RPE (rating of perceived exertion) and RIR (reps in reserve) are two ways to say how hard a set was. In lifting, RPE 10 means you could not do another rep, RPE 9 means one rep left, RPE 8 means two left, and so on. RIR counts those reps left directly. Programs use them to set weights by effort instead of fixed numbers.
This is general training information, not medical advice. If you have an injury or a health condition, talk to a qualified professional before changing your training.
What does RPE mean in lifting?
RPE started as a general effort scale in exercise science, used for things like running and cycling. Lifters adapted it into a 1 to 10 scale tied to how many more reps you could have done at the end of a set. Powerlifting coach Mike Tuchscherer helped popularize this version, and researchers later tested it.
The key study is Zourdos and colleagues, 2016, in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. It used the reps in reserve version of the scale (RPE 10 means zero reps left, RPE 9 means one left) and found that higher ratings went along with slower bar speed in the squat. The authors called it a practical way to adjust daily training loads.
What is the RPE and RIR scale?
Here is the lifting version in plain terms:
- RPE 10, 0 RIR: a true max effort. No more reps were possible.
- RPE 9.5: no more reps, but you could maybe have added a little weight.
- RPE 9, 1 RIR: one more rep was possible.
- RPE 8.5: you could definitely do one more rep and maybe two.
- RPE 8, 2 RIR: two more reps were possible.
- RPE 7, 3 RIR: three more reps. Fast, solid, but not easy.
- RPE 6 and below: warm up and technique territory.
Below about RPE 6, it is hard to tell the difference between ratings, so most programs only use the top of the scale.
What is the difference between RPE and RIR?
They describe the same thing from opposite ends. RPE is a score where higher means harder. RIR counts reps you had left, where lower means harder. "Squat 3 sets of 5 at RPE 8" and "squat 3 sets of 5 with 2 reps in reserve" ask for the same effort. Some coaches find RIR easier for newer lifters because counting reps left feels more concrete than a score.
How do you use RPE to pick your weights?
Say your program calls for a top set of 3 at RPE 8. You warm up, pick a weight you think fits, and do the triple. If it felt like you had two more reps, you hit the target. If it felt like one more rep at most, that was RPE 9, so drop the weight a little for the next set. If it felt like four more, add weight.
That is the main benefit. On a day when you slept badly, the same RPE target gives you a lighter weight. On a great day it gives you a heavier one. Helms and colleagues, 2016 describe this as the scale adjusting loads to match the athlete set by set, and they lay out ways to build it into a training plan.
Is RPE accurate for beginners?
Less so. In the Zourdos study, experienced squatters rated their max attempts higher than novices did, which means novices tended to underrate how hard a true max was. That fits what most coaches see: new lifters often think they had more reps left than they did.
That is one reason beginner programs such as StrongLifts 5x5 and Starting Strength use fixed weights and simple jumps. RPE becomes more useful once progress slows and you need to tell a bad day from a real stall, which is the stage where programs like Madcow 5x5 and other intermediate plans take over.
How do you get better at rating RPE?
- Rate every work set right after you rack it. Write the number in your log next to the weight and reps.
- Use video. Bar speed slowing a lot near the end of a set usually means you were closer to failure than it felt.
- Check yourself on lighter sets. Now and then, on an accessory exercise, guess your RIR and then keep going to see how many reps you really had. Do this on safe movements, not heavy squats or bench.
- Be honest with grind. If the last rep slowed to a crawl, it was not RPE 7.
- Keep the rest of the setup the same. Rating gets harder when your gear, chalk or setup change from week to week.
Where do chalk and grip matter for RPE?
A set can feel harder than it really is because your grip is failing, not your legs or back. On deadlifts and rows, a slipping bar can turn an RPE 7 set into what feels like RPE 9. Chalk keeps your hands dry so the number you write down reflects the lift, not your grip. If your gym bans chalk, see which gyms allow chalk and how to ask your gym about chalk.
Do you need a special gym to train with RPE?
No. RPE works with any barbell, rack and plates. Small plate jumps help, since adjusting by a few pounds is often enough to hit a target. If you want a gym with calibrated plates, platforms and chalk, look at powerlifting gyms near you on Proof of Chalk or filter the gym map.
Common questions
What does RPE 8 mean in lifting?
It means you finished the set with about two more reps in the tank. You could have done two more good reps with that weight but chose to stop.
Is RPE 10 the same as failure?
In the lifting scale, RPE 10 means you could not have done another rep or added any weight. Many lifters use it for a true max, and most training sets are planned below it.
Should beginners use RPE?
Beginners can start rating sets to practice, but most do better following fixed weights at first. New lifters tend to underrate how hard a set was, so RPE works best once you have more experience.
What is the difference between RPE and percentage based training?
Percentages set the weight from a past max, so they do not change with how you feel that day. RPE sets the weight from how hard the set feels today. Many programs combine both.
Is RIR the same as reps in reserve?
Yes. RIR stands for reps in reserve, the number of extra reps you believe you could have done at the end of a set.