Full disclosure, I have very limited experience with RPE based programming, as in almost none. For my own training, and also for the clients I train, I have always used percentage based programming, however I can see how it would be beneficial to use. Is it possible to combine the two in a way that would work?
For example, say you are doing a HLM style program and for the heavy squat, you are scheduled a 1x5 at 80% (just pulling numbers out of the air here) followed by a 3-4 x __ for the backoffs at 5-10% less. Also lets assume it was just a terrible day for the lifter and no way is that weight going to work, so you work up to what you can do for 5, and then base your back offs off of that weight. Or the opposite, it was one of those days everything is working and you can do 10% more than the percentage calls for, and you do it and so on with the back offs. Is this a way to use your percentage expectation for a base line of sorts, and then base your RPE off of that lift?
Again, I hope I have articulated what I am getting at and this isn’t a “dumb” question. I just ask because some of the lifters I know using RPE seem to spend a lot more time working to that top set than they would if you based it on the percentage to start with.
I program the two together quite often. If it would be beneficial to program in this way, the best option is to prescribe a top set based on RPE (e.g., x5@9 or x1@8) and then prescribe down sets based on a percentage of the top set’s e1RM (e.g., 80%x4x3).
Awesome. I started to dip my toes into that with a few of my more advanced lifters. Correct me if I am wrong, but I am having them work a top set of 5 with 1 to 2 left in the tank (is that an 8?), and then do the back offs at 80-85% of the top set for 3-4x3-5.
If the protocol was prescribed as “x5@8, 80%x4x4” then it would be a top set of five repetitions with two repetitions left in the tank, then four sets of four with 80% of the top set’s e1RM - not 80% of the top set load itself.
Hey guys. I know this is an old topic so i hope everyone sees it. For those of you in Springfield OH, would any of you be willing to let me pick your brain a bit about RPE stuff. My email is obrnpwrlftr@gmail.com. Thanks