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RPE Calculator

Estimate your 1RM from how hard a set felt, then find the weight for your next set.

A set you did

Units

1 to 10

Reps you had left in the tank.

Your next set

For general information only; not medical advice. Consult a qualified professional before making health decisions.

How this is calculated

Estimated 1RM

e1RM = weight ÷ % of 1RM for (reps, RPE)

Next set

Load = e1RM × % of 1RM for (target reps, target RPE)

RPE scale

RPE 10 = no reps left · 9 = 1 left · 8 = 2 left · 7 = 3 left

The chart covers 1–10 reps at RPE 6.5–10. Half an RPE counts as half a rep in reserve.

Sources

  • Tuchscherer M (2008), The Reactive Training Manual: RPE to % of 1RM chart.
  • Helms ER, Cronin J, Storey A, Zourdos MC (2016), Application of the repetitions in reserve-based rating of perceived exertion scale for resistance training. Strength Cond J 38(4):42–49.
  • Zourdos MC et al. (2016), Novel resistance training–specific rating of perceived exertion scale measuring repetitions in reserve. J Strength Cond Res 30:267–275.

About the rpe calculator

What RPE means in lifting

RPE (rating of perceived exertion) in strength training is a 1–10 score for how close a set came to failure. It's usually read as reps in reserve: RPE 8 means you could have done 2 more reps, RPE 10 means none. Rating your sets this way lets the weight move with how you feel that day instead of following a fixed percentage.

Read more about the RPE calculator

From one set to the next

Each reps-and-RPE pair matches a % of your one-rep max on the chart Mike Tuchscherer popularised. A set of 5 at RPE 8 is about 81% of your max, so dividing by 0.811 gives an estimated 1RM. Multiply that by the % for your next target, say 3 reps at RPE 9 (89.2%), to get the weight.

Accuracy depends on how well you rate your sets. Most lifters underrate how many reps they have left, especially on high-rep sets, so ratings get more accurate with practice and heavier loads.

Frequently asked questions

What does RPE 8 mean?

You finished the set with about 2 reps left in the tank.

What is e1RM?

Estimated one-rep max: the most you could likely lift once, based on a set of several reps and how hard it felt.

Why does the chart stop at 10 reps?

Rating effort gets unreliable on long sets, and the published chart only covers 1–10 reps.