RPE and RIR: how to rate a set, and why it changes your log
RPE is the rating of perceived exertion, from 1 to 10. RIR is reps in reserve: how many more reps you could have done. They describe the same thing from two ends. RPE 9 is the same set as 1 RIR.
Most working sets for muscle gain sit at RPE 7 to 9, which is 1 to 3 reps short of failure. Rating each set makes two logged sets at the same weight and reps comparable, because the log now says how hard each one was.
The scale
| RPE | RIR | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | 0 | Maximum effort. No more reps possible. |
| 9.5 | 0 to 1 | You might have squeezed out one more. Not sure. |
| 9 | 1 | One more rep was possible. |
| 8.5 | 1 to 2 | One more, maybe two. |
| 8 | 2 | Two more reps were possible. |
| 7 | 3 | Three more reps. The bar moved fast. |
| 6 | 4 | Four more. Light. Counts as a hard set only just. |
| 5 and below | 5 or more | Warm-up territory. |
Half points exist for the cases where you are unsure. Use them sparingly. If you use half points on every set, the extra detail is noise.
Calibrate against a real max-rep set
Most people misjudge their reserve until they have seen the other end. Do this once per lift, on a lift that is safe to take to failure, such as a leg press, a machine press or a cable row.
- Warm up fully.
- Pick a weight you can lift for about 8 to 10 reps.
- Take the set to true failure, where the next rep will not move.
- At rep 5, rep 6 and so on, note how it felt and how fast the bar moved.
- Write down the rep count you reached.
Now you have an anchor. The set where you stopped at rep 8 of a possible 10 had 2 RIR. Next time, stop at the point that felt the same and record that. You are training your own judgement, so repeat the exercise every few months.
Do not do this on a heavy barbell squat or bench press without a spotter or safety pins. Calibrate on the safe lifts and carry the feel across.
Where working sets should sit
For most lifters, aiming at RPE 7 to 9 works well:
- RPE 7 to 8 on the first sets of a lift, while you are fresh.
- RPE 8 to 9 on the last set, when you can afford to push.
- RPE 10 sparingly. Failure costs more recovery than it returns, especially on heavy compound lifts.
Strength work uses the same scale, with lower reps and heavier loads. A top set at RPE 8 on a heavy triple is a hard day’s work.
Common mistakes
Rating by discomfort
Burn is not effort. A set of lateral raises can burn badly at 4 reps in reserve, and a heavy set of squats can feel calm at 1. Rate by how many reps were left, not by how unpleasant the set felt.
Ask one question: how many more clean reps could I have done if the set had to continue? Clean means the same form as the first rep.
Rating too low on isolation lifts
On curls, raises and extensions, people rate sets as RPE 7 when they were closer to 9 or 10. The last reps of an isolation set slow down gradually, so there is no sudden sticking point to warn you. Compound lifts tell you more clearly: the bar stalls and everyone knows.
If you are unsure on an isolation lift, treat the set as harder than it felt and check against the rep speed. If the last rep took twice as long as the first, it was close to failure.
Rating the whole session, not the set
Rate each set. The first set of three at RPE 7 and the last at RPE 9 tell you more than a single 8 for the lot.
Changing the scale mid-block
If you decide in week three that RPE 8 means something else, your old numbers stop being comparable. Keep the definition fixed for at least a block.
Using RPE to adjust the load
RPE lets the weight follow the day. If you planned 3 sets of 8 at RPE 8 and the first set at your usual weight felt like RPE 6, add weight. If it felt like RPE 9.5, take weight off.
A simple rule:
- One point below target: add 2.5 kg to the bar (about 5 lb).
- On target: keep the weight.
- One point above target: remove 2.5 kg to 5 kg, or cut a rep.
This works alongside the overload methods in progressive overload. Double progression sets the rep range and asks you to fill it. RPE tells you whether the reps were real, so you do not add weight on a day when the top of the range came from sheer stubbornness.
It also helps with a bad day. If your plan says 100 kg for 5 and it feels like RPE 9.5, the sensible move is to drop weight and keep the target effort. You get the training stimulus without grinding. See how to track your workouts for what to do with such a session in your review.
RPE and your estimated max
Reps at a weight give an estimated one-rep max. See the one-rep max calculator for the formulas. The estimate assumes the set went to failure. A set of 5 at 100 kg with 3 reps left is not a 5-rep max, so the formula undersells you.
Adding the reserve to the reps fixes this. Five reps with 3 in reserve is the same as a set of 8 for the purpose of the estimate. That is why the rating belongs in the log and not in your head.
In GymYuz
Record RPE or RIR for each set, whichever scale you prefer. There is also an exact-value field if you want to type a number such as 8.5 yourself. The estimated one-rep max, shown as e1RM, is calculated from the weight and reps of the set, so read it next to the rating you logged: a set with reps left in reserve gives a low estimate, and a set at RPE 9 or 10 gives the one to trust.
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