RPE chart: % of 1RM by reps and RPE
Find the number of reps in the left column and the RPE you want across the top. The cell is the weight as a percentage of your one rep max. Multiply it by your 1RM and you have your working weight.
| Reps | RPE 10 | RPE 9 | RPE 8 | RPE 7 | RPE 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 100 % | 95.5 % | 92.2 % | 89.2 % | 86.3 % |
| 2 | 95.5 % | 92.2 % | 89.2 % | 86.3 % | 83.7 % |
| 3 | 92.2 % | 89.2 % | 86.3 % | 83.7 % | 81.1 % |
| 4 | 89.2 % | 86.3 % | 83.7 % | 81.1 % | 78.6 % |
| 5 | 86.3 % | 83.7 % | 81.1 % | 78.6 % | 76.2 % |
| 6 | 83.7 % | 81.1 % | 78.6 % | 76.2 % | 73.9 % |
| 7 | 81.1 % | 78.6 % | 76.2 % | 73.9 % | 70.7 % |
| 8 | 78.6 % | 76.2 % | 73.9 % | 70.7 % | 68 % |
| 9 | 76.2 % | 73.9 % | 70.7 % | 68 % | 65.3 % |
| 10 | 73.9 % | 70.7 % | 68 % | 65.3 % | 62.6 % |
Half steps: RPE 9.5 to 6.5
| Reps | RPE 9.5 | RPE 8.5 | RPE 7.5 | RPE 6.5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 97.8 % | 93.9 % | 90.7 % | 87.8 % |
| 2 | 93.9 % | 90.7 % | 87.8 % | 85 % |
| 3 | 90.7 % | 87.8 % | 85 % | 82.4 % |
| 4 | 87.8 % | 85 % | 82.4 % | 79.9 % |
| 5 | 85 % | 82.4 % | 79.9 % | 77.4 % |
| 6 | 82.4 % | 79.9 % | 77.4 % | 75.1 % |
| 7 | 79.9 % | 77.4 % | 75.1 % | 72.3 % |
| 8 | 77.4 % | 75.1 % | 72.3 % | 69.4 % |
| 9 | 75.1 % | 72.3 % | 69.4 % | 66.7 % |
| 10 | 72.3 % | 69.4 % | 66.7 % | 64 % |
The chart is built on one idea: what matters is how many reps you could have done in total. 5 reps at RPE 8 means 5 done plus 2 left, so 7 reps to failure, which is the same load as 7 reps at RPE 10 or 6 reps at RPE 9. That is why the numbers repeat along the diagonals.
How to calculate RPE weights
You need two inputs: your one rep max and the chart. If you do not know your max, estimate it from a recent hard set with the 1RM calculator. Then:
- Read the programSay it prescribes 3 sets of 5 at RPE 8 on the squat.
- Look up the percentage5 reps at RPE 8 is 81.1 % in the chart.
- Multiply by your 1RMWith a 1RM of 120 kg (265 lb), 120 × 0.811 = 97.3 kg. Round to the nearest plate jump: 97.5 kg (215 lb).
- Check it on the barIf the first set felt like RPE 7, add a little for the next set. If it felt like RPE 9, take some off. The chart picks the starting weight, your effort rating fine-tunes it.
Working backwards: estimate your 1RM from RPE
The chart also works in reverse. Divide the weight by the percentage. If you bench 80 kg (175 lb) for 6 reps at RPE 8, the chart says 6 reps at RPE 8 is 78.6 %, so 80 / 0.786 = about 102 kg (225 lb). That is a useful way to keep an estimated max up to date without testing it, and it is more accurate than an estimate from a set where you did not record how hard it was. For the bench specifically, the bench press calculator does the maths for you.
What does RPE mean in lifting?
RPE stands for rating of perceived exertion. In the gym it is a 1 to 10 score for how hard a set was, based on how many more reps you could have done. It lets a program set effort instead of only fixed weights, so the training adapts to good days and bad days.
| RPE | Reps in reserve (RIR) | How it feels |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | 0 | Maximal. No more reps, and no more weight possible |
| 9.5 | 0 to 1 | No more reps, but maybe a little more weight |
| 9 | 1 | One more rep was possible |
| 8.5 | 1 to 2 | Definitely one, maybe two more reps |
| 8 | 2 | Two more reps were possible |
| 7 | 3 | Fast, solid reps with three left |
| 6 | 4 or more | Moderate effort, warm-up or speed work |
| 5 and below | Many | Light: warm-ups and technique work |
The reps in reserve version of RPE was popularised in powerlifting by Mike Tuchscherer and later tested by researchers, including a 2016 study by Zourdos and colleagues that found experienced lifters rate their reps in reserve fairly accurately close to failure. In the same study, less experienced lifters were less accurate, and beginners commonly underestimate how many reps they have left, so a beginner's RPE 8 may really be closer to a 6.
RPE scale vs the Borg scale
If you search for the RPE scale you will also find the Borg RPE scale, which is something else. Psychologist Gunnar Borg created it for endurance exercise and medical exercise testing, and it runs from 6 (no exertion at all) to 20 (maximal exertion). The odd range was chosen so that the score loosely tracks heart rate divided by 10 in healthy young adults. Borg also made a 0 to 10 version, the CR10 scale.
| Borg RPE (6 to 20) | Lifting RPE (1 to 10) | |
|---|---|---|
| Used for | Running, cycling, cardio and clinical testing | Sets of strength exercises |
| Measures | Whole-body effort during the activity | How close one set got to failure |
| Anchors | 6 = no exertion, 13 = somewhat hard, 20 = maximal | 10 = no reps left, 8 = two reps left |
| Rated | During or right after the activity | Right after the last rep of a set |
For running, a Borg rating of 12 to 14 is the familiar "somewhat hard" zone where you can still talk in short sentences. For lifting, use the reps in reserve scale on this page: it is specific to sets and maps directly to the chart above.
RPE vs RIR: which should you use?
RIR (reps in reserve) is just the other side of the same coin: RPE 8 equals 2 RIR. Some programs write "3 x 8 @ 2 RIR", others "3 x 8 @ RPE 8". Use whichever your program uses. RIR is easier to explain to new lifters, while RPE has half steps that help experienced lifters fine-tune heavy singles and triples.
- Building muscle: most sets at RPE 7 to 9 (1 to 3 RIR). Going to failure on every set adds fatigue without much extra growth.
- Building strength: main lifts such as the squat, bench press and deadlift at RPE 7 to 9 for 1 to 6 reps, with an occasional heavy single at RPE 8 to 9 as a check. To see how your max compares, check the squat strength standards.
- Technique and deloads: RPE 5 to 7, so every rep looks the same.
- Beginners: stay around RPE 7 to 8 and add weight every session. Learning to judge effort comes with time.
Log effort with every set in Gripp
Gripp is coming to iPhone. It logs every set's weight and reps, keeps an estimated 1RM per exercise on a progress chart, and tells you what to lift next session, so you always know the starting weight before you rate the set.
Join the waitlistCommon RPE mistakes
- Rating the effort, not the reps left. A set of 15 can feel brutal and still be RPE 7 if you had three reps left. Ask: how many more could I have done with good form?
- Rating too early. Rate right after the last rep, not after you have caught your breath.
- Trusting the chart over the bar. If your 5 at the chart's RPE 8 weight moves like RPE 6, your 1RM estimate is low. Update it.
- Ignoring form breakdown. A rep you could only grind with a rounded back does not count as a rep in reserve.
- Using RPE to avoid progress. Autoregulation should let you push on good days too, not only back off. Keep a plan for progressive overload and use RPE to steer it. Percentage programs like 5/3/1 work the same way with a training max.