Whether you’re training clients for strength, hypertrophy, or general fitness, how do you successfully offer RIR (Reps in Reserve) and RPE (Rated Perceived Exertion) in Online Personal Training Periodization?
What is RPE?
Rating of perceived exertion, or RPE, is often used to assign a rating that corresponds to how challenging a set was. Often this is used for just a top set in online personal training, but it can also be prescribed for all working sets for the respective exercise or workout. The RPE scale was initially a scale of 1 to 20 (Borg scale) used for cardiovascular exercise to determine intensity. Each number corresponded with a multiple of 10 and was associated with heart rate. For example, an RPE 8 would be a heart rate of 80 beats per minute.
However, for lifting, a scale of 1 to 10 is typically used since heart rate is a less relevant metric for lifting weights. Thus, a 1 out of 10 is the lowest rating, and a 10 is the highest rating.
You can set up RPE tracking on Everfit using a custom tracking field!
10 out of 10 is a maximal set.
- The repetition was a grind, and you couldn’t have added any more weight.
9 out of 10 is 1 rep left in the tank.
- The set was difficult, but you could’ve done one more rep.
8 out of 10 is 2 reps left in the tank.
- The set was moderately difficult, but you could’ve done two more reps.
7 out of 10 is 3 reps left in the tank.
- The set was moderate, and you could have done 3 more reps.
6 out of 10 is 4 reps left in the tank.
- The set was relatively light, and you could have done 4 more reps.
Typically, when using RPE for lifting 6 is the lowest rating. Therefore, it becomes difficult to estimate RPE under 6 accurately, and for strength or hypertrophy purposes, sets performed under an RPE of 6 aren’t very effective. However, if you are trying to increase speed or power, then sets under an RPE of 6 would be useful. However, it is still difficult to determine, and something like percentages might work better in that circumstance.
RPE can also be set in halves (i.e., RPE 6.5, 7.5, 8.5, or 9.5). The halves indicate you could’ve done somewhere between the above reps or added weight. The halves are important to consider since they mean the set could have been heavier.
- 9.5 out of 10 means you had 0-1 reps left and could’ve added weight.
- 8.5 out of 10 means you had 1-2 reps left and could’ve added weight.
- 7.5 out of 10 means you had 2-3 reps left and could’ve added weight.
- 6.5 out of 10 means you had 3-4 reps left and could’ve added weight.
What is RIR?
Reps in Reserve (RIR) is similar in concept to RPE. Repetitions in reserve simply state how many more reps you could have done. For example, an RIR of 3 indicates you could have done 3 more reps. You could also use ranges for RIR. RIR 2-3, for example, would suggest that you could have done 2 or 3 more reps.
Typically, RIR is a better choice for higher rep movements, while RPE tends to be a better scale for lower reps. Powerlifters often will hit a top single at a certain RPE, and it makes more sense to indicate how difficult the set was with RPE in this case than with RIR, although both are valid ways to assign difficulty. It becomes more evident at higher RPEs such as those between 8 and 10. An RPE of 10 and 9.5 are both an RIR of 0, for example, but knowing whether the set was a 9.5 or 10 is still valuable as a coach or athlete. You can set up RIR tracking on Everfit using a custom tracking field!
Examples:
- 3 RIR (or RPE 7) = 3 Reps In Reserve = 3 reps away from failure
- 2 RIR (or RPE 8) = 2 Reps In Reserve = 2 reps away from failure
- 1 RIR (or RPE 9) = 1 Rep In Reserve = 1 rep away from failure
- 0 RIR (or RPE 10) = 0 Reps In Reserve = 0 reps away from failure/max effort
A good rule of thumb is to use RPE for any set with 5 or fewer reps and RIR for any set with 6 or more reps.
Although this rule isn’t set in stone, it can help you more accurately determine the difficulty of your sets. Based on this information, you can tell that RPE would be more beneficial for heavy sets in strength sports (strongman, powerlifting, Olympic weightlifting) while RIR would be most useful for bodybuilding, muscular endurance, or accessory movements.
Benefits of using RPE and RIR
The most significant benefit of using both RPE or RIR is that you can auto-regulate training. Strength ebbs and flows; your strength isn’t the same today as yesterday or last week. Hydration, sleep and fatigue, nutrition, injury or soreness, psychology, and general recovery can impact strength. Using an RPE or RIR prescription for a set can allow you to choose weights appropriately for how you feel that particular day, rather than having to rely on a percentage that may not take into account undulating strength levels.
Deliver Online Personal Periodizing Training with Autoregulation
If you’ve ever coached someone remotely, you know how unpredictable their day-to-day can be.
Some days, they’re full of energy and crushing workouts. Other days? Poor sleep, a skipped meal, and work stress can make the same weights feel 30% heavier. With RPE and RIR programming, your client can adjust their workout based on how they feel that day, and they’re still training at the right intensity, instead of doing rigid “3 sets of 6 at 85% of 1RM”
It also helps them build autonomy. They learn to listen to their body, take ownership of their effort, and become smarter lifters.
The simplest way to use RPE or RIR in training would be to assign intensity (i.e., light, moderate, moderately heavy, and heavy) by ranges.
However, the potential for maximally recruiting muscle fibers increases the closer you approach failure. Keep this in mind when programming lower than RIR 4 or RPE 6. There is a time to keep more reps in the tank in circuits or finishers, but you should avoid using RPE or RIR in those circumstances and subjectively assess intensity.
| Intensity | RPE | RIR | Training goals |
| Light | RPE 6-7 | RIR 3-4 | Recovery |
| Moderate | RPE 7-8 | RIR 2-3 | Endurance |
| Moderately Heavy | RPE 8-9 | RIR 1-2 | Hypertrophy |
| Heavy | RPE 9-10 | RIR 0-1 | Strength, Progressive |
Example of how you might weave RPE/RIR into a typical 3-phase program:
| Time | Phase | RPE | RIR |
| Week 1 to 4 | Foundational: You’re laying down good habits, clean movement patterns, and building work capacity | RPE 6–7 | RIR 3–4 |
| Week 5 to 8 | Progression, Hypertrophy: Technique is locked in. You’re gradually adding more challenge without crossing the line into burnout, | RPE 7–8 | RIR 2–3 |
| Week 9 to 12 | Peak intensity: Volume might drop a little, but intensity creeps up. These are the heavy sets where clients really feel the payoff. | RPE 9–10 | RIR 0–1 |
Some tips on using RPE and RIR
Adding RPE and RIR to your online coaching doesn’t have to be complicated. In fact, with just a few tweaks, you can start using these tools to make your programs more flexible, more personalized, and more effective.
Tip 1: Use Simple Language to Teach Clients What RPE/RIR Means
Your clients don’t need a textbook. Instead, give them relatable cues like:
- “Leave 2 reps in the tank.”
- “That last rep should feel like you could only do one more.”
- “AMAP but stop before it turns into a grind.”
Include a quick RPE or RIR scale in your notes or pinned messages, and reinforce it during weekly check-ins.
Tip 2: Use Videos
Most clients won’t nail RPE/RIR accuracy on Day 1. And that’s okay. Treat the first 2–3 weeks as a calibration phase.
- Ask them to record key sets and rate their RPE or RIR.
- Give feedback on how close they were (e.g., “You said RPE 8 — looked more like a 6. You had more in the tank!”).
- Help them learn how bar speed, breathing, and rep difficulty correlate to effort.
Everfit makes this easy with video uploads and workout comments. Keep it conversational, and improvement will come fast.
Tip 3: Reinforce Autoregulation in Check-Ins
Make RPE/RIR part of the conversation. Ask:
- “How did the weight feel this week?”
- “Were those RPE 8 sets actually challenging?”
- “Did you go too light or too heavy?”
This opens up quality coaching conversations and helps you adjust their plan proactively. You can easily set up these questions with our Automated Check-ins form and questionnaires.
Summary
Both RPE and RIR can be helpful tools to auto-regulate your training. Your strength can fluctuate day to day, week to week, and month to month. Being able to still hit the intent of the exercise without relying on arbitrary percentages can assure that you hit the intensity you need to, when you need to, without overloading yourself with too much weight. When unsure of an RPE or RIR, use ranges to reflect where you ended up on the respective set more accurately. Fair warning: it can take a few weeks or months to assess your intensity with RIR or RPE accurately! Be patient, it takes practice. I suggest making notes frequently in your training log or Everfit comments and taking videos of yourself. In time, you will become more in tune with your training and reap the benefits of auto-regulated training.
If you’re interested in how you can implement other online personal training periodization methods like percentages, check out this article.
