.cal-container {
max-width: 800px;
margin: 0 auto;
font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;
padding: 20px;
background: #f9f9f9;
border-radius: 8px;
box-shadow: 0 2px 10px rgba(0,0,0,0.05);
}
.cal-header {
text-align: center;
margin-bottom: 30px;
}
.cal-header h2 {
color: #2c3e50;
margin-bottom: 10px;
}
.cal-form {
display: grid;
grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr;
gap: 20px;
margin-bottom: 25px;
background: #fff;
padding: 25px;
border-radius: 8px;
border: 1px solid #eee;
}
.input-group {
display: flex;
flex-direction: column;
}
.input-group label {
font-weight: 600;
margin-bottom: 8px;
color: #34495e;
font-size: 14px;
}
.input-group input, .input-group select {
padding: 12px;
border: 1px solid #ddd;
border-radius: 4px;
font-size: 16px;
transition: border-color 0.3s;
}
.input-group input:focus, .input-group select:focus {
border-color: #3498db;
outline: none;
}
.cal-btn {
grid-column: 1 / -1;
background: #e74c3c;
color: white;
border: none;
padding: 15px;
font-size: 18px;
font-weight: bold;
border-radius: 4px;
cursor: pointer;
transition: background 0.2s;
text-transform: uppercase;
}
.cal-btn:hover {
background: #c0392b;
}
#result-area {
margin-top: 30px;
display: none;
}
.warmup-table {
width: 100%;
border-collapse: collapse;
background: white;
border-radius: 8px;
overflow: hidden;
box-shadow: 0 2px 5px rgba(0,0,0,0.05);
}
.warmup-table th, .warmup-table td {
padding: 15px;
text-align: left;
border-bottom: 1px solid #eee;
}
.warmup-table th {
background-color: #2c3e50;
color: white;
font-weight: 600;
}
.warmup-table tr:last-child td {
border-bottom: none;
background-color: #f0f8ff;
font-weight: bold;
color: #2980b9;
}
.warmup-table tr:hover {
background-color: #f8f8f8;
}
.plates-display {
font-size: 0.85em;
color: #7f8c8d;
display: block;
margin-top: 4px;
}
.article-section {
margin-top: 50px;
line-height: 1.6;
color: #333;
background: #fff;
padding: 30px;
border-radius: 8px;
border: 1px solid #eee;
}
.article-section h3 {
color: #2c3e50;
margin-top: 25px;
border-bottom: 2px solid #e74c3c;
padding-bottom: 8px;
display: inline-block;
}
.article-section p {
margin-bottom: 15px;
}
.article-section ul {
margin-bottom: 20px;
padding-left: 20px;
}
.article-section li {
margin-bottom: 8px;
}
.error-msg {
color: #c0392b;
text-align: center;
margin-top: 10px;
font-weight: bold;
display: none;
}
@media (max-width: 600px) {
.cal-form {
grid-template-columns: 1fr;
}
}
Warmup Progression
| Set Type |
% of Target |
Weight |
Reps |
Plates (Per Side) |
Why Proper Warmup Sets Are Critical
Whether you are powerlifting, bodybuilding, or training for general strength, jumping straight into your heavy work sets is a recipe for injury and suboptimal performance. A calculated warmup prepares your Central Nervous System (CNS), lubricates joints with synovial fluid, and primes the specific muscle groups for the movement pattern.
How This Calculator Works
This calculator uses a standard "Ramping" methodology often used in strength programs like Starting Strength, 5/3/1, or StrongLifts. Instead of tiring you out with high reps, it gradually increases the weight while decreasing reps. This preserves your energy for the heavy sets that matter.
The Progression Logic:
- Set 1 (Empty Bar): Focuses on range of motion and form.
- Set 2 (~50%): Light load to begin muscle activation (5 reps).
- Set 3 (~70%): Moderate load to acclimate the CNS (3 reps).
- Set 4 (~90%): Heavy acclimation, often called a "Potentiation" set (1-2 reps).
- Work Set (100%): Your target weight for the day.
Understanding Plate Math
The calculator attempts to round the calculated weight to your nearest selected increment (usually 5 lbs or 2.5 kgs). It also estimates the plate loading per side. Note that "Plates" refers to the weight added to each side of the barbell, assuming a standard Olympic bar.
Common Warmup Mistakes
- Too much volume: Doing 15-20 reps with light weight builds lactic acid and fatigue before you even touch the heavy weight. Keep warmup reps low (under 5) as the weight gets heavier.
- Static Stretching: Avoid long-hold static stretches before lifting heavy; this can actually temporarily reduce muscle strength. Focus on dynamic movements and the warmup sets provided above.
- Skipping the Empty Bar: Even for elite lifters, the empty bar set allows you to check your form and "grease the groove" without risk.
// Helper to adjust bar weight default when unit changes
function adjustBarDefault() {
var unit = document.getElementById('weightUnit').value;
var barInput = document.getElementById('barWeight');
var roundInput = document.getElementById('roundingValue');
if (unit === 'kgs') {
barInput.value = 20;
roundInput.value = 2.5;
} else {
barInput.value = 45;
roundInput.value = 5;
}
}
// Plate calculation helper
function getPlateText(weight, barWeight, unit) {
if (weight <= barWeight) return "Empty Bar";
var weightPerSide = (weight – barWeight) / 2;
var plates = [];
// Define available plates based on unit
var availablePlates = (unit === 'lbs')
? [45, 35, 25, 10, 5, 2.5]
: [25, 20, 15, 10, 5, 2.5, 1.25];
var remaining = weightPerSide;
var plateStr = [];
// Simple greedy algorithm for plates
for (var i = 0; i = p) {
// Check if remaining is close enough to plate (floating point fix)
// or simply subtract
plates.push(p);
remaining -= p;
// floating point correction
remaining = Math.round(remaining * 100) / 100;
}
}
// Group plates for display (e.g. "2×45")
var counts = {};
for (var k = 0; k < plates.length; k++) {
var val = plates[k];
counts[val] = (counts[val] || 0) + 1;
}
var displayParts = [];
var sortedKeys = Object.keys(counts).sort(function(a,b){return b-a}); // sort descending
for (var j = 0; j 0) {
return "Microload: " + remaining + " " + unit;
}
return displayParts.join(', ');
}
function calculateWarmup() {
// 1. Get Inputs
var targetWeight = parseFloat(document.getElementById('targetWeight').value);
var barWeight = parseFloat(document.getElementById('barWeight').value);
var unit = document.getElementById('weightUnit').value;
var rounding = parseFloat(document.getElementById('roundingValue').value);
var errorDiv = document.getElementById('errorMsg');
var resultArea = document.getElementById('result-area');
var tbody = document.getElementById('warmupTableBody');
// 2. Validation
if (isNaN(targetWeight) || targetWeight <= 0) {
errorDiv.style.display = 'block';
errorDiv.innerText = "Please enter a valid target weight.";
resultArea.style.display = 'none';
return;
}
if (isNaN(barWeight) || barWeight <= 0) {
errorDiv.style.display = 'block';
errorDiv.innerText = "Please enter a valid bar weight.";
resultArea.style.display = 'none';
return;
}
if (targetWeight <= barWeight) {
errorDiv.style.display = 'block';
errorDiv.innerText = "Target weight must be heavier than the bar.";
resultArea.style.display = 'none';
return;
}
// Clear previous errors
errorDiv.style.display = 'none';
// 3. Define Progression Steps
// Structure: { percent: number, reps: string, label: string }
var steps = [
{ percent: 0, reps: "2 x 5-10", label: "General Warmup" }, // Bar only
{ percent: 0.50, reps: "5", label: "Activation" },
{ percent: 0.70, reps: "3", label: "Power" },
{ percent: 0.90, reps: "1-2", label: "Potentiation" },
{ percent: 1.00, reps: "Work Set", label: "TARGET" }
];
var htmlRows = "";
// 4. Calculate Logic
for (var i = 0; i < steps.length; i++) {
var step = steps[i];
var calculatedWeight = 0;
if (step.percent === 0) {
// Empty bar
calculatedWeight = barWeight;
} else if (step.percent === 1.00) {
// Target
calculatedWeight = targetWeight;
} else {
// Percentage Calculation
var rawWeight = targetWeight * step.percent;
// Ensure calculated weight is at least bar weight
if (rawWeight < barWeight) rawWeight = barWeight;
// Rounding Logic: Round to nearest increment
// Math: Math.round(weight / increment) * increment
calculatedWeight = Math.round(rawWeight / rounding) * rounding;
// Ensure rounding didn't push it below bar
if (calculatedWeight 0) ? (step.percent * 100) + "%" : "Bar";
// 5. Build HTML
htmlRows += "
";
htmlRows += "| " + step.label + " | ";
htmlRows += "" + pctDisplay + " | ";
htmlRows += "" + calculatedWeight + " " + unit + " | ";
htmlRows += "" + step.reps + " | ";
htmlRows += "" + plateInstructions + " | ";
htmlRows += "
";
}
// 6. Output
tbody.innerHTML = htmlRows;
resultArea.style.display = 'block';
}