After being introduced to RPE recently, I've did a reading on intensity and it says it is a great habit to log my RPE into my training log.

https://www.t-nation.com/training/how-to-modulate-intensity

Most of the time, those training log apps only let me to log down weight, rep and sets, and very rarely people mention RPE any where, I have very little to no idea how to properly incorporate this RPE thingy into my training.
Let say I've finish a set of squat, but I don't actually know exactly how much reps I am able to perform more, it might be 0 (10RPE) or 1 more rep (9RPE) or so. So it will make me hard to determine what RPE of my current set.

I did Kethnabs SS, my big 3 most likely is ranging around 9-10RPE(I think) which I squish all my energy into that set, adding 2.5lb almost every week until I stall, and within 4 weeks, I feel very weak and tired and sleepy or even fell sick, and need a deload. Something must be wrong here I guess.



So question comes:
1. Anyone of you did log your RPE? If yes, how do you determine?
2. When you switch into a different program, most of the program doesn't gives what suitable RPE for X exercise, what you do?
3. Is RPE too much for a beginner? It looks not, it looks like a very important factor to properly pick the weight for an exercise.

Great thanks


This post has been edited by helven: Jun 23 2016, 04:52 PM

RPE is simply a method to regulate your training. The only way to "measure" it is, as you have already found out, to ask yourself how you felt about a set you just did.

It's useful to take note of for general progress because you can say "X weight felt a bit easier this week even though the same number of reps were performed" or vice versa.

It really only gets more attention when a routine is calling for extended periods of high intensity and/or volume so the lifter can keep tabs on how they're feeling to perhaps prevent burning out by catching signs early on.

As a beginner, yes, take note of how your top sets feel week after week, but don't put your focus into it. Rather, focus on just being consistent.

i did do RPE..will start again after raya..haha
this is my reference
http://www.powerliftingtowin.com/programmingtowin/

for me..RPE is not much for beginner..but cooperate the RPE idea in the beggining is must..so that to experience how-heavy-the-weight-feel feeling
hence we can construct the PRE wo plan later..once you know better you body n your cns already adapt

This post has been edited by toman88: Jun 24 2016, 09:12 AM

I feel you get weak & sick from training cause you overly convinced yourself that training to failure will cause overtraining/burnout. Placebo.

Else the volume(aka sets taken to failure) is too high for you to recover from.... but that is unlikely cause ketnaab SS is low volume begginer program.

Thanks, will digest that link

Definitely no. But what's in my mind are few
- Does exercise weaken immune system?
- Does gym air condition makes me sick? (why I say so because the gym I'm training now is very crowded and bad ventilation, I have very sensitive nose, small shit can cause cold)
- Am I overtraining? I also doubt it as you said ketnaab SS is unlikely but I'm doing it with high RPE, which leads me to read on training intensity.

It is sux to see my friend that don't exercise at all, playing video games, sit at the couch all day for TV, eat junks, don't have proper diet never fall sick.

This post has been edited by helven: Jun 24 2016, 12:30 PM

1. If you overtrain kaw kaw yes then exercise will fuck u up. For me to fuck myself up will be doing 6 sets of squats + deadlifts to failure everyday... will probs break down before 2 weeks mark.

2. Not sure, depends on individual. I train in non air con (ghetto) gym at non crowed hours (weekend morning and early night weekdays).

3. Following is my program: http://hardset.meshsolutions.tech/program/25

1st set is RPE 8, 2nd RPE 9, and 3rd is taken to failure for every exercise. I rest 2min between all sets for all exercises. Never had any issues. Only maybe after 5 weeks of running it sometimes I feel my muscle/bone abit sore (i feel healthy/alive/energetic, not weak) so I take a 1 week deload (-20% weight) and come back stronger.

Thanks bro. I notice you have 2x barbel bench press on tues day, is that typo or on purpose?

On purpose cause I need that much volume to grow/progress. Reason why got different exercise in between those 2 bench press is so my chest can rest and i can lift more on my 2nd bench press (get more vol in).

This post has been edited by Armesh: Jun 24 2016, 05:44 PM

why dont u go heavier?
thought u been going on at this for more than a yr already?

Because a person with big ego doesn't go far both in life and the weight room.
Stay humble.

This RPE thingy is for ppl who workout consistently.

Ppl like me who go to gym on random days/diet will never figure out RPE.

Eh not reli lar, it normally takes like 6 months of consistant training to get this RPE thing down. You will normally know pretty well how many reps more to failure after training awhile.

This has nothing to do with ego.

It's called progress.

Say I bench 3x5x62.5kg, no spotter
First and second set, I did 5 without pause, at the end of 5th rep, I am not sure if I can go 1 more rep since there is not spotter and I've never try to do 1 more rep before, bench is kinda dangerous, how do I determine the RPE of these 2 sets?
On 3rd set, I did 4 and paused for 5 second before last rep because I feel, I may fail that last rep, does this considered as RPE @10?

I face a lot of situation above for other exercise as well when I'm add new plates into my lift.

I don't know man. Sometimes i can OHP 40kg 8reps and sometimes 5 reps already dead. What's the RPE? 10 for both?

Don't be afraid to add plate. If fail just rest it down ur stomach and slide it to ur thigh. Then slowly remove it.

If first set you got 5, and u know you can get 6.... probably you can do 7 reps at max and you stopped 2 Reps before failure.. that be ~ RPE 8.
Second set you got 5, u not sure bout 6, you can judge from the bar speed of the 5th rep. If 5th rep bar got up really slow, probably that was max, RPE 10. If 5th rep bar speed medium, then RPE 9.
3rd set if you need pause 5 sec between the rep then the 5th rep is surely RPE 10.

The key is to see your bar speed when in doubt. The last acceptable rep before failure will surely be slow, and close to form breakdown. AKA "the grind"

This post has been edited by Armesh: Jun 27 2016, 01:48 PM

Ya then it's 10 for both. That's what RPE is about, autoregulate weight based on feeling instead of a fixed %RM.

Wow thanks bro, this is great! I have never thought of bar speed which is a good way to judge. Will try to play around with the RPE and if I manage to get a lift that I got 5, and I know I can get 6, I will definitely get the 6th to know more about my body.

This post has been edited by helven: Jun 27 2016, 02:39 PM