Questions on RPE and Programming

Training Q&A [Moderated]
1

Hey Dr. Feigenbaum and Dr. Baraki,

Thank you for the great content. I have a couple questions relating to RPE and programming in the templates:

  1. If I overshoot a set (for instance if it was supposed to be a RPE 7 and it turned out to be a RPE 9), or conversely I undershoot a set (what was supposed to be a RPE 8 turned out to be an RPE 6), how should I adjust my reps/sets/RPE for that exercise?

  2. Is it ok to keep the same weight across sets if the fatigue makes the RPE goes up, or does this not make sense? For instance, if I’m doing 6 sets of 8 reps of shoulder press, and the template calls for the RPE to be steadily increasing (i.e. RPE 6 → RPE 7 → RPE 8) is it ok to just keep the weight the same if I feel like the fatigue is making the RPE go up?

  3. Add on to the previous question: for certain exercises, like shoulder press, small jumps in weight make a big difference. So I might be able to do 3x8 at 90 lbs for a RPE 6, but to do 3x8 at 95 lbs (the smallest increment in my gym is a 2.5 lb plate, so the lowest increase would be 5lbs) it would be an RPE 9. What do you recommend in this situation if I’m trying to hit somewhere in between like a RPE 7-8?

2

Phys,

Thanks for the post :slight_smile:

  1. We wouldn’t adjust your reps, sets, or RPE. Rather, whatever you rated the set would determine your next move. For example, if you rated a set @ 9 and were programmed to work up to an @ 9 and then take off a certain %, you’d progress to that next step. Alternatively, if you were supposed to do a set @ 7, @ 8, and @ 9 and rated a set a 6 that should’ve been a 7, we’d recommend to add some weight and rate your next set.

  2. No. We would recommend adding weight when the RPE is programmed to increase.

  3. We’d recommend doing one or two sets at the higher weight and sticking to the programmed RPE.

-Jordan

1 Like
3

To add on to this, would the 5% “rule” apply to both increasing the weight to increase the RPE by 1 and reducing the weight to bring the RPE down as needed?

4

Thanks Dr. Feigenbaum!

5

Yep, more or less.