RPE Scale

The RPE scale is Rated Perceived Exertion. And this is something I want you to keep in mind when you are doing your training.

It is a simple scale from 1 – 10 that you can use to review how tough a set was, and also your workout as a whole.

0 – 3 is pretty much no exertion at all, up to very light work at best.
3 – 6 is light work to moderate
6 – 8 is moderately difficult to very hard
9 and 10 are extremely hard and maximal exertion

So when you are doing your training, you want to be aiming to be working at around an 8. You are pushing yourself hard. It shouldn’t be easy, and you should need the rest to recover.

You shouldn’t be able to maintain a conversation or keep chatting mid set!

As well as not wanting it to be too easy, you also don’t want to be pushing yourself too hard.

If you are working to a 9 or a 10 and pushing yourself to the limits when you trin, the risk against reward becomes too high and you are just more likely to injure yourself, which then will hinder your progress long term.

So 8 out of 10 really is that sweet spot.

So, as well as looking at your sets and reps, you can mentally review this level every time you train as a way to monitor when it is time to increase the weight and take things up a notch. If your sets are all starting to feel like a 5 or 6 out of 10 you know you can work a bit harder.

You can also use this scale to help recognise when something is perhaps too difficult at the moment, and it may be beneficial to make things lighter so you can perform the exercise better.

Using the RPE scale is another way of you being able to ensure that when you are training you are going to continue to progressively overload your workouts and get the best results possible.