RPE logging in Boostcamp
Log RPE from 6 to 10 on any set, with a reps-in-reserve hint for every value.
What is RPE logging in Boostcamp?
Boostcamp lets you log RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion) on any set, from 6 to 10 in half-point steps. Each value shows a reps-in-reserve hint, such as "Could do 2 more reps" for RPE 8. Programs can prescribe RPE targets, and RPE logging is free on iOS and Android.
- Scale
- 6 to 10 in 0.5 steps
- Hints
- A reps-in-reserve description for every value
- Used for
- Program targets, an RPE-based 1RM estimate (Pro), Auto Progression holds (Pro)
- Price
- Free
How RPE logging works
- 1
Log a set, then tap RPE
After a set, open the RPE keypad and pick how hard it felt. Each value carries a hint so you can rate consistently: RPE 7 is "Could do 3 more reps", RPE 9 is "Could do 1 more rep", and RPE 10 is "Could not do more reps or load without form failure".
- 2
Follow RPE targets in programs
Programs can prescribe intensity as an RPE or an RPE range instead of a fixed weight, so you choose a load that matches the target effort on the day.
- 3
Look up the scale any time
The "What is RPE?" explainer in the workout screen lays out the full scale, including the lighter values below 6, based on The Muscle & Strength Pyramid: Training.
What is RPE?
RPE, or Rate of Perceived Exertion, is a 1 to 10 rating of how hard a set felt, where 10 is a maximal effort with nothing left. In strength training, the upper part of the scale is usually tied to reps in reserve (RIR): how many more reps you could have done with good form before failing.
The relationship is simple to remember: RPE 10 means zero reps in reserve, RPE 9 means about one rep left, RPE 8 about two, and RPE 7 about three. Half steps such as RPE 8.5 cover sets where you were sure of one more rep and might have managed two. Below RPE 6, sets are usually too far from failure to rate precisely.
Lifters use RPE for autoregulation, which means adjusting the load to how strong you are on the day instead of following a fixed number. Sleep, stress and accumulated fatigue all change performance, so a weight that was RPE 8 last week can feel like RPE 9 today. A program that prescribes "5 reps at RPE 8" lets you choose the load that matches that effort.
Rating RPE takes practice, and many coaches suggest logging it on every working set so your ratings become more consistent over time. In Boostcamp, you log RPE on any set with a keypad that shows the reps-in-reserve meaning of each value.
One top set, four different RPEs
The same lifter does a top set of 5 at 225 lb on the squat, and the program's target is RPE 8. Here is what each logged RPE says about the set and the next session. These are general guidelines, not a formula.
| Logged RPE | Reps in reserve | What it means | Next session |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | About 3 | Easier than the RPE 8 target | Load could go up |
| 8 | About 2 | Right on target | Repeat 225 lb or make a small increase |
| 9 | About 1 | Harder than the target | Hold 225 lb until it feels like RPE 8 |
| 10 | 0 | A maximal effort, well above target | Hold or reduce the load, and check sleep, recovery and technique |
The RPE scale in Boostcamp
| RPE | Hint shown in the app |
|---|---|
| 10 | Could not do more reps or load without form failure |
| 9.5 | Could not do more reps, could do slightly more load |
| 9 | Could do 1 more rep |
| 8.5 | Could definitely do 1 more rep, chance at 2 |
| 8 | Could do 2 more reps |
| 7.5 | Could definitely do 2 more reps, chance at 3 |
| 7 | Could do 3 more reps |
| 6 to 6.5 | Could do 4-6 more reps |
Tips for using RPE logging
- Rate the set right after you finish it Your sense of how many reps were left fades within a minute or two, so log RPE before you start resting.
- Anchor ratings to reps in reserve Ask "how many more clean reps could I have done?" and pick the matching value. Boostcamp's keypad shows that hint next to every RPE.
- Expect early ratings to run low Newer lifters often underestimate how many reps they have left. An occasional set taken closer to failure, with a spotter or safeties, helps calibrate your ratings.
- Use RPE on top sets and key lifts first Logging RPE on every warm-up adds little. Start with the working sets that decide what you lift next week.
What lifters say
★★★★★“Seamless, really good for accountability and tracking reps, RPE, etc.”
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Frequently asked questions
Yes. You can log RPE from 6 to 10 in half steps on any set, for free.
Boostcamp logs RPE rather than a separate RIR field, but every RPE value shows its reps-in-reserve meaning, such as "Could do 2 more reps" for RPE 8.
Yes. Programs can set intensity as a single RPE or an RPE range, and you can write either into your own programs in the program builder.
Boostcamp stores RPE with each set. With Pro, Exercise Analytics can estimate your 1RM from RPE, and Auto Progression holds the weight when you log an RPE above the target.
RPE rates how hard a set felt on a 1 to 10 scale, while RIR counts how many reps you had left. On the upper part of the scale they map directly: RPE 8 is about 2 reps in reserve and RPE 10 is zero.
Many programs keep most working sets between RPE 7 and 9, leaving one to three reps in reserve, and save RPE 10 efforts for tests or occasional top sets. Follow the RPE targets your program prescribes.