Reps in Reserve (RIR) is a training concept where you stop your exercise sets before reaching complete muscle failure, leaving a few repetitions “in reserve.” This approach can help reduce daily fatigue by managing how much stress you place on your muscles and nervous system during workouts. When you avoid pushing to absolute exhaustion every session, your body experiences less overall strain, which allows for better recovery and less accumulated tiredness.
By using Reps in Reserve, you maintain training intensity but limit excessive fatigue that often comes from training to failure. This means your muscles and central nervous system are less taxed, reducing the risk of overtraining and chronic tiredness. This controlled effort helps preserve energy levels throughout the day, making it easier to stay active and alert outside the gym.
Additionally, stopping short of failure helps maintain consistent workout quality over time. Instead of feeling drained after each session, you can recover faster and avoid the heavy muscle soreness and mental burnout that often follow maximal effort sets. This balance supports sustained progress without compromising daily energy.
In practical terms, if you normally push to the point where you cannot do another rep, with RIR you might stop when you feel you could still do two or three more reps. This small adjustment can significantly reduce the buildup of fatigue while still promoting strength and muscle gains.
Sources
https://en.cnys.com/article/369222
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXq6y1xlqac
https://www.police1.com/health-wellness/operational-fatigue-is-real-and-its-threatening-readiness
