your max or an RPE 8–9 effort), and you should take a sufficient rest (several minutes) after it before your main sets or attempts, to dissipate any fatigue. Use this sparingly – it’s best reserved for well-trained individuals. In explosive/power training, the analogue might be doing one super-loaded jump or throw, or a heavy half-squat, before your main jump/sprint attempt, again with a short rest to allow potentiation to take effect.
• Listen to Your Body – Auto-regulate the Warm-Up: The minimalist approach demands good self-awareness. As you warm up with big jumps, continually assess how you feel. After each set, ask: “Do I feel ready to go up? Was that weight moving fast and smooth? Any tightness or off feeling?” . If everything feels great, you can likely proceed to the next planned weight jump confidently. If something feels off – e.g. the bar speed was slow or your shoulder felt tight on that bench press – consider inserting an extra warm-up set at an intermediate weight, or repeating the weight you just did for another rep or two . There’s no shame in adding one “back-up” warm-up set if needed. The plan should be flexible. The ultimate judge is that you arrive at your top set or attempt feeling optimally activated, not fatigued, and technically dialed in. Train yourself to achieve that state with as few sets as possible, but don’t be rigid; day-to-day variability in how you feel might mean some days you need one more set.
• Don’t Neglect Warm-Up Mobility/Activation Drills (If You Need Them): Sometimes fewer lifting warm-up sets can be offset by a bit of targeted activation work. For example, rather than doing 5 sets of light squats to wake up your glutes, you might do 1-2 light squat sets plus a set of glute bridges or band walks to get your glute muscles firing, then jump to heavier squats. Or if overhead presses feel rough without lots of light sets, you could do some shoulder rotations or light dumbbell presses beforehand, then take bigger jumps on the barbell. These kinds of drills can shorten the specific barbell warm-up because you’re activating supporting muscles separately. Just be careful that any activation work is not fatiguing (low volume, small movements).
• Use Minimal Warm-Ups More for Key Lifts or First Exercises: In a training session, you might save time by doing a full warm-up for the first big exercise, then doing fewer warm-ups for subsequent exercises. For example, on a leg day you thoroughly warm up for squats. After squatting, you’re pretty much ready to go for deadlifts – you might only need one lighter set before jumping into heavy pulls. Many coaches note that after one heavy compound lift, the body is “online,” so additional lifts need very little ramp-up. This can be an efficient way to apply the strategy without compromising safety on the truly heavy, initial movement of the day.
• Environment and Timing Matters: Adjust the warm-up based on external conditions. On a hot day or if you’ve just done another physical activity, you might be able to safely cut down the warm-up sets (since your body is already warm and loose). Conversely, early morning lifts, cold weather, or coming back from a deload/inactivity might warrant a longer warm-up progression. Fewer warm-ups are best used when you’re already somewhat warm. One tip from some powerlifters is to take a hot shower or do a brief general warm-up (like jumping jacks, light cardio) right before heading to the gym – this way you arrive with your core temperature up and can dive into heavier weights sooner . Just be mindful to maintain warmth; if you take long rests and start to cool off, the benefit of that initial warmth can dissipate, defeating the purpose of fewer sets.
• Trial in Training Before Testing/Competition: If you plan to reduce warm-ups for a competition or a max lift attempt, practice it in training first. Do not radically change your warm-up routine on game day without having tested how your body responds. In training cycles, you can gradually trim one warm-up set at a time and monitor performance. For instance, if you normally do 5 warm-up sets, try doing 4 and see if your top sets suffer or improve. This experimentation will help you identify the minimal warm-up that you specifically need. Some athletes will find a sweet spot (e.g. “I need at least 3 sets before I feel right, but 3 is enough; any more and I’m just burning energy”). Others might discover they actually prefer an extra warm-up and shouldn’t cut back. The point is to personalize the approach.
• Special Case – Explosive Efforts: When applying this strategy to things like vertical jumps, Olympic lifts, or sprints, the consensus is quality over quantity. Do just enough reps to feel explosive and technically sharp. For a vertical jump test, that might mean a handful of buildup jumps of increasing intensity (e.g. a few sub-max hops, then two almost-max jumps), rather than 20 practice jumps. For Olympic lifts, many lifters take quite a few singles on the way up, but very rarely more than 2–3 reps per set. If pushing an all-out attempt, they might even skip intermediate weights if time is short (for example, a weightlifter might jump 10 kg at a time as the weight gets heavy, doing single reps, to avoid tiring out). If you’re doing plyometrics or sprints, keep the volume low in warm-ups – do a couple of high-quality accelerations or bounds, then rest and go for the full effort. The moment you feel “that was a great explosive rep,” it’s often wise to stop there and proceed to the main event, rather than doing several more that could only fatigue you.
• Monitor Outcomes: After adopting a reduced warm-up approach, keep track of how you’re performing and feeling. If your performance improves or stays the same (e.g. you hit the same weights or heights, but with less prep), and you experience no injuries or undue soreness, that’s a sign the approach is working for you. If you notice a trend of missed lifts, poor first sets, or niggling pains, those are red flags that you’ve cut too much. Warm-up should be the safest part of your training – if you’re getting hurt during warm-up or feeling exhausted before the workout even begins, something’s off in your approach.
• Know When “Less” is Appropriate: When you’re peaking for performance, such as a competition or a testing day, minimizing warm-up can be advantageous to save all available energy for the main event (as long as safety isn’t compromised). On the other hand, during general training or when learning a new skill, more warm-up sets can serve as valuable practice. For beginners, for example, extra lighter sets build skill and consistency. Thus, coaches might deliberately give novices more warm-up sets to reinforce technique and confidence. As the athlete becomes advanced and the technique is ingrained, they can then afford to trim the warm-up without losing the technical benefits. In short: use longer warm-ups when the goal is practice or gradual adaptation; use shorter warm-ups when the goal is maximum performance on a well-practiced skill.

In implementing these best practices, always recall that the “minimal effective warm-up” is a moving target influenced by many factors. The ultimate aim is to arrive at your first working rep in peak condition – fully warm, mentally focused, and not fatigued. However you achieve that is fine, whether it took 2 sets or 10 sets. The value of using fewer sets with bigger jumps is mainly in efficiency and potentially a slight performance boost, but it should never come at the expense of safety and readiness.

Conclusion

A warm-up is the gateway between rest and maximal effort. The strategy of using fewer warm-up sets with bigger load jumps challenges the old-school notion that more is always better. Scientific evidence and elite practices show that a leaner warm-up can indeed enhance performance – by preventing unnecessary fatigue and leveraging potentiation to your advantage . Many top athletes intuitively find they can maintain or improve their output by trimming down to the essential warm-up sets, especially for strength and power movements.

However, this approach is a double-edged sword. Without the cushion of multiple gradual sets, you walk a finer line in terms of preparedness. The potential risks – injury, technique issues, mental un readiness – mean that a minimalist warm-up must be executed with individualized care. In practice, successful use of this method often boils down to experience: knowing your body, knowing your event, and having rehearsed the warm-up enough times to trust it. Coaches of high performers do use it, but they also remain ready to add a set if their athlete isn’t quite feeling right. As one powerlifting coach noted, people usually need less warm-up than they imagine, but “don’t be afraid to change the plan on the fly as you see fit” – if something feels off, warm up a bit more .

When to use this strategy effectively: It’s best applied when you’re short on time, when you’re attempting a very heavy or explosive effort that would be impaired by fatigue, or when you have dialed-in technique and simply want to conserve energy for the task. It’s commonly used in competition settings (where excessive warm-up isn’t feasible) and by advanced lifters who have progressed beyond needing extensive practice at lighter loads. It’s less appropriate for novices (who benefit from more rehearsal) or in situations where you feel particularly stiff or unsure – in those cases, extra warm-up is cheap insurance.

In conclusion, “fewer warm-up sets with bigger jumps” is a tool – one that should be applied with nuance. When wielded correctly, it can streamline your training and even give you a performance edge. But it should be introduced gradually and intelligently, never forcing the body into a heavy attempt unprepared. The art of warm-up is finding the sweet spot between too little and too much. As the evidence suggests, that sweet spot often lies closer to “less” than we traditionally thought, provided that “less” still meets all the criteria of a good warm-up: raising temperature, activating the neuromuscular system, and focusing the mind . Strive to meet those goals as efficiently as possible. Warm up just enough to excel – then go out and break your PR.

Sources:

• Fradkin, A. et al. (2010). Effects of warming-up on physical performance: a systematic review with meta-analysis. J Strength Cond Res, 24(1), 140-148. 
• Wolf, M. (2024). Heavier warm-ups are best, new study suggests. Stronger by Science. 
• Tomaras, E.K. & MacIntosh, B.R. (2011). Less is more: Standard warm-up causes fatigue and less warm-up permits greater cycling power output. J Appl Physiol, 111(1), 228-235. (Summary in University of Calgary press release) 
• Richardson, F. (2014). How To “Trick” Your Body Into Stronger Performance. The Protein Works – The Locker Room (Training article) .
• Reape, J. (2005). Taking Dead Aim, Or How to Warm up, then Ramp up Correctly for Training or Competition. Dragon Door Publications – Article. 
• Odyssey Strength (2023). Warm-ups for Powerlifting (Blog post) .
• Abelsson, A. (2025). How To Warm Up Before Lifting: Science-Backed Routines for Strength and Safety. StrengthLog (Blog) .
• McGowan, C. et al. (2015). Current Concepts: The Warm-Up. Sports Medicine, 45(11), 1523-1546.