RPE Calculator: RPE to Percentage and Load
Estimate your 1RM from a weight, reps and RPE, or find the exact load for a target reps and RPE. Includes the full RPE chart and an RPE to RIR breakdown.
TL;DR
RPE (rate of perceived exertion) rates how hard a set felt on a 1-10 scale, where 10 means no reps left and 9 means 1 rep in reserve (RIR). Enter your weight, reps and RPE to estimate your 1RM, or enter your 1RM to find the load for a target reps and RPE, using the RTS RPE chart.
Estimated 1RM
277.4 lb
81.1% of your 1RM
Loads at other RPEs
| Reps | RPE 10 | RPE 9 | RPE 8 | RPE 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 277 lb | 265 lb | 256 lb | 247 lb |
| 2 | 265 lb | 256 lb | 247 lb | 239 lb |
| 3 | 256 lb | 247 lb | 239 lb | 232 lb |
| 4 | 247 lb | 239 lb | 232 lb | 225 lb |
| 5 | 239 lb | 232 lb | 225 lb | 218 lb |
| 6 | 232 lb | 225 lb | 218 lb | 211 lb |
| 8 | 218 lb | 211 lb | 205 lb | 196 lb |
| 10 | 205 lb | 196 lb | 189 lb | 181 lb |
Log RPE with every set
PR Streak logs RPE on any set, supersets, drop sets and warm-ups included, all in a tap, then gives you a next-set suggestion with a short reason why.
What is RPE in weight training?
RPE (rate of perceived exertion) is a 1-10 scale for how hard a set felt. RPE 10 means you couldn't have done another rep. RPE 9 means you had 1 rep left in reserve (RIR), RPE 8 means 2 reps left, and so on down the scale. It's a way to autoregulate training weight to how you're actually recovering that day, rather than a fixed percentage on paper.
This RPE calculator converts a logged set into a percentage of your 1RM, or converts a target reps and RPE into an exact load, using the RPE chart below.
RPE scale vs. the Borg scale
The RPE used for lifting runs 1 to 10 and describes how many reps you had left in a specific set. The Borg RPE scale is a different, older 6-20 scale of whole-body exertion, used mostly to gauge effort in cardio and clinical settings. The two scales aren't interchangeable: a lifting RPE of 8 doesn't map to a specific Borg number.
RPE to percentage: the RPE chart
This RPE chart comes from Mike Tuchscherer and Reactive Training Systems (RTS), verified cell by cell. It's built from one sequence of percentages: each extra rep, and each half-point of RPE below 10, moves you one step down that same sequence. For example, 1 rep at RPE 10 is 100% of your 1RM, 5 reps at RPE 8 is 81.1%, 8 reps at RPE 9 is 76.2%, and 12 reps at RPE 6.5 is 58.6%.
% of 1RM by reps and RPE (RTS RPE chart).
| Reps | RPE 10 | RPE 9.5 | RPE 9 | RPE 8.5 | RPE 8 | RPE 7.5 | RPE 7 | RPE 6.5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 100% | 97.8% | 95.5% | 93.9% | 92.2% | 90.7% | 89.2% | 87.8% |
| 2 | 95.5% | 93.9% | 92.2% | 90.7% | 89.2% | 87.8% | 86.3% | 85% |
| 3 | 92.2% | 90.7% | 89.2% | 87.8% | 86.3% | 85% | 83.7% | 82.4% |
| 4 | 89.2% | 87.8% | 86.3% | 85% | 83.7% | 82.4% | 81.1% | 79.9% |
| 5 | 86.3% | 85% | 83.7% | 82.4% | 81.1% | 79.9% | 78.6% | 77.4% |
| 6 | 83.7% | 82.4% | 81.1% | 79.9% | 78.6% | 77.4% | 76.2% | 75.1% |
| 7 | 81.1% | 79.9% | 78.6% | 77.4% | 76.2% | 75.1% | 73.9% | 72.3% |
| 8 | 78.6% | 77.4% | 76.2% | 75.1% | 73.9% | 72.3% | 70.7% | 69.4% |
| 9 | 76.2% | 75.1% | 73.9% | 72.3% | 70.7% | 69.4% | 68% | 66.7% |
| 10 | 73.9% | 72.3% | 70.7% | 69.4% | 68% | 66.7% | 65.3% | 64% |
| 11 | 70.7% | 69.4% | 68% | 66.7% | 65.3% | 64% | 62.6% | 61.3% |
| 12 | 68% | 66.7% | 65.3% | 64% | 62.6% | 61.3% | 59.9% | 58.6% |
RTS itself notes that every lifter can customize this chart to their own set of numbers over time. Treat it as an accurate starting point, not a law.
RPE to RIR: what each RPE feels like
RIR (reps in reserve) is the plainer way to say the same thing as RPE: how many more reps you had left. RPE 9 is 1 RIR, RPE 8 is 2 RIR, and each half-point RPE step below that adds roughly half a rep in reserve, based on the scale described by Zourdos et al. and Helms et al.
RPE, reps in reserve and what each level feels like.
| RPE | RIR | What it feels like |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | 0 | Maximal effort. No reps left in the tank. |
| 9.5 | 0.5 | No more reps possible, but you could add a little more load. |
| 9 | 1 | 1 rep left in reserve. |
| 8.5 | 1.5 | 1 to 2 reps left in reserve. |
| 8 | 2 | 2 reps left in reserve. |
| 7.5 | 2.5 | 2 to 3 reps left in reserve. |
| 7 | 3 | 3 reps left in reserve. |
| 6 | 4 | 4 or more reps left in reserve. |
How this RPE calculator works
Estimate 1RM takes the weight, reps and RPE from a set you already did and estimates your current 1RM from it, the same way the 1RM calculator does from a straight max-effort set.
Find a load takes a 1RM and a target reps and RPE, and gives you the exact weight to load for that set; send that number to the plate calculator to see which plates make it. The grid underneath shows loads for the same rep counts at RPE 10, 9, 8 and 7 side by side, so you can pick the right RPE for the day without recalculating by hand.
Using RPE in your training
RPE is most useful on your top sets, where effort varies most from day to day. Pairing it with reps in reserve gives you a simple day-to-day check: if a set that's supposed to be RPE 8 goes up easily with reps to spare, the weight was too light for that day, and vice versa. See our RPE chart guide and reps in reserve guide for more on applying it across a training block.
Used by lifters following PPL, 5x5, upper/lower, and more.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does RPE stand for?
RPE stands for rate of perceived exertion. In lifting it's a 1-10 scale for how hard a set felt, where 10 means you couldn't have done another rep and lower numbers mean you had reps left in reserve.
What is RIR in a workout?
RIR means reps in reserve: how many more reps you could have done with good form before failure. It's the flip side of RPE. RPE 9 is 1 RIR, RPE 8 is 2 RIR, and RPE 10 is 0 RIR, meaning the set was taken to failure.
How do I convert RPE to a percentage of my 1RM?
Match your reps and RPE on the RPE chart to read off a percentage of 1RM, or enter them into this calculator to skip the lookup. For example, 5 reps at RPE 8 works out to 81.1% of your 1RM.
Is RPE the same as the Borg scale?
No. The lifting RPE scale runs 1 to 10 and rates one specific set. The Borg RPE scale is a separate 6-20 scale for whole-body exertion, used mostly for cardio, and the two numbers don't convert into each other.
Can I use the same RPE chart for every lift?
The published chart is a solid starting point for any barbell lift, but RTS notes that each lifter can customize it over time as they learn how their own effort maps to percentages, since that can vary slightly by exercise and experience.
What does RPE 8 mean in a workout?
RPE 8 means about 2 reps in reserve (RIR) when you finished the set, on the Zourdos and Helms RIR-based RPE scale. RPE 9 means 1 rep left, RPE 9.5 means no more reps but a little more load, and RPE 10 means no reps left at all.
How accurate is an RPE calculator?
It's an estimate built on a well-tested chart, not a measurement. Your own RPE rating is subjective, so the accuracy depends on how consistently you rate your own effort. Getting more experience with heavy sets makes your RPE calls, and this calculator's output, more reliable over time.
Sources
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