Reps in Reserve, or RIR, is a way to figure out how hard you are pushing yourself during a workout. Instead of counting how many reps you do, you think about how many more you could have done if you really had to. For example, if you stop a set when you feel like you could have done two more reps with good form, that’s an RIR of 2. This method helps you stay safe and avoid pushing too hard too often, which can lead to injury or burnout.
Other training autoregulation methods include Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) and heart rate monitoring. RPE is a scale where you rate how hard a set felt, usually from 1 to 10. A 10 means you couldn’t do another rep, while a 6 or 7 means you could have done several more. RPE is more about how you feel overall, while RIR is more specific to how many reps you think you could have done. Both are useful, but RIR is often easier for beginners because it’s more concrete.
Heart rate monitoring is another way to track how hard you are working. By watching your heart rate, you can see if you are pushing too hard or not hard enough. This method is great for cardio workouts, but it’s not as helpful for strength training because your heart rate doesn’t always match how hard your muscles are working.
Some people also use things like how fast they can move the weight, or velocity-based training. This means using a device to measure how fast you lift the bar. If the bar is moving slower, it might mean you are getting tired and should stop or lower the weight. This method is more technical and needs special equipment, so it’s not as easy for everyone to use.
RIR is popular because it’s simple and doesn’t need any special tools. You just have to pay attention to how your body feels. It’s also flexible, so you can use it with any type of exercise, whether you’re lifting weights, doing bodyweight moves, or even cardio. Other methods like RPE and heart rate monitoring can be helpful too, but they might not give you the same clear picture of how close you are to your limit.
Sources
https://rippedbody.com/rpe/
https://www.empower.physio/blog-all/rpe-vs-rir-1
https://www.minimumviablepump.com/guides/rir
