Using RIR/RPE Scale

Using RIR/RPE Scale

• RIR refers to Repetitions In Reserve - How many repetitions do you believe were left for you to perform when you finished your set if you were to go all-out to failure. RIR 2 means you had 2 more repetitions ‘in the tank’.
• The RPE Scale is a subjective measurement of effort on a scale from 1 to 10. ‘10’ means you had no additional repetition in you to perform when you finished your set. ‘8’ means you had 2 repetitions in you to perform when you finished your set. ‘5’ means you had 5 more repetitions in you to perform when you finished the set.
• Both are subjective measurements according to your ‘feeling’ during the set. Do you see the problem?.......
• I do not believe in programming RPE/RIR numbers, especially for beginners/intermediates, who have not yet acquired the understanding of fatigue.
• For advanced practitioners who are self-taught - you can benefit from having an idea of RPE Ceiling (or RIR) for a few exercises.
• An RPE ceiling puts a limit to how challenging an exercise should feel, considering variability in performance, that you should not pass otherwise the desired effect of the exercise would alter. 
• Use RPE Ceiling depending on the effect you are seeking from an exercise. If you are performing speed work and the weight is surprisingly challenging - you may benefit from lowering the weight in that particular workout to optimize speed. 
• Either way - warm-up and try to hit the prescribed weight/sets/reps, otherwise you are not likely to know how the exercise would turn out to be.
• Ideally, we will always train with the right amount of intensity. Realistically, there are so many factors playing into performance that it is difficult to foresee. 
• Using RIR/RPE can complicate programming even further, use it with a grain of salt.