TRAINING GUIDE

RPE for lifting: rate the set, not your mood.

Use the repetitions-in-reserve RPE scale to record set difficulty and keep load decisions in context.

RPE gymRPE liftingRPE scale strength trainingRPE vs RIR

DIRECT ANSWER

In resistance training, the common RIR-based RPE scale describes how close a set came to the repetition limit. RPE 10 corresponds to roughly zero repetitions in reserve, RPE 9 to one, and RPE 8 to two, but the estimate remains exercise- and athlete-dependent.

The simple mapping

Subtract RIR from 10 for the common lifting shorthand: 10 RPE is 0 RIR, 9 RPE is 1 RIR and 8 RPE is 2 RIR. Lower ratings become less precise and should not be treated as laboratory values.

Use RPE with performance

A rating becomes more useful when stored beside exercise, load, repetitions and technique context. RPE alone cannot show whether the set matched the programme.

Do not chase RPE 10

A hard rating is not automatically a better set. The target depends on the exercise, phase, safety and purpose of the session.

The simple mapping

Use RPE with performance

Do not chase RPE 10

Sources and further reading