12/12/2024
Simply put, repetitions in reserve (RIR) is the estimation of how many more reps you could have performed before reaching muscular failure with an exercise. It is commonly associated with the perceived intensity of a given movement. There tends to a relationship between RIR and perceived intensity. For example, if an exercise was perceived as being a 7/10 difficulty, then a person should be approximately 3 reps from failure at the end of a set. (This was the intensity that I was aiming for in the video.)
Make sense? If not, throw your question in the comments and we can chat.
It has long been thought that a muscle must be taken to failure in order to elicit an optimal growth response. Although training to failure certainly can help muscles grow, it is not mandatory.
Anecdotally speaking, not everyone enjoys going to failure. Therefore, flirting with failure is perfectly fine and can provide very similar results when it comes to muscle growth. Next time you’re training, challenge yourself to get within 2-3 repetitions of failure on each set (if the goal is to improve muscle mass and strength).
If you complete a set and feel as if you could have done another 5-10+ repetitions, it’s time to move up.
A common issue that I see and hear about in the rehab profession is the inability to match the load intensity to a client’s physical demands. Failure to match intensity only sets a person up for problems down the road. I’ll save that soapbox for another day. 😜
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