What is RPE?

RPE stands for Rate of Perceived Exertion, and it's a subjective measure of how hard you feel your body is working during exercise. It's commonly used to gauge workout intensity without relying on specific heart rate monitors or other objective measures. It’s extremely important in strength/power training, as it allows us to ensure that we identify fatigue quicker so we don’t burn out and get those annoying little injuries that come from over-training.

Here's a simple guide on how to use RPE for tracking workout intensity:

Understand the Scale:

RPE typically uses a numerical scale, often ranging from 1 to 10.

1 is very light exertion, like sitting or standing.

10 is maximum effort, equivalent to working as hard as possible.

RPE Scale 1-10 Rating of perceived exertion explained — This is the simplest way to visualise RPE. It can get a bit more complicated in powerlifting terms, as sometimes we track RPE based on the speed of the bar or the difficulty of the lift… but for now I would only learn this.

Helpful Tips to Use RPE Like a Pro!

Listen to Your Body:

Pay attention to how your body feels during exercise.

Consider your heart rate, breathing, muscle fatigue, and overall sense of effort.

Assign a Number:

Match your perceived effort to a number on the RPE scale.

If you feel like you're working at a moderate intensity, you might rate it around a 5 or 6. If it's a light warm-up, it could be a 3.

Use Throughout Your Workout:

RPE can be used consistently throughout your entire workout.

As your exercise intensity changes, adjust your RPE rating accordingly.

Consider Context:

This is extremely important when discussing RPE and often forgotten.

Take into account factors like fatigue, stress, and sleep when assigning an RPE.

For example, what might feel like a 6 on a well-rested day might feel like an 8 when you're tired/stressed/unwell/haven’t eaten.

These are things that are worth noting in your program for your coach when possible, so there is an explanation as to why a lift may have felt heavier/harder than it was meant to.

Track Your Progress:

Over time, you'll likely become more in tune with your body's signals.

Track your RPE along with other workout metrics to monitor your progress and make adjustments to your training intensity.

Eg. Being able to do a 100kg squat at an RPE of 9 in week 2 of your program, versus doing a 100kg squat at an RPE of 7 in week 12 of your program… This is massive progress and shows your 1 Rep Max (1RM) has improved!

Is RPE The Same Or Better Than RIR?

Reps In Reserve (RIR) is another measure commonly used in the gym environment and this is a way to track the number of reps you could still do at the end of a set - helping you auto-regulate intensity. Neither RPE or RIR is inherently better than the other, both have seperate goals and purposes. However, RPE tends to be more commonly used for exercises like squats, bench press and deadlifts because of the high fatigue to stimulus ratio. RIR is more common in bodybuilding, but can also serve incredible function in what we call ‘accessory movements’ - which are exercises included in powerlifting programs to assist your strength or form/technique.

Here’s how they convert… it’s pretty simple:

RPE 9 ≈ 1 RIR (about one rep left in the tank)
RPE 8 ≈ 2 RIR (about two reps left)
RPE 7 ≈ 3 RIR (and so on)

Common RPE Mistakes

Training every set at RPE 9–10 - leads to excessive fatigue and likely.
Ignoring the scale and training by feel alone without tracking - you miss patterns and will either undertrain or overtrain.
Not calibrating early on - expect a learning curve over the first few weeks.

Example Situations

#1: You are programmed to do Deadlifts today, 1 set of 2 reps at 100kg, RPE of 7.

You are extremely tired from a poor night sleep due to noisy neighbours.
You come into the gym and start warming up, but you feel very lethargic and the warm up sets around 80kg feel extra heavy (RPE 6 instead of their usual RPE 5 or less).
You actively decide to reduce the weight of your top set from 100kg, to 90kg to stay within your programmed RPE range.

WELL DONE. This is correct, but also a very hard task to complete. Self-restraint is difficult. Don’t worry about not getting the desired number, put your reasons in the comments section and we can adjust in the future.

#2: You are programmed to do Deadlifts today, 1 set of 2 reps at 100kg, RPE of 7.

You are extremely tired from a poor night sleep due to noisy neighbours.
You come into the gym and start warming up, but you feel very lethargic and the warm up sets around 80kg feel extra heavy (RPE 7 instead of their usual RPE 5 or less).
Despite this, you load up the bar for 100kg and perform your deadlifts. You get the 2 reps, but it was definitely a lot harder (RPE 8+)

It happens! For the longevity of a power program, it’s important to try and not ‘overshoot’ your RPE as we call it too often as this is when things like little injuries and overtraining come into factor and you can take some backwards steps as a result.
For now, update the RPE in the app to what it ACTUALLY was and continue with the session (with any other sets more appropriately reduced than normal to get back to a better RPE range).
In future, discuss with your coach about their preferred options for you when situations like this happen,
- Anecdotally, I love telling my clients on days like this to drop their heaviest set anywhere from 5-15% in weight to allow for high quality training without sacrificing an excessive amount of mental or physical energy.

Want to Learn How to Use RPE Like a Pro?

RPE is a powerful tool when you know how to use it. If you’re unsure how to interpret your numbers, customise them for your goals, or make them work in your weekly training plan, I can help.

👉 Contact me for personalised coaching that helps you train smarter, avoid injuries, and get stronger in a way that fits your life. 👉

+61 420 555 885

isaiahjamesyoung@gmail.com

How To Track RPE 🦬