RIR stands for “repetitions in reserve.” It expresses how many reps you have left in the tank when stopping any given set.
- If you pick a weight that you can do for a set of 10 reps ALL OUT, an RIR of 3 would mean you would likely hit 7 reps on your first set under ideal conditions.
- In your next set, you are unlikely to repeat the same number of reps as fatigue will influence your ability to perform. Seeing reps decline over sets is normal and expected.