RPE and rep cadence

Prior to discovering the SS world a few months ago, I would generally complete the reps within a set with no pauses in between. It wasn’t until I started LP, where completion of the fahves was paramount, that I started taking a couple breaths between each rep as needed. Seems that this is actually the recommended behavior within that scheme. Old me would’ve called the set complete whenever I hit momentary failure.

So correspondingly, when I experimented with RPE back then in the bro-split days, an RPE 8 meant I had 2 in the tank with no pauses between reps. But that’s a vastly different level of intensity from 2 left in the tank when I’m allowed 5 breaths between each of my last reps. Can’t find it now, but I saw a thread here recently where someone said their RPE definitions were something like 7=no pause between reps, 8=breath or two, 9=several breaths.

I started The Bridge 1.0 today, and so now I’m wondering which of these approaches is what you’ve intended when determining RPE? Reps in the tank at your current pace? Reps in the tank by any means necessary? Somewhere in between? If I’m overthinking this, please say so.

It’s fine to take a breath or two between reps. I’d say that once you start having to stand there for an extended period of time, say, 4-5 breaths or more before a rep, that you’re probably drawing things out a bit too much (and the weight may be heavier than desired for the prescribed stress).

Perfect, thanks!