What is RPE and RIR? RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion) and RIR (Reps in Reserve) are essential tools for gauging effort and intensity in your training. These metrics help ensure you’re pushing hard enough to make progress and achieve your goals. Here’s a quick exercise: After your next set, assess your RPE—did you reach a 9-10, where you had only 1-2 reps left in the tank before hitting failure? That’s the top level of effort! For most of your training, aim for a 7-10 RPE. This means you should f