all about rpe

what is rpe?

RPE stands for Rate of Perceived Exertion or Effort. It is a way for coaches and programmers to describe how difficult something should feel. This helps trainees manage their exercise intensity and select the appropriate loads to meet the intended workout stimulus.

The RPE scale is a numeric scale (1-10) that is used to indicate how any specific effort should feel to you. The effort is relative to the specific task being performed. For example, 10/10 represents a maximum effort. If the task is a one set of weighted back squats at RPE 10/10, the specific weight is dictated by the number of reps being performed. A set of 8 back squats at a 10/10 effort, meaning it is the heaviest load you can manage for 8 reps and you may even fail the last one, will be lighter than a set of 2 back squats at a 10/10 effort. Another way to think about this is that a set of 2 back squats at an 8/10 effort may be (and likely will be) heavier than a set of 8 back squats at a 10/10 effort.

The same concept applies when using RPE to indicate efforts related to aerobic/anaerobic efforts. A 250m row at a 10/10 effort will be a much faster pace than a 5,000m row at a 10/10 effort.

With that said, it is very rare that we ever program 10/10 efforts. They are extreme in their sensation and very hard to recover from. Not to mention they open the door to injury when that kind of effort is not necessary for progress. We tend to program sub maximal efforts and save the true 10/10 efforts for very infrequent interval work.

Reps in reserve is a term used to describe how many reps away from failure a person is when they stop their working set. 6 reps in reserve means a person could complete (or feels like they could complete) 6 more reps at the selected load if they absolutely have to. Of note - most people who are new to training think they are much closer to failure and a 10/10 effort than they truly are. This isn’t an invitation to go crazy and ignore what you are perceiving, but it is a good thing to be aware of as you develop a feel for where failure is.

On a scale of 1-10, this is how RPE can be used to describe efforts related to resistance training:

1-4: very light/unweighted. useful for technique work and form emphasis.

5-6: warm-up weight, at least double the number of reps per set in reserve. not perceivably difficult.

7: technique sweet spot load. useful for building movement pattern strength. 50% or more reps in reserve (meaning for a set of 8 you have 4-6 reps in reserve)

8: this our most common weight recommendation for strength building. the load feels perceivably difficult on the final few reps. this is a weight where 30-40% of the reps are “effectively” difficult. 25% reps in reserve (meaning for a set of 8 you have 2 reps in reserve).

9: we use 9/10 towards the end of strength progressions where we are looking to push the intensity. this is a near max but not quite max effort. the load feels extremely difficult on the final few reps, so much so that you may feel surprised you made them. 10% reps in reserve (meaning for a set of 8 you have 1 rep in reserve).

10: maxed out, cannot do more reps or load. this is a true max with 0% reps in reserve.

On a scale of 1-10, this is how RPE can be used to describe efforts related to aerobic/anaerobic training:

1: anything other than being completely asleep

2-3: a pace you could maintain for hours as long as you keep eating. infinity pace. what will cause you to stop moving is not fitness, it’s boredom.

4-5: very sustainable pace, able to talk and maintain a conversation. “easy.” for new trainees - they may have to incorporate rest to maintain this feeling of ease. can tolerate and adjust for pacing errors/fluctuations.

6-7: moderate pace. able to say words and short sentences but not a conversational pace anymore. some tolerance and ability to adjust for pacing errors/fluctuations. new trainees tend to default to this zone without incorporating rest.

8-9: unsustainable pace, not able to talk. very difficult to maintain pace, requires a lot of mental fortitude to do so. may not be able to tolerate pacing errors in this zone. new trainees easily end up in this zone by accident when an easier RPE is the target. this is something to be aware of.

10: feels impossible to continue, completely out of breath, not able to talk, likely drooling.

You will see us use a combination of these RPE numbers as well as verbal descriptions of effort like “easy”, “moderate”, and “hard.” RPE becomes a difficult scale to use exclusively when programming mixed modality workouts where different components vary in sustainability and the effort required, both by design and for the individual. We aim to include notes and provide details in the daily videos about how a workout should go and feel so be sure to take a look at those in addition to the workout as written. If you see a workout that mixes cardio work with gym work and you see RPE associated with each individual movement, the RPE is intended to be interpreted within the context of the workout.