The Speediance Warmup Setting Nobody Uses (But Everyone Should)

The Warmup Problem

Here's what happens to most people on Speediance:

They go into Customize mode to set up a warmup. They pick a light weight, do a few reps, and move on to their working sets.

A week later, they notice their 1RM values have changed. The machine is suggesting weights that are way off. Their progressive overload data is garbage.

What happened?

The Customize option reset their 1RM values. The machine no longer knows what they're actually capable of lifting.

I've seen this happen to users in the community. They post about it — "why is my 1RM all wrong?" — and the answer is always the same: they used Customize for warmups.

Here's the fix.

The Stamina Mode Solution

Don't use Customize for warmups. Use Stamina mode instead.

Here's exactly how to set it up:

1. Pick Stamina mode from the workout type menu

2. Set your weight to 20

3. Set your reps to 13

That's it. That's the warmup.

Now let me explain why this works.

Understanding the 20 and 13

When you set weight to 20 in Stamina mode, you're telling the machine: "I'm working at 20% of my 1RM."

This isn't arbitrary. It's the machine's built-in percentage system. 20% of your 1RM is light enough for a warmup but heavy enough to actually warm up your muscles.

When you set reps to 13, you're telling the machine: "I'm going to do 13 reps."

Here's the key: 13 reps at 20% of your 1RM is comfortably below failure. You're not grinding. You're getting blood flowing. You're preparing your tendons, ligaments, and muscles for the working sets ahead.

But the machine won't reset your 1RM values because you're using Stamina mode — a built-in training mode — not Customize.

Why Customize Breaks Things

The Customize option is powerful but dangerous.

When you use Customize, you're inputting absolute values rather than percentages. You pick a weight, you pick a target, and the machine accepts whatever you enter at face value.

The problem: if you enter a warmup weight in Customize, the machine can interpret that as your new capability. It adjusts your 1RM downward because you just lifted "X pounds" for "Y reps." The math doesn't lie — the machine is doing exactly what it's supposed to do.

But you didn't mean for that to be your real working weight. It was a warmup.

This is what I saw happen to another user in the community. They posted their 1RM had dropped significantly after using Customize for warmups. I asked if they did warmups in Customize. They did.

That's the cause. That's always the cause.

The Machine Remembers

Once you set up Stamina mode with 20 weight and 13 reps for your warmup, the machine remembers.

You do it once. Then every subsequent workout, that warmup setting is pre-loaded. You don't have to set it up again.

This is the beauty of the percentage-based system. The machine knows what 20% of your 1RM is because it knows your 1RM. As your strength increases, your warmup weight increases automatically.

Contrast this with Customize, where you'd have to manually adjust your warmup weight every time your strength goes up. That's tedious. That's error-prone. That's how you break things.

What About Working Sets?

For working sets, I use a different setup:

- **Mode:** Gain Muscle

- **Weight:** 15

- **Reps:** 13

- **Unlimited Sets:** ON

Here's what this does:

15 weight means 15% of your 1RM. That's your working range — challenging but not crushing. With Unlimited Sets ON, if you can do more than 13 reps, the weight STAYS ON and you keep going. The machine tracks those extra reps and feeds them into your progressive overload calculation.

This is how progressive overload actually works on these machines. This is how you get stronger over time.

But for warmups — 20 weight, 13 reps, Stamina mode. Don't overcomplicate it.

The Practical Experience

Let me walk you through what a real warmup looks like on my Speediance:

I start my session. I turn on both handles 30 seconds before I need them (pro tip: do this, they pair better).

I select my first exercise — let's say barbell lat pulldown. I hit Start. The machine loads my warmup: 20 weight, 13 reps in Stamina mode.

I do 13 reps. The weight is light. My back is getting blood flow. My grip is warming up. My CNS is waking up.

At rep 13, I stop. The set ends. The machine doesn't reset anything because I was in Stamina mode, not Customize.

I move to my working set. Same exercise. Now it's 15 weight, 13 reps in Gain Muscle mode. I'm ready to lift heavy because I warmed up properly.

This pattern repeats for every exercise in my workout.

Common Mistakes

**Mistake #1: Using Customize for warmups.** I've already explained why this breaks things. Don't do it.

**Mistake #2: Going too heavy on warmups.** Your warmup should be easy. If you're breathing hard after your warmup set, it was too heavy. Back off.

**Mistake #3: Skipping warmups entirely.** Don't. Your first working set will feel terrible. Your tendons won't be ready. You'll increase your injury risk.

**Mistake #4: Not turning on handles early.** If you turn on handles mid-workout, they might not pair properly. Turn them on at the start of your session. Let them connect while you're adjusting your first exercise.

The Bottom Line

Two settings to remember:

- **Warmups:** Stamina mode, 20 weight, 13 reps

- **Working sets:** Gain Muscle mode, 15 weight, 13 reps, Unlimited Sets ON

Never use Customize for warmups. The machine will think you've gotten weaker when you haven't.

Use the percentage-based modes. Let the machine do the math. Your 1RM will stay accurate and your progressive overload will actually work.

I've lifted over 1.2 million pounds on these machines. I know what settings matter — and the warmup setup matters more than most people realize.