RPE in strength training runs from 6 to 10, mapping how a set felt to an approximate number of reps you had left in reserve. This chart lays out the full scale, what each rating means in practice, and how to read it — plus its real limitations.
RPE in strength training is a 1–10 effort scale, but the strength-specific version is normally only used from RPE 6 upward — below that, it stops being a useful predictor of proximity to failure. The RPE-to-RIR relationship below follows the resistance-training-specific framework introduced by Zourdos et al. (Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 2016) and later applied practically by Helms et al. (Strength and Conditioning Journal, 2016).
| RPE | Reps in Reserve (RIR) | Intensity Description |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | 0 | Maximal effort — no reps or extra weight possible |
| 9.5 | ~0 | No further reps, but slightly more weight could have been used |
| 9 | 1 | Very hard — one more rep felt achievable |
| 8.5 | 1–2 | Hard — between one and two more reps felt achievable |
| 8 | 2 | Hard but controlled — two more reps felt achievable |
| 7.5 | 2–3 | Moderately hard — between two and three more reps felt achievable |
| 7 | 3 | Moderately hard — clear margin, three more reps felt achievable |
| 6.5 | 3–4 | Working effort — comfortable margin before failure |
| 6 | 4 | Working effort — largest margin typically tracked on this scale |
You can convert between RPE and RIR instantly using our RPE Calculator, which also estimates training load or an RPE-adjusted 1RM from this same framework.
What percentage of your 1-rep max a given RPE represents depends on both the RPE and how many reps you performed — RPE alone doesn't map to one fixed percentage. The table below shows approximate percentages using the same transparent model as our RPE Calculator: effective reps to failure (reps performed + the RIR-equivalent of the RPE) run through the Brzycki rep-max relationship.
| Reps | RPE 10 | RPE 9 | RPE 8 | RPE 7 | RPE 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 100.0% | 97.2% | 94.4% | 91.7% | 88.9% |
| 3 | 94.4% | 91.7% | 88.9% | 86.1% | 83.3% |
| 5 | 88.9% | 86.1% | 83.3% | 80.6% | 77.8% |
| 8 | 80.6% | 77.8% | 75.0% | 72.2%* | 69.4%* |
*These two cells sit beyond roughly 10 "effective reps from failure" — the same threshold where our RPE Calculator shows a reduced-confidence warning. Treat them as rough indicators only.
Notice that RPE 8 is not a single percentage — it's about 94% of 1RM for a 1-rep set, but only about 75% for an 8-rep set. Any "RPE 8 = X% of 1RM" claim that ignores rep count is oversimplified. These figures are also approximate in a second way: they come from an independently derived model disclosed on the calculator page, not a copied commercial chart, and real percentages vary between lifters, exercises, and even day to day for the same lifter. For a number personalised to your own 1RM, reps and RPE, use the RPE Calculator directly.
Numbers on a chart only help once you can connect them to how a set actually feels under the bar:
Match how your set felt to the closest description, not just the rep count. Two lifters doing the same weight for the same reps can land on different RPE ratings if one is more fatigued, less experienced with the movement, or simply has a different threshold for what "one more rep" would have looked like. Consistency for you, over time, matters more than perfectly matching someone else's rating for the same set.
| Set | RPE | RIR | Read as |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 kg squat × 5 | 8 | 2 | Solid working set, two reps left |
| 60 kg bench × 8 | 7 | 3 | Comfortable working set |
| 140 kg deadlift × 1 | 9.5 | ~0 | Near-maximal single, essentially at the top end |
This chart, like any RPE framework, describes a subjective rating — not a measured quantity. Its accuracy depends on training experience, the specific exercise, fatigue, sleep, motivation, and how familiar the lifter is with using RPE at all. Research on RIR-based RPE has found that lifters, on average, tend to underestimate how many reps they truly had left, and that this tendency grows stronger the further a set is from actual failure. Treat this chart as a shared vocabulary for communicating and tracking effort — not as a precise instrument.
Use the full RPE Calculator to convert between RPE and RIR, estimate a working weight from your 1RM, or get an RPE-adjusted estimated 1RM.
Open the RPE Calculator →What is an RPE chart?
An RPE chart is a reference table showing the strength-training RPE scale (usually 6 to 10) alongside its approximate reps-in-reserve (RIR) equivalent and a description of how each rating typically feels. It's a lookup reference, not a calculator.
What does RPE 7 mean on the chart?
RPE 7 means the lifter is confident about three reps in reserve (3 RIR) — a moderately hard set with a clear margin before failure, based on the Zourdos et al. (2016) resistance-training RPE framework.
Is the RPE chart the same for every exercise?
The RPE-to-RIR relationship itself is described as a general framework, but how accurately a lifter can rate RPE varies by exercise. Simple, stable movements are generally easier to rate accurately than technically complex or fatiguing ones.
What percentage of 1RM is RPE 8?
It depends on how many reps you performed — RPE 8 doesn't correspond to one fixed percentage. Using the same model as our RPE Calculator, RPE 8 is roughly 94% of 1RM for a single rep, roughly 83% for 5 reps, and roughly 75% for 8 reps. See the RPE percentage chart above for more rep ranges.