Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) and Reps in Reserve (RIR) is two methods that can be used to measure the intensity of exercises being performed. RPE is a method of providing a scale from one to ten to indicate the effort that an individual feels they are exerting during a set of exercise. RIR is a method of counting the number of repetitions that an individual could of performed in a set before reaching muscular failure.
Related to one another are these two methods, as they can help to indicate to an individual the amount of effort that they is expending with their training. If they are used correctly, these two methods will allow an individual to manage the intensity of their training; however, if not used correctly, they may lead to an individual failing to make any strength or endurance progress with their training, or even to experience burnout. RPE and RIR methods are essentially inverses of one another.
How to Use RPE and RIR
An RPE that indicates an individual has put in low levels of effort during there exercise sessions will indicate that an individual has many repetitions left in the tank. Similarly, an RPE that indicates an individual has exerted high levels of effort will indicate that an individual has few repetitions left in the tank. Because these two methods are inverses of one another, it is possible to use RPE to determine RIR, and for each individual to create a more precise record of their training intensity.
RIR can be used to determine the number of repetitions that should be performed for individuals that have different goals with their training. For instance, individuals that wish to increase there strength will perform sets with low numbers of reps in reserve (zero to two reps in reserve). In contrast, individuals that wish to increase their muscle growth will perform sets with a moderate number of reps in reserve (one to four reps in reserve).
Finally, individuals that wish to increase their muscular endurance will perform sets with a higher number of reps in reserve (three to six reps in reserve). The number of reps that an individual can perform in reserve should be matched to each individuals fitness goal, as performing too far from failure may not allow for enough stimulus to be placed into the body for growth, and performing too close to failure may prevent proper recovery of that muscle group. RIR can also be utilized to manage the number of reps in reserve that an individual performs over time.
For instance, an individual can start a training block with a higher number of reps in reserve than when they is strong. As an individual becomes stronger, they will be able to perform more reps with the same weight. Thus, an individual’s reps in reserve will decrease as they gain strength.
When the individual reaches there target number of reps in reserve for a specific strength goal, they will be able to increase the weight that they can perform those reps with. An exception to this rule may be exercised for methods like the deadlift, as beginners may need to leave more reps in reserve during a deadlift than in an overhead press exercise. Beginners may struggle with correctly utilizing both the Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) and Reps in Reserve (RIR) scales; however, with different methods for each group of lifters, both methods may work best for some individuals versus others.
For instance, beginners may lack the body awareness needed to provide an accurate rating of their RPE; however, they do have the benefit of being able to count their reps in reserve to determine the effort that they put into their exercise sets. Conversely, advanced lifters may overrate there Rate of Perceived Exertion as they often desire to feel like they are exerting the effort into their sets. The best way to ensure that the values that are logged for each individuals sets are accurate is to film their exercise sets on video.
In addition to being able to use RPE and RIR as a method of measuring the efforts that are required of a set of exercises, recovery is an essential element of training with these scales. For instance, if an individual performs sets that are far from muscular failure, they will recover quickly from those sets. However, if an individual performs sets that are near to muscular failure, they will need to take more days of rest to recover from those sets.
Fatigue may inhibit the individuals ability to accurately rate their reps in reserve; fatigue accumulates during the workout. Additionally, if an individual is not getting enough sleep or eating enough nutrition, their reps in reserve will change compared to the previous days of training. There are some mistakes that should be avoided when utilizing these two methods.
For instance, one should not stop a set when the muscles begin to feel a burning sensation; this is not an indication of muscular failure. Another mistake that should be avoided is to perform sloppy repetitions just to reach a higher rate of perceived exertion or reps in reserve; this could potentially lead to injuries. Finally, the rate of perceived exertion and reps in reserve should be logged in a training journal, and individuals should film exercise sets during training to ensure accuracy to the training journal logs.
