If You're Not Logging Your Reps in Reserve Are You Even Tracking Your Workouts Correctly

Why Your Workout Log Is Lying to You (And What to Track Instead)

To answer the question, if you're not logging your reps in reserve are you even tracking your workouts correctly?-the answer is a hard no. Tracking sets, reps, and weight without also tracking intensity is like tracking the miles you've driven without knowing your speed. You have data, but you're missing the single most important variable for getting to your destination. You're stuck in traffic, hitting plateaus, and wondering why you're not making progress. Reps in Reserve (RIR) is the speedometer for your strength training. It's a simple number that represents how many more reps you could have done with good form at the end of your set. A 2 RIR means you could have done two more reps. A 0 RIR means you couldn't have done another single rep-that was true failure. For years, you’ve probably followed programs that say “3 sets of 10 reps.” The problem is, 10 reps on a day you feel great is easy (maybe a 4 RIR), while 10 reps on a day you’re tired and stressed is impossible. By forcing the same rep count, you’re either training too light to cause growth or too heavy to recover. Logging RIR solves this. It allows you to adjust the weight or reps based on how you feel *that day*, ensuring every single set lands in the productive zone for building muscle and strength. It turns your workout log from a historical record into a predictive tool for guaranteed progress.

Stop guessing. Start growing.

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The Difference Between 'Exercising' and 'Training' Is One Number

Most people in the gym are exercising. They show up, lift some weights, break a sweat, and go home. They might even write down “Bench Press: 135 lbs, 3x8.” They do this for months, and nothing changes. This is because they are not *training*. Training is exercising with a plan for progression. RIR is the mechanism that makes that plan work. Muscle growth and strength gains are driven by mechanical tension and pushing your muscles close to their limit. RIR is the most practical way to measure this. Let’s compare two lifters. Lifter A does 135 lbs for 3 sets of 8, week after week. His log looks identical. His body stays identical. Lifter B does 135 lbs for 3 sets of 8, but notes it was at a 3 RIR. The next week, his goal isn't just to lift 135 again; it's to hit a 2 RIR. Maybe that means he gets 9 reps with 135 lbs. The week after, he might add 5 pounds to the bar, do 8 reps, and land back at a 3 RIR. He is managing his effort, applying progressive overload, and getting stronger. He is training. RIR is directly related to another term you might hear, RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion). The math is simple: RPE (on a 1-10 scale) = 10 - RIR. So, a 2 RIR is the same as an 8 RPE. We focus on RIR because it’s more intuitive for lifting: “How many reps were left?” is an easier question to answer than “How hard was that on a scale of 1 to 10?” You get it now. RIR is the key to managing effort and driving progress. But here's the problem: what was your RIR on your last set of squats two weeks ago? What about four weeks ago? If you can't recall that number instantly, you're not using data to get stronger-you're just exercising and hoping for the best.

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The 4-Week RIR Protocol to Break Any Plateau

Knowing about RIR is one thing; using it to get results is another. This isn't just theory. This is a step-by-step system to implement RIR into your training, starting today. Follow this for four weeks, and you will break your plateau.

Step 1: Calibrate Your Instrument (Week 1)

Your first week is about learning what RIR feels like. You can't measure something if you don't know what the measurement means. For this week only, on the *final set* of your main compound exercises (like a squat, bench press, or overhead press), you are going to train to technical failure. This means you perform reps with perfect form until you physically cannot complete another rep with that same perfect form. The moment your form breaks down, the set is over. That last successful rep was a 1 RIR. The one before that was a 2 RIR. Make a mental note of how those reps felt. This single session of pushing to the true limit gives you the anchor points you need. You only need to do this once for a few key lifts to understand the feeling. For all other sets and exercises during the week, just make your best guess at the RIR and log it. Don't worry about being perfect; focus on learning.

Step 2: Choose Your RIR Target

Your RIR target depends entirely on your goal for that specific exercise. Not all sets should be grinders taken to the brink of failure. Smart training uses different RIR ranges for different purposes. Use this as your guide:

• For Pure Strength (Working in the 1-5 rep range): Target a 2-4 RIR. The goal here is moving heavy weight with good speed and technique. Going to failure kills your power output and fries your nervous system, hurting your subsequent sets. Stay fresh.
• For Muscle Growth / Hypertrophy (Working in the 6-15 rep range): Target a 1-3 RIR. This is the sweet spot. It's hard enough to create the mechanical tension needed for muscle growth but leaves just enough in the tank to recover for your next workout. Most of your training should live here.
• For Muscular Endurance (Working in the 15+ rep range): Target a 0-2 RIR. With lighter weight and higher reps, you can safely push closer to failure without the same systemic fatigue as heavy compound lifts.

Step 3: Apply the Progression Rule (Weeks 2-4)

This is where the magic happens. Progression is no longer about blindly adding 5 pounds to the bar. It's about beating your previous performance. Each week, look at your log from the week before. If you successfully hit your target reps at your target RIR, you have two options for the following week:

1. Add Reps: Keep the weight the same and try to add one more rep while maintaining the same RIR. If you did 150 lbs for 8 reps at 2 RIR last week, this week you aim for 9 reps at 2 RIR.
2. Add Weight: Add a small amount of weight (e.g., 5 lbs) and aim for the same rep count. Your RIR will likely be lower (harder), which is fine. If you did 150 lbs for 8 reps at 2 RIR, this week you could do 155 lbs for 8 reps at 1 RIR. Once you can do 155 for 8 at 2 RIR, you progress again.

This is called double progression, and it ensures you are always getting stronger.

Step 4: Know When to Deload

You cannot train at a 1-2 RIR forever. After 4-6 weeks of consistent, hard training using this model, your body will accumulate fatigue. Progress will stall, and you'll feel beaten down. This is not failure; it's a signal. It's time for a deload week. For one week, do your same workouts but reduce the intensity dramatically. Perform all your lifts at a 4-6 RIR. The weight on the bar will feel light. That's the point. This allows your muscles and nervous system to fully recover, setting you up to come back even stronger and start a new 4-6 week cycle of progression.

Week 1 Will Feel Wrong. That's the Point.

Let's be perfectly clear: your first two weeks of tracking RIR will feel awkward and inaccurate. You will second-guess every number you write down. This is normal. You are learning a new skill, and like any skill, it requires practice. In week one, your RIR log might say '3 RIR' but it was probably a 5. It doesn't matter. The act of guessing and logging begins the calibration process. You're building awareness between the feeling in your body and a concrete number. By week two and three, your guesses will become educated estimates. You'll start to notice the subtle differences in bar speed and strain between a 3 RIR and a 2 RIR. You'll see the progression model start to work, as you successfully add a rep or 5 pounds based on last week's data. By month two, it's no longer a guess. RIR becomes an internal dial you can read instantly. A day where you feel weak is no longer a 'bad day'; it's simply a day where you use 10 pounds less weight to achieve your target 2 RIR. A 'good day' is when the weight feels light, and you can push for an extra rep. This is auto-regulation. It's the key to sustainable, injury-free progress for years, not just weeks. You stop letting the program dictate your body and start letting your body dictate the program, all while guaranteeing you're doing enough work to grow.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the Difference Between RIR and RPE?

RPE stands for Rate of Perceived Exertion, typically on a 1-10 scale. RIR is Reps in Reserve. They measure the same thing-intensity-but from opposite ends. The formula is simple: RPE = 10 - RIR. A set with 2 reps left in the tank (2 RIR) is an 8 RPE. We prefer RIR because asking "How many more reps could you do?" is often more concrete and actionable for lifters than asking "How hard was that from 1 to 10?"

Isn't RIR Just Subjective Guessing?

Initially, yes. But it's educated guessing that becomes highly accurate with practice. Over 2-4 weeks of consistent logging, you learn what your body's signals mean. This subjective-but-trained skill is far more effective for driving progress than objectively following a rigid "3 sets of 10" plan that completely ignores your body's daily fluctuations in strength and energy.

What If I Train to Failure on Every Set?

Training to absolute muscular failure on every set is a common mistake. It provides only a tiny bit more muscle-building stimulus than stopping 1-2 reps short, but it generates exponentially more fatigue. This massive fatigue hurts your next sets and your ability to recover for your next workout. Sticking to a 1-3 RIR gives you about 95% of the growth stimulus with only 50% of the fatigue, allowing for better workouts and more consistent long-term progress.

How Do I Log RIR in My Notes?

Keep it simple. Your log entry for a set should include three numbers: load, volume, and intensity. For example: Bench Press: 185 lbs x 8 @ 2 RIR. This tells you everything you need to know to plan your next session. You have the weight, the reps you performed, and how hard it was.

Does RIR Work for Beginners?

It's one of the most valuable tools a beginner can learn. Instead of guessing if they are pushing hard enough or too hard, RIR provides a framework. It teaches a beginner to listen to their body and develop the skill of auto-regulation from day one, preventing both the lack of progress from undertraining and the risk of injury from overtraining.