RPE Calculator

Enter a set you did. Get the weight for any other reps and RPE your program calls for.

A set you did
lb
The set you want to do

Enter the weight from a recent set. Sets of 1–6 reps rated honestly give the best results.

How the RPE calculator works

RPE (rate of perceived exertion) rates a set from 1 to 10 by how many reps you had left. Because RPE ties reps and effort to a percentage of your one rep max, any set you rate tells you roughly what your max is today, and from there, what you should lift for any other set.

  1. Enter a recent set: weight, reps and RPE. The calculator looks up what percentage of your max that set was on the RPE chart and estimates your max.
  2. Pick the set you want to do: reps and RPE. It looks up that percentage and gives you the weight, rounded to your plates.

Example: 100 kg × 5 at RPE 8 is 81.1% of max, so your estimated max is about 123 kg. A triple at RPE 8 is 86.3%, or about 106 kg.

RPE scale for lifting (RPE to RIR)

RPEReps in reserve (RIR)What it feels like
100Maximal effort. No more reps possible.
9.50–1Maybe one more rep, or a little more weight.
91Definitely one more rep.
8.51–2One more for sure, maybe two.
82Two more reps.
7.52–3Two more for sure, maybe three.
73Three more reps. Bar speed is still fast.
6.53–4Moderate effort, good for technique work.

RPE chart: percent of 1RM

The full RPE percentage chart this calculator uses. Find your reps on the left and your RPE across the top.

Reps@10@9.5@9@8.5@8@7.5@7@6.5
1100.0%97.8%95.5%93.8%92.2%90.7%89.2%87.8%
295.5%93.8%92.2%90.7%89.2%87.8%86.3%85.0%
392.2%90.7%89.2%87.8%86.3%85.0%83.7%82.4%
489.2%87.8%86.3%85.0%83.7%82.4%81.1%79.8%
586.3%85.0%83.7%82.4%81.1%79.8%78.6%77.4%
683.7%82.4%81.1%79.8%78.6%77.4%76.2%75.1%
781.1%79.8%78.6%77.4%76.2%75.1%73.9%72.3%
878.6%77.4%76.2%75.1%73.9%72.3%70.7%69.3%
976.2%75.1%73.9%72.3%70.7%69.3%68.0%66.7%
1073.9%72.3%70.7%69.3%68.0%66.7%65.3%–

Using RPE to progress

RPE autoregulates your training: on a good day the same RPE means more weight, on a bad day less. The trick is to log every set with its RPE, so you can see the weight at a given RPE climbing over time. That's progressive overload you can measure.

Want your estimated max and a percentage table? Use the one rep max calculator. To load the weight, the plate calculator shows which plates go on each side. GymGod logs every set with its weight and reps and works out your next weight with auto-progression, so the numbers are there when you need them.

Sources

Frequently asked questions

What does RPE mean in lifting?

RPE stands for rate of perceived exertion. In lifting it rates how hard a set was on a 1–10 scale based on how many more reps you could have done: RPE 10 means you had nothing left, RPE 9 means one more rep, RPE 8 means two more.

What is RIR?

RIR means reps in reserve: how many more reps you could have done before failure. It's the other side of RPE: RIR = 10 − RPE, so RPE 8 is 2 RIR and RPE 9.5 means you maybe had one more rep.

How do I calculate weight from RPE?

Use a set you've done to estimate your max with the RPE chart, then take the chart percentage for the set you want. For example, 100 kg for 5 reps at RPE 8 is 81.1% of your max (about 123 kg), so 3 reps at RPE 8 (86.3%) is about 106 kg. This calculator does that math for you.

What RPE should I train at?

Most strength and muscle work happens around RPE 7–9: hard enough to drive progress, with a rep or two in reserve so you can recover and keep good form. Save RPE 10 for occasional tests and final sets.

Is RPE accurate for beginners?

Beginners tend to underestimate how many reps they have left, so their RPE ratings are less reliable. Rating gets more accurate with practice, especially on sets of 1–6 reps. Until then, pair RPE with a simple rep target.

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