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The weight to load for your next set, from a set you have already done.
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Short answer: Enter a recent set and your target; the calculator estimates your 1RM with the Epley formula and gives the weight for your target reps and reps in reserve.
72.5 kg — 20 kg bar plus 1 × 25 kg + 1 × 1.25 kg on each side.
Assumes a 20 kg bar and plates down to 1.25 kg, so this is 1.5 kg under the figure above.
| Set | Weight | Each side |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 27.5 kg | 1 × 2.5 + 1 × 1.25 |
| 2 | 40 kg | 1 × 10 |
| 3 | 50 kg | 1 × 15 |
| 4 | 62.5 kg | 1 × 20 + 1 × 1.25 |
| Working | 72.5 kg | 1 × 25 + 1 × 1.25 |
Roughly 40, 55, 70 and 85 per cent of the working weight, for a few easy reps each, then the working set. A general guide, not a prescription — add or drop steps to suit the lift and how you feel.
Uses the same Epley estimate as the 1RM calculator, counting reps in reserve as reps you could still do. RPE is 10 minus reps in reserve. Round to the nearest weight you can load. Nothing you enter is saved or sent anywhere.
Start from a set you have just done: the weight, the reps and how many more reps you think you had left. The calculator counts those spare reps as reps you could have done, estimates your one-rep max, then works back to the weight for your target reps and effort.
The result is also shown as a percentage of that estimated max, so you can see how an RPE target lines up with percentage-based programmes.
This page uses the simple anchor RPE = 10 − RIR: RPE 10 means no reps left, RPE 9 means one, RPE 8 means two, RPE 7 means three. It is a practical rule for strength training, not an exact measurement of effort.
A fixed percentage of your max feels different on a good day and a tired day. Choosing loads by reps in reserve lets the weight move with how you are performing on the day, while the target effort stays the same.
Judging reps in reserve takes practice. Estimates are usually less accurate on sets that stop far from failure, and for newer lifters.
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A recent set produces an Epley one-rep-max estimate, counting reps in reserve as additional possible repetitions. The target load is that estimate divided by (1 + (target reps + target RIR) ÷ 30). The displayed RPE uses 10 minus RIR as a simplified training anchor, not an objective measurement.
An 80 kg set for 5 reps with 2 RIR gives an estimated maximum of 98.7 kg. For a target of 8 reps with 2 RIR, the calculator returns 74 kg (75% of that estimate), before rounding to available equipment.
Both sets must stay within 12 effective reps. RIR is subjective, especially for inexperienced lifters or sets far from failure. The predicted load is a starting estimate for the same exercise, not a guarantee of the reps you will achieve on the day.
It is the simplified anchor used here. Real effort ratings are subjective, and the relationship is not an exact universal conversion.
Fatigue, technique, rest and an inaccurate RIR estimate can all change the reps you achieve. Treat the load as a starting point.
No. The estimate is intended for the same exercise under comparable conditions.
At the end of the set, estimate how many more reps you could have done with good form. Subtract that from 10: two reps left is RPE 8.
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The effort scale on one card: what RPE 10, 9, 8 and 7 mean in reps left, plus a log to practise judging it.
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Educational information for adults aged 18 and over. It does not diagnose, treat or manage any medical condition. If you have a health condition, or symptoms that worry you, speak to your doctor or a health professional.