by Matthew Goosey
When it comes to resistance training, we have all been guilty at one point or another of not progressing the load on the bar and therefore not chasing progressive overload - or getting stronger. This could be due to several reasons, for example we:
- Might not be on a set training plan
- Are unsure what weight to lift
- Are lacking in confidence in the gym
- Are unsure if we can lift more than what we are currently lifting
If this sounds like you let me introduce you to a method called Repetitions in Reserve (RIR). This is essentially what the name suggests, how many more reps could you do at the end of your set.
Before I go too far, let me revisit the concept of progressive overload. Quite simply, progressive overload is how we develop our training over time to continually stimulate adaptation and change. To best understand this concept, we should go back to Greek mythology and the story of ‘Milo of Croton’.
Milo quickly worked out that to get stronger he needed to continually increase the demand on his body. So, he started by carrying a small calf on his shoulders, every day, and as the calf grew and got bigger - so did Milo. Milo progressively overloaded his body every day as the calf got bigger and heavier, forcing his body to adapt to the progressive demands placed on it.
What we can learn from this is that in order to continuously adapt, we need to progressively expose the body to more overload as time progresses. I am not saying everyone needs to carry around a growing farmyard animal every day (although if you have one laying around...), but I am saying you need to gradually expose yourself to harder stimuli if you wish to progress. This is the purpose of this article - to give you a simple method you can use to help appropriately add more load to the bar!
There are several ways we can do this; we could lift the same weight and increase the sets or reps; we could increase the time taken to complete a repetition (time under tension) or we could increase the load we are lifting. Now if you are unsure what load to lift, we could use RIR to help us decide and to help us progressively overload our training.
Other methods of prescribing load
Repetitions in reserve is one of many methods in which we can prescribe the load to lift during our training. Other methods we could use include.
- Percentage of 1 Repetition Maximum (RM)
- Velocity Based Training
- Rating of Perceived Exertion
- Autoregulatory Progressive Resistance Exercise (APRE)
All the methods above are valid methods of prescribing load during resistance training, and I am not saying you should implement RIR over any of these. However, the methods above do have limitations in one way or another. For example, using Percentage of 1RM is a tried and tested method (considered the old school reliable method), but it requires frequent testing of 1RM to make sure the prescribed percentages are accurate and does not allow for daily fluctuations in strength levels (which in the research can be as much as 18%).
Velocity based training is also an extremely useful tool, instead of prescribing weight on the bar you work of the speed of the bar. To do this you need to complete a 1RM test while measuring speed of the bar to create a load-velocity profile. From this you can prescribe specific velocity zones to train in. This is more accurate as the speed you move a bar has been found to be consistent with %1RM loads but this naturally adjusts for the daily fluctuations in strength that we previously discussed. However, to do train with this method of loading you will need a velocity measurement device which, for the lower end devices cost £100’s and the upper end costing £1000’s.
So why should we use RIR?
- It's simple / doesn’t require any additional equipment
- It can be used across all the exercises in your training plan
- It is relative to you and any daily fluctuations in strength/ability
RIR is not perfect, there is room for error when using this. It has been found to be more reliable when used by people with a higher training age. However, it will give us a constant push in the right direction, and small differences add up! Here's how you can use it in your training:
To keep this simple, if you are doing 4 sets of 6 reps on back squats, lifting 60kg for the 1st set. At the end of your set, you ask yourself
“If I kept going past 6 reps, how many reps could I get before I fail”
(When I say fail, I mean form breakdown and not absolute failure, do not go hurting yourself)!
If you answer that honestly as zero more reps, then you are lifting maximally for that set. If you are answering this with 3+ more reps, then maybe the weight on the bar should go up for the next set. I say 3+ reps, because from my experience 2+ is a good range to be aiming for on your working sets and allows for any error in your self-predicted repetitions in reserve during your set.
So, to use this method of prescribing loads, decide on the exercise, sets and reps you are going to train and then instead of deciding on a weight decide how many RIR you are going to work to (commonly 2). The lower the RIR means the greater the intensity of the set. In this example, if we complete our first set and think we have 4 reps in reserve, we know we are not working at the desired intensity. Therefore, we can add more weight to the bar, resulting in progressive overload and ultimately - progress.
Are you an athlete, coach or student looking to develop yourself for your clients or your own training?