RIR (Reps in Reserve)
The number of additional reps you could have performed before failure.
Updated
Reps in Reserve (RIR) is a way to gauge training intensity without going to absolute failure. If you complete a set and feel you could have done 2 more reps, thats 2 RIR. Training at 1-3 RIR is often recommended for most sets, as it provides sufficient stimulus for growth while managing fatigue. This allows for better recovery and long-term progress.
What RIR means in the gym
RIR stands for reps in reserve: how many more clean reps you could have done when you racked the weight. Stop a set of bench press with two good reps still in you and that set was 2 RIR; 0 RIR means you could not have done another. It is the same idea that sits behind the lifting RPE scale, read the other way round, so RPE 8 equals 2 RIR and RPE 10 equals 0. Most programmes now write effort in one of the two forms.
Managing RIR across a training block
Most working sets sit at 1 to 3 RIR, which is close enough to failure to drive progress without the fatigue cost of hitting it every set. Heavy compound lifts usually stay towards the upper end of that, at 2 to 3, while isolation work such as curls, raises and machine extensions can go to 0 or 1, because failing a cable curl costs far less than failing a squat. A simple way to manage it over a block is to start at 3 RIR, take it down by one each week to finish at around 0 to 1, then deload and start again at slightly heavier loads.
Getting better at judging it
RIR is an estimate, and accuracy improves with practice. The most useful calibration is to predict your reps in reserve, then occasionally take the last set of a safe exercise, such as a machine press or a leg press with the safeties set, to genuine failure and see how far off you were. Most people find they had more left than they thought, particularly on higher-rep sets, and estimates tend to be more accurate closer to failure and with heavier loads.
Common mistakes
Counting grinding reps with broken form as reserve; RIR means reps you could do with the technique you started with. Reporting 2 RIR out of habit on sets that were really five or six short. And testing your estimates on a heavy barbell squat or bench press without a spotter or safety arms, which is the one place a wrong guess has real consequences.
Examples
- 2 RIR means you could have done 2 more reps
- Training at 1-3 RIR for most working sets
- Final set at 0 RIR (failure)
Related Terms
References
Compound exercises
Put this into practice with exercises from the library.
Common questions
What is RIR?
The number of additional reps you could have performed before failure. Reps in Reserve (RIR) is a way to gauge training intensity without going to absolute failure.
What exercises train the RIR?
Good options include Supine Two-Arm Overhead Throw, Suspended Push-Up, Suspended Row, Suspended Split Squat, Svend Press. Each links to a step-by-step guide with demonstration images.
What are examples of RIR?
2 RIR means you could have done 2 more reps; Training at 1-3 RIR for most working sets; Final set at 0 RIR (failure).
Put it into practice
12-Week Muscle Building · £29
A 12-week, four-day hypertrophy plan in three phases, with a modest calorie surplus