WARM-UP SETS VS WORKING SETS

The mistake thats killing your gym progress

Gaz Gaelic Guide  |  gazgaelicguide.com

The Mistake Most Lads Dont Know Theyre Making

Right, this is one of the most common things I see going wrong with lads in the gym, and the worst part is most of them dont even know theyre doing it. Theyre showing up, putting the work in, training consistently, and still not seeing the progress they should be seeing. And a huge reason for that comes down to one simple thing: counting warm-up sets as working sets.

Sounds simple. But I promise you, more lads are getting this wrong than youd think.

What Is a Working Set?

A working set is when you start your prescribed sets and reps. Thats it. When your programme says 3 sets of 10 reps, that means 3 sets where you are one or two reps away from failure. That is your working set. That is where the progress happens.

Warm-up sets are separate. Theyre not part of your 3x10 or your 4x6 or your 5x5. They dont count. Full stop.

I see lads do this all the time. Their programme says 3 sets of 10 on bench. They do 40kg for 10, 50kg for 10, then 60kg for 10 because 60kg is where theyre close to failure. In their head, thats 3 sets done. In reality, theyve done one working set and two warm-up sets. You can see why progress stalls.

Why This Matters So Much

The whole point of your programme is accumulating enough volume at the right intensity to force an adaptation. To get stronger. To build muscle. To become a better athlete on the pitch.

If your intensity isnt high enough across enough sets, that adaptation just doesnt happen. Your body has no reason to change. You have to give it a reason.

Being one or two reps from failure on your working sets is that reason. If youre flying through every set with plenty left in the tank, youre not training hard enough. You might be keeping yourself fit, but youre leaving a lot of progress on the table.

The Bicep Curl Problem

Here is where it gets interesting. On big compound lifts like squats, deadlifts, and bench press, it makes total sense to do two or three warm-up sets. The movement is complex, you are loading heavy, and you need to prepare your body properly. No argument there.

But lads carry that same habit into everything. Two warm-up sets before bicep curls. Two warm-up sets before lateral raises. Every exercise, every time, same routine. And then they wonder why isolation work isnt doing much for them.

You dont need to warm up for bicep curls the same way you warm up for a deadlift. If you do two warm-up sets and then one heavy set, you have done one working set. Not three. One.

When to Warm Up and When Not To

Why Warm-Up Sets Are Still Important

None of this means skip your warm-up. It means understand what your warm-up is for and stop letting it eat into your actual work.

Warm-up sets serve a real purpose. Here is what they actually do:

• Increase blood flow to the muscles youre about to use

• Prime the nervous system so you can recruit muscle fibres properly

• Groove the movement pattern before you go heavy

• Reduce injury risk on big compound lifts, particularly when loading through the spine or shoulder joint

• Give you a chance to dial in your technique before the weight gets serious

So on your squats and your deadlifts and your bench, yes, get those warm-up sets in. Build up gradually. Dont just walk in cold and jump to your working weight. Especially if youve had any injury history, and lads playing GAA almost always have some kind of history whether it is a bad back, a dodgy shoulder, or hip stuff from overuse on the pitch.

How to Warm Up Properly

There is no one size fits all here, but this is a straightforward approach that works well for most exercises:

For big compound lifts (squat, deadlift, bench)

• Start with the bar or a very light weight. Do 8-10 reps. Get the feel of the movement.

• Move up to roughly 40-50% of your working weight. Do 6-8 reps.

• Move up to 60-70% of your working weight. Do 4-5 reps.

• Move up to 80-85% of your working weight. Do 2-3 reps.

• Now you are ready. Start your working sets.

For smaller isolation exercises

• You generally do not need this kind of ramp-up.

• One lighter set at most, or just start at your working weight if you are already warmed up from earlier in the session.

• If bench press is done earlier in your session, your chest and shoulders are already warm. You can go straight into working sets on most pressing accessory work.

In-Season vs Off-Season Working Sets

This is worth mentioning because it changes how you approach intensity across the year.

Off-Season

This is your window to push volume and intensity. You have the recovery time. Youre not playing matches every few weeks. You can go close to failure, accumulate more sets, and chase progress in the gym aggressively. Working sets should be at a high intensity, RPE 8 or above on most exercises.

In-Season

The goal shifts. You are not trying to maximise muscle gain. You are trying to maintain what you have built and stay fresh enough to perform on the pitch. In-season, working sets come down to around RPE 7, which means roughly 3 reps in reserve rather than 1 or 2. You are still pushing, still working hard, but you are leaving a little more in the tank.

Two full body gym sessions per week in-season is plenty. Keep the rest generous between sets, especially on anything power or strength based. You need to be able to walk out of that session and still train with the club that week.

Pulling It All Together

Look, this stuff is not complicated but it is easy to get wrong without even realising it. The lad who has been going to the gym for two years and wonders why he is not much stronger than when he started, a lot of the time it comes down to this. Intensity is too low because the warm-up sets are eating into the working sets.

Here is the simple version:

• Warm-up sets are their own thing. They do not count toward your prescribed sets and reps.

• Working sets start when you are genuinely challenged, one or two reps from failure for that rep range.

• On big lifts, warm up properly. On isolation work, keep it short or skip it.

• In-season, keep working set intensity at RPE 7. Off-season, push harder.

• Consistency and intensity together is what drives progress. Not just showing up.

The weight on the bar is not the most important thing. What matters is that your working sets are at the right intensity for you, for that day, for that block. Whether thats 40kg or 140kg is irrelevant. Get the intensity right and the progress will come.

Want the full in-season gym plan?

Head to gazgaelicguide.com for structured gym programmes built specifically for GAA players.

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