RPE chart
The RPE chart, from reps in reserve to % of 1RM.
- Estimated one-rep max
- 123.5 kg
- Your set, % of 1RM
- 81%
- Target set, % of 1RM
- 87%
- Target reps in reserve
- 1
| Reps | 10 | 9.5 | 9 | 8.5 | 8 | 7.5 | 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 100 | 97 | 95 | 93 | 91 | 89 | 87 |
| 2 | 95 | 93 | 91 | 89 | 87 | 86 | 85 |
| 3 | 91 | 89 | 87 | 86 | 85 | 84 | 83 |
| 4 | 87 | 86 | 85 | 84 | 83 | 82 | 81 |
| 5 | 85 | 84 | 83 | 82 | 81 | 80 | 79 |
| 6 | 83 | 82 | 81 | 80 | 79 | 77.5 | 76 |
| 7 | 81 | 80 | 79 | 77.5 | 76 | 74.5 | 73 |
| 8 | 79 | 77.5 | 76 | 74.5 | 73 | 71.5 | 70 |
From Helms et al. (2016), Table 2, built on experienced lifters’ squats. Outlined: your set. Gold: your target. Loads are rounded to the nearest 0.5 kg.
For adults who lift regularly with good technique. The chart is an estimate from experienced lifters’ squats, not a rule or medical advice. If you have an injury or a medical condition, or are pregnant, ask your doctor before training close to failure.
This RPE chart turns how hard a set felt into numbers you can plan with. RPE here means reps in reserve: RPE 8 is a set you stopped with two reps left. Enter one set and the calculator estimates your one-rep max and the load for any other set, from a published table.
- Free, no sign-up
- Kilograms or pounds
- Runs in your browser; nothing is saved
What is an RPE chart?
An RPE chart links three things: the reps you do, how close to failure you stop (your RPE, or reps in reserve), and the percentage of your one-rep max that combination needs. Five reps at RPE 8, two reps short of failure, is about 81% of your 1RM in the table used here.
- RPE by reps in reserve, the scale of Zourdos et al. (2016)
- Percentages from Table 2 of Helms et al. (2016): RPE 7 to 10, 1 to 8 reps
- Your estimated one-rep max and the load for any target set
- The whole chart as percentages or as your own loads, in kg or lb
How it works
How does this RPE chart calculator work?
You enter one set: the weight, the reps and its RPE. The calculator looks up what percentage of your one-rep max that set was, divides the weight by it to estimate your 1RM, then multiplies by the percentage for your target set. Every percentage comes from one published table.
Rate a set by reps in reserve
Finish a set and ask how many more good reps you could have done. None left is RPE 10, one left is RPE 9, two is RPE 8 and three is RPE 7. Half points, such as 8.5, mean you were somewhere between the two.
- Rate it straight after the set, while it is fresh
- Count only reps with your normal technique
Enter the set
Type the weight in kilograms or pounds, the reps from 1 to 8 and the RPE from 7 to 10. Those are the limits of the published table, so the calculator does not guess beyond them.
- Switching units converts the weight you typed
- A single at RPE 10 is your one-rep max itself
Estimate your one-rep max
The chart gives the percentage of your 1RM for that set. Five reps at RPE 8 is 81%, so a 100 kg set means a one-rep max of about 100 ÷ 0.81, or 123.5 kg.
- The same set in pounds gives the same answer in pounds
Load the next set
Choose the reps and RPE you want next. The calculator multiplies your estimated 1RM by that cell’s percentage and rounds to 0.5 kg or 1 lb. Switch the chart to your loads to see every combination at once.
- Outlined: the set you did; gold: your target
The scale
What does each RPE mean in reps in reserve?
On this scale, RPE counts the reps you had left. RPE 10 is maximum effort, 9 means one more rep was possible, 8 means two and 7 means three. Below 7 it uses a range, which is easier to judge when more than three reps are left: RPE 5 to 6 means four to six.
| RPE | What it means | Reps in reserve |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | Maximum effort | 0 |
| 9 | 1 repetition remaining | 1 |
| 8 | 2 repetitions remaining | 2 |
| 7 | 3 repetitions remaining | 3 |
| 5–6 | 4–6 repetitions remaining | 4–6 |
| 3–4 | Light effort | — |
| 1–2 | Little to no effort | — |
Source: Zourdos et al. (2016), as reprinted in Helms et al. (2016), Table 1. The scale has no half points; the chart below does, and its values place them halfway between.
RPE chart
What percentage of your 1RM is each RPE and rep count?
Read down for RPE and across for reps. A single at RPE 10 is 100%, a single at RPE 8 is 91%, and 8 reps at RPE 7 is 70%: those three cells come from sets lifters actually did in the 2016 study. The authors estimated the rest, so treat the chart as a starting point.
| RPE | 1 rep | 2 reps | 3 reps | 4 reps | 5 reps | 6 reps | 7 reps | 8 reps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 100% | 95% | 91% | 87% | 85% | 83% | 81% | 79% |
| 9.5 | 97% | 93% | 89% | 86% | 84% | 82% | 80% | 77.5% |
| 9 | 95% | 91% | 87% | 85% | 83% | 81% | 79% | 76% |
| 8.5 | 93% | 89% | 86% | 84% | 82% | 80% | 77.5% | 74.5% |
| 8 | 91% | 87% | 85% | 83% | 81% | 79% | 76% | 73% |
| 7.5 | 89% | 86% | 84% | 82% | 80% | 77.5% | 74.5% | 71.5% |
| 7 | 87% | 85% | 83% | 81% | 79% | 76% | 73% | 70% |
Source: Helms et al. (2016), Table 2, based on experienced lifters’ back squats in Zourdos et al. (2016). Each value depends only on reps plus reps in reserve: 5 reps at RPE 8 and 7 reps at RPE 10 are both 81%.
Worked example
What does a worked example look like?
Say you squat 100 kg for 5 reps and could have done two more: RPE 8. The chart puts that at 81%, so your one-rep max is about 100 ÷ 0.81 = 123.5 kg. For a heavier set of 3 at RPE 9, 87%, load 123.5 × 0.87 = 107.4 kg, which rounds to 107.5 kg.
- Five reps at RPE 8 means seven reps to failure, the same cell value as 7 reps at RPE 10
- For 8 reps at RPE 7 (70%), the same lifter would load 123.5 × 0.70 = 86.4 kg, rounded to 86.5 kg
- In pounds: 225 lb for 3 at RPE 9 (87%) means a 1RM of about 258.6 lb, so 5 reps at RPE 8 (81%) is 209 lb
Accuracy
How accurate is RPE, and who should rely on it?
It depends on experience. In the 2016 study, experienced squatters rated a true maximum at 9.8 on average and novices at 9.0. A 2022 review found people underestimate how many reps they have left by about one, and judge better close to failure. Beginners should practise rating sets before relying on it.
- Zourdos et al. (2016): 15 experienced and 14 novice squatters; ratings tracked bar speed closely in both groups (r = −0.88 and −0.77)
- Helms et al. (2017): 12 powerlifters chose loads within 0.33 RPE of the target on average over three weeks
- Halperin et al. (2022): 12 studies and 414 people; predictions improved closer to failure and with heavier loads
- To check your ratings, rate a set, then take the next set at the same load to failure (Helms et al. 2016)
Limits
Why might the chart not fit you?
The table is built on mean values from experienced lifters doing the barbell back squat. People differ in how many reps they can do at a given percentage, and the authors warn the relationship may change for machines, single-joint and upper-body exercises. Use it to choose a first load, then adjust.
- At 8 reps with 70% of 1RM, about two-thirds of lifters would report 2 to 4 reps left, and some as few as 1 or as many as 5
- Your strength changes from day to day; RPE follows it, a fixed percentage does not
- Above 8 reps or below RPE 7 the table has no values, so the calculator stops there
Programming
How do you program training with RPE?
Give a rep target with an RPE, such as 3 sets of 5 at RPE 8, and let the lifter choose the load that lands there on the day. For muscle growth, Helms and colleagues suggest 6 to 12 reps at RPE 8 to 10, with main lifts such as squats kept mostly at RPE 6 to 8.
- Strength: 6 reps at RPE 10, 5 at RPE 9, 4 at RPE 8 and 3 at RPE 7 are all about 83% of 1RM
- Heavy power work: 1 to 5 reps, stopping 2 to 3 reps short of failure
- Keep training to failure (RPE 10) mostly to the last set, on simpler exercises
- Pair it with percentages: 3 sets of 3 at 90% with “0 to 1 reps in reserve” tells the lifter when to adjust
For coaches
How do coaches set RPE targets for clients in Trainaq?
Trainaq’s workout builder has no RPE or RIR field yet, so coaches write the target, such as “RPE 8, two reps left”, in the exercise’s notes beside the sets, reps and weight. Clients see that note in the free Trainaq app as they train, log every set and can add a note to their coach.
- Reps can be a range, such as 8–12, and each set can carry its own weight
- Clients see last time’s numbers for each exercise as they log
- You see every logged set, PR and note from their sessions
Sources
Sources
- Zourdos MC, Klemp A, Dolan C, Quiles JM, Schau KA, Jo E, Helms E, Esgro B, Duncan S, Garcia Merino S, Blanco R. Novel resistance training-specific rating of perceived exertion scale measuring repetitions in reserve. J Strength Cond Res. 2016;30(1):267–275.
- Helms ER, Cronin J, Storey A, Zourdos MC. Application of the repetitions in reserve-based rating of perceived exertion scale for resistance training. Strength Cond J. 2016;38(4):42–49. (Table 1, the scale; Table 2, the percentages used here. Free full text: PMC4961270.)
- Helms ER, Brown SR, Cross MR, Storey A, Cronin J, Zourdos MC. Self-rated accuracy of rating of perceived exertion-based load prescription in powerlifters. J Strength Cond Res. 2017;31(10):2938–2943.
- Halperin I, Malleron T, Har-Nir I, Androulakis-Korakakis P, Wolf M, Fisher J, Steele J. Accuracy in predicting repetitions to task failure in resistance exercise: a scoping review and exploratory meta-analysis. Sports Med. 2022;52(2):377–390.
FAQ
RPE chart FAQ
What is the difference between RPE and RIR?
RIR, reps in reserve, is the number of good reps you had left when you stopped. RPE, rating of perceived exertion, is a 1 to 10 score; on the scale used here, from RPE 7 up, it is 10 minus your reps in reserve. RPE 8 and 2 RIR describe the same set.
Is RPE 10 the same as training to failure?
Yes. On this scale RPE 10 means maximum effort: no further rep was possible. Helms and colleagues suggest some RPE 10 work before a max test, but advise keeping failure mostly to the last set of an exercise and to simpler movements, because it can cut the reps you manage afterwards.
Why does the chart stop at 8 reps and RPE 7?
Those are the limits of the published table this calculator uses. Below RPE 7 the scale only gives a range, 4 to 6 reps left at RPE 5 to 6, and ratings get less accurate further from failure. For longer sets, the one-rep max calculator takes up to 15 reps, with a warning above 10.
Does the chart work for the bench press and deadlift?
Roughly. The percentages come from squat data in trained lifters, and the authors say the relationship may differ for upper-body, single-joint and machine exercises. Use the chart for a first load on any lift, then let your own ratings and logged sets show where your numbers sit for each exercise.
Should beginners train by RPE?
Beginners can rate their sets from the start, but should not lean on RPE alone to set loads. In the 2016 study, novices rated a true maximum at about 9 out of 10. Helms and colleagues suggest tracking ratings alongside normal training until they match what actually happens in your sets.
How is RPE different from percentage-based training?
A percentage is fixed by a past test, while RPE moves with how you are on the day. If you slept badly, the same RPE gives a lighter load; on a good day, a heavier one. Helms and colleagues suggest combining them: a percentage for the plan and a reps-in-reserve target to adjust it.
