Autoregulation and RPE

Autoregulation is a method of prescribing load that lets the athlete determine the appropriate load for the workout based on some indication of their readiness for the day.

There are a number of different methods of using Autoregulation, but for the sake of this post, we’re talking specifically about RPE.

RPE is an acronym that stands for Rating of Perceived Exertion. It is a value used to describe how hard an athlete feels they exerted themselves in a specific athletic endeavor. RPE was originally a tool developed to train endurance athletes, so they would use it to describe their level of exertion on a run or biking workout.

In strength sports, RPE is typically used to put a value on a single set of repetitions, but it can also be used to describe a session overall. At ATR we write a lot of Strongman programs and so we commonly will use RPE to describe the level of exertion assigned to a strongman event in training.

The RPE Scale

The harder the set, the higher the RPE value assigned to the set. The easier the set, the lower the RPE value assigned. In strength sports, the RPE scale ignores values of 5 and below. These loads are too light to have a significant impact on fatigue, and are far too light to create any kind of stress on the body.

Using RPE can take some getting used to. It is very common for lifters new to RPE to worry that they are rating sets incorrectly, or to have a hard time rating a set at all. That is common, and it just takes practice.

When in doubt, work hard. RPE is meant to assist you in pulling back on the weight when you’re fatigued and going heavy when you’re feeling fresh. In both situations, you’re still working hard and getting quality work in. The weight just changes.

RIR as a proxy for RPE

RIR is an acronym that stands for Reps in Reserve and is another method of autoregulation. In using RIR, the athlete will estimate how many reps they could’ve done when they ended the set.

For example, if an athlete ended a set but could’ve done 2 more reps before reaching failure, then the set would be considered to have an RIR value of 2. As long as RIR values don’t get too high, athletes are usually pretty good at estimating an RIR value at the end of each set.

In powerlifting, it is common to use RIR as a Proxy for RPE. As the RPE goes up, the RIR goes down, and vice versa. For sets of 5 or fewer, this works exceptionally well and tends to work for most athletes. Other sports have adopted the practice of using RIR as a proxy for bigger compound lifts with easily defined repetition starts and endings.

Limitations of RIR as a Proxy

RIR as a proxy for RPE works, but only under specific circumstances. Outside of these special circumstances, the connection between RPE and RIR breaks. This is best demonstrated with examples.

Example 1:

Take an athlete prescribed a triple at an RPE of 8. That would imply an RIR of 2 for the set. Let’s say for the sake of the example that the athlete hit that triple at 100 lbs. If they had taken the set to failure, they should’ve been able to get to 5 reps (3 reps plus the 2 reps in reserve).

If that is the case, then an RPE 8 triple asks the athlete to hit 60% (3/5) of the reps that they could if they pushed to failure.

Example 2:

Take another athlete prescribed a set of 8 reps at an RPE of 8. If we use RIR as a proxy for RPE, then this would mean that the athlete needs to leave 2 reps in the tank at the end of the set. Let’s say for the sake of the example that the athlete hit that set of 8 with 75 lbs. If they had taken the set to failure, they would’ve hit 75 lbs for 10 reps.

If that is the case, then an RPE 8 set of 8 asks the athlete to hit 80% (8/10) of the reps that they could if they pushed to failure.

Analysis:

As the total number of prescribed reps increases, the same RIR requires more and more exertion to achieve. In the first example, the athlete ends the set 40% away from failure. In the second example, the athlete ends the set just 20% away from failure. Example 2 should be much harder, and therefore carry with it a higher RPE.

It is best to only utilize RIR as a proxy when the reps prescribed are 5 or fewer.

Converting RPE to a Percentage

Using RIR as a proxy for RPE, we can convert RPEs to percentages and vice versa. This allows us to develop benchmarks for our workouts and give us an idea of what a good weight would be to shoot for.

Here is a video outlining the process in more detail.

Intra Workout Guidance

All of the theories behind RPE can make perfect sense and still be tricky to apply once you’re in the workout, so here are some tips to remember as you start using RPE to make the process go as smoothly as possible.

2.5-5% jumps for 1 RPE. Let’s say that you’re supposed to be working to an RPE 9, and you feel that the warmup set you just hit was an 8. A good rule of thumb is that a 2.5-5% jump in weight is roughly 1 RPE. Take the weight that just created an RPE 8 set and multiply it by 1.025 and 1.05 and pick a good weight in that range for your next set and you should be at the right weight for your RPE.
Avoid Easy Numbers. I use RPE all the time, and I find it strange how often a lifter finds that they’ve reached their RPE at a weight that just so happens to be a clean multiple in plate weight. IF you’re thinking that you’ve hit your RPE and you have 405 on the bar (conveniently 4 plates on each side), then you need to ask yourself this question: “If I added weight, would it push me to the next RPE?”. If the answer is no, pop a little more weight on each side before your next set.
Don’t be afraid to make adjustments. If you’ve been prescribed an RPE of 8, and fatigue in the workout has caused what was an RPE 8 to feel a lot closer to a 10, then lower the weight. That is normal. Use the first tip to make an adjustment in weight to get back to your prescribed RPE.
Take 30-60 seconds after your set is over to rate the RPE. It can be hard to make a decision between an 8 and a 9 right after you rack the bar. Adrenaline is pumping and you may need a second to gather your thoughts. There are no rules on this so take the time you need to come up with an RPE value that you’re okay writing down.
Just work hard. This is the second time I’m bringing this up in this post, but it merits the added emphasis. If your body is fatigued, working hard will mean lifting with less weight. If your body is fresh and ready, then working hard might mean new personal bests. Either way, just work hard and keep the data as accurate as you can. You can always meet with your coach after the fact to make better sense of it all if necessary.

Sample Protocols

I’ve included two sample protocols that you can use in your training on any given lift. The first is meant to be a heavy high-intensity prescription while the second is meant to be a higher-volume protocol.

Work up to an RPE 9. Lock that in as your first working set. From there, drop the weight 5-10% and continue hitting singles until the accumulation of fatigue causes the RPE to escalate back up to a 9. The larger the drop you make, the more volume you’ll have in this workout. You can use this with sets of 1 to 3 reps. I recommend controlling the rest and keeping it to 2-3 minutes. We’ll frequently start cutting that rest down if an athlete takes an excessive number of sets to reach their RPE target.
Work up to an RPE 8 and lock that in as your working weight. Hit sets at this RPE until fatigue causes the RPE to escalate past a 9. The lower the starting RPE, the more volume the athlete will ultimately accumulate. In addition, 5-10% drops in weight can be made after the first RPE target is achieved. This can be done with sets of 3-6+ reps. I recommend controlling the rest and keeping it around 2 minutes. We’ll frequently start cutting that rest down if an athlete takes an excessive number of sets to reach their RPE target.

Conclusion

Autoregulation is a method of prescribing load to athletes that relies on the athlete picking the appropriate weights intra-workout. RPE is a type of autoregulation that asks the athlete to assign a value to the difficulty of the sets as they’re executed. RIR is another type of autoregulation that can be used as a proxy for RPE under certain circumstances, and this allows for easier adoption of RPE and the conversion of RPE back to percentage-based loading prescriptions.

About the Author

Travis Bogard is the Owner and Head Coach at Above the Rest Training Systems in Cheyenne, WY. He has over 17 years of strength training experience and 7 years of coaching experience for Strongman, Powerlifting, Football, and Wrestling.

He is available for online and in-person coaching, and writes the Forever Worthy Powerlifting Program, Odin’s Boys Strongman Program, and the Duck and Cover Highland Games Program at ATR.

Contact him directly via email (travis@atrtrainingsystems.com) or on Instagram (@coach_bogard_atr).

RPE Training