RPE: What It Is and How To Use It
At some point in college, I read Death of the Author, by Roland Barthes. I’m not an expert, but from what I remember it was a very cool, postmodern take about how meaning is derived in written works. Barthes’ basic argument was that the readers interpretation of meaning is more important than the author’s intended meaning.
I really liked that idea. Still do. But what does it have to do with training?
What Does RPE Mean?
RPE stands for “Rate of Perceived Exertion.” It is a simple 1-10 scale that the trainee uses to track their perception of the difficulty of a given task. There are a lot of cool things we can do with this to manage training loads (we’ll get there shortly), but for now, here’s the basic gist:
RPE 10 = max reps
RPE 9 = could do 1 more rep
RPE 8 = could do 2 more reps
RPE 7 = could do 3 more reps
RPE 6 = could do 4 more reps
You get the idea.
I highly encourage you to read this article by the grandfather of RPE himself Mike Tuchscherer, and also check out his books, articles and podcasts—it’s really good stuff. Here’s a chart from Reactive Training Systems that lays out the concept nicely:
I don’t use the “.5” designations in an official capacity, but they can be useful for record keeping when you’re not 100% sure about the RPE of a given set.
What’s The Point of RPE?
If I’m such a great coach, why wouldn’t I just write the program and tell my athlete exactly what I want them to do? “Back Squat, 5 x 5 @ 80% of 1 rep max,” for example. There’s nothing wrong with this approach, and I still use it often. But…
What if the athlete slept poorly last night and 5x5 @ 80% is either going to a) injure them or b) make them decide to skip the workout.
What if the athlete only has access to a limited number of weights? This has never been more common, with so many people training at home these days.
What if the athlete is having an amazing day, and they could easily go heavier than the planned workout?
RPE allows the athlete to make adjustments to the load based on how they feel. It’s as simple as that. In sports science we call it autoregulation.
How To Use RPE
When you first learn to use RPE, everything feels like a shot in the dark. “I think I can do 3 more reps, but I really don’t know!” I hear that from about every client in the beginning. After about 4 weeks or so, you’ll have a really good sense of where you’re at with the exercises in your program—be patient and willing to learn something new!
I have several ways that I incorporate RPE into training programs, most of which have been massively influenced by Reactive Training Systems and the smart fellas over at Barbell Medicine. Lets look at some examples:
Adjustable Weights
Here’s an example of how we can use RPE with adjustable weights—mostly barbells, but also adjustable dumbbells or certain bodyweight exercises if you’re strong enough. The first set is the “benchmark set,” and the following sets are the “backoff sets.”
Example: Back Squat
Benchmark Set:
Work up to 3 reps at RPE 8. This weight will be about 85% of your 1-rep-max in the exercise on that day.
Backoff Sets:
Subtract ~10% from the bar—this will be around 75% of your 1RM on that day. Do 3 x 5 with this weight.
Essentially, you are using a “top set” at a certain rep count and RPE to set a benchmark for the day, and then doing some back-off sets to get your volume in.
You can change the parameters of the benchmark set and the drop sets to achieve different adaptations. Here are some examples:
Strength
Work up to 1 @ 8 (~92% 1RM).
Drop ~7% (85% 1RM) and do 3 x 3-5.
Hypertrophy
Work up to 5 @ 8 (~81% 1RM).
Drop ~10% (71% 1RM) and do 3 x 8-10.
A note on “working up.”
Start with the empty bar, and slowly ramp up the weight until you hit the rep/RPE target. Do NOT jump straight into the heavy weights—you’ll sell yourself short by not being warmed up enough.
This process is a game changer for active athletes who may be fatigued from practicing their sport, scenarios where your 1RMs might be “outdated,” and any lifter who is in touch with their effort level from set-to-set.
This is a death sentence for ego-driven lifters. If you let the benchmark set become RPE 10 (or 11!) all the time, you will burn out like Icarus…
Fixed Weights
Things are a bit simpler with fixed weights. You don’t need to worry about calculating any load changes on the drop sets. You’ll just use a benchmark set to establish your rep count, and then complete some drop sets at a lower rep range.
Example: Pushup
Benchmark Set:
Do a set of pushups to RPE 9.
Backoff Sets:
Keep doing additional sets at RPE 7 (minus 2 reps from your set @ RPE 9), until the RPE of the backoff sets increases to RPE 9.
You can do this same process with pull-ups, kettlebell presses, pistol squats, etc. Also, you can set a rep range for the benchmark set—something like “if you can do more than 10 reps on the benchmark set, increase the weight or move to a harder variation on the next session.”
Conclusion
RPE has some very cool applications, but it’s just another tool in the toolbox. Sometimes there is “too much thinking” involved, and certain folks would prefer that I just tell them what to do. That’s fine, too! Or, like I mentioned before, sometimes we find people who are not ideal candidates for RPE…
“Okay the plan says work up to a single at RPE 8.”
[Enter gym crush on the other side of the weight room]
“F*ck it, we’re going to RPE 10!”
If this is you—stick to percentage-based programming.
Of course, you can use different programming strategies for different lifts, too. Sometimes we will program Squat & Bench on a rigid, percentage-based structure, and then run the Deadlift on an RPE program. You can get pretty fancy with the programming if you know what you’re doing. If you don’t know what you’re doing… get in touch!