RPE clarification about the beginner template

Hi BBM,

I am on the second week of the beginner template and I’m slightly struggling to adapt to using RPE.

The first problem i’m having is in the estimation of the RPE itself, which I seem to get wrong quite often, is there a way to work on getting better at using RPE? or is it just a case of practicing it?

Additionly, I have a question about the load itself when using RPE. If for example the program calls for the first set to be at RPE 6, second set at RPE 7, and third set at RPE 8, does it make sense that the weight of the third set is the same or maybe even slightly lower than the first set because of fatigue (Even though it is at a higher RPE)? Or is the point of having the third set at RPE 8 that the weight in that set will be higher than the weight at the first set at RPE 6?

Hey Ben,

Thanks for the post!

For the first part, what do you mean when you say you’re getting the RPE wrong quite often?

As far as finding the correct load for a given RPE prescription, I think that if fatigue occurs during a warm up then it may reduce performance potential for the top set or work sets. However, I think this is relatively unimportant compared to improving work capacity, training tolerance, and overall fitness for training. In other words, I think you will adapt to this style of warm up and it will no longer be fatiguing. I don’t necessarily think the load increase from RPE 6 to 7 is reliably larger than the load increase from 7 to 8, 8 to 9, etc.

-Jordan

Hey Jordan,

As for getting the RPE wrong, I meant that I often find it hard to find what RPE a set was, meaning that I find that I often either overestimate or underestimate the RPE of a given set.

As for finding the correct load for a given RPE, the meaning is that the RPE 6 and RPE 7 sets are warm-ups for the main set? If so I guess I thought about it incorrectly as I thought they were already programmed to be part of the work sets. Could it be that because i’m not very good as of now at estimating the RPE of a given set that the warm-ups are more fatiguing than they are meant to be?

In any case, as you have already said, I will keep working on improving work capacity and training tolerance and hopefully the warm-up sets will eventually become less fatiguing.

Thanks for help!

I would press a bit further here and ask you how do you know you overestimated or underestimated? The important thing with RPE isn’t necessarily to be accurate, but to to be precise and consistently use the same scale over and over again. I think being relatively conservative in weight increases helps here as well.

Yes.

It’s possible, but I’d have to know more about what you were doing to really say.

In any case, RPE 6 and 7 sets should feel like you have ~ 4 and 3 reps left in the tank, thereby being relatively low fatigue. I think if these are very hard, then the loading may be too high.

Well, as for overestimating, I had a few sets which I originally thought were at RPE 9, though at the next set I managed to get an extra rep compared to the previous set and still felt I was at RPE 9, which I assume means I overestimated the RPE of the first RPE 9 set.
For example, if I thought the second out of 3 sets of 8 reps on the bench press was at RPE 9, in the final set I managed to do 9 reps.

As for underestimating, I find that often when I have sets that I thought were at RPE 6, and then the next set is closer to RPE 8 or 9 despite using the same weight and resting around 3 minutes, which I assume that if the RPE was really at 6 it wouldn’t be quite as fatiguing as it had been.
For example, if the first set of 8 reps of the OHP felt like it was at RPE 6, the next set felt like it was at RPE 9 despite resting 3 minutes.

I will take your advice and try and be a bit more conservative in weight selection and increases, while trying to be consistent with the same RPE scale.

I think you’re right and I will try decreasing the weight a bit in the RPE 6 and 7 sets, as I find them quite fatiguing despite resting over 3 minutes, and try to get a better grip of when I really have 4 sets left in the tank and not overshoot it.

Not necessarily. RPE can change set to set and I wouldn’t put too much thought into small change.