The End of Overtraining: Using “Reps in Reserve” (RIR) to Build Muscle Without Soreness

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Gym culture for years taught us to push each set as far as you can go: “no pain, no gain.” A LOT of people still train like this and they end up tired, sore and stuck.

There is a better way. This is referred to as Reps in Reserve (RIR). It allows you to develop lean, healthy muscle; preserve your joints; and bounce back quicker, meaning that training doesn’t ruin the rest of your day.

What Is RIR?

RIR is the number of good reps that you still have left in the set before failing.

• 0 RIR: It was the 1st repetition of the set. This is failure.
• 1 RIR: You might be able to perform another rep.
• 2 RIR: You can repeat 2 more times.
• 3 RIR: You could do three more reps.

If you complete 10 reps and think that you could do 2 more with good form, it was 2 RIR.

The goal is simple. If it is a set in which you can perform more reps, perform one or two fewer than the number you are told to stop at.

The reasons why training to failure isn’t always better

Muscles grow when they work hard enough and are given time to recover. The most difficult training to complete is the one that is done to failure and everyone thinks it will provide the best results. However, studies indicate a different result.

Researchers tend to get comparable muscle gains by comparing the sets that are taken to failure with sets that end a bit short. The disparity is in the price. Going to failure leads to a lot of fatigue, which accumulates.

The consequences of failing to succeed on each set:

• For days, you’re extremely achy.
• You are not recovered, which makes for poorer workouts.
• You’re wanting to quit the last reps, stress on joints and tendons.
• You are tired in everyday life, at work or in your home.
• In the long term, you may lose motivation.

The reps that count the most are the last few reps before failure; they may or may not be the most useful. Clamping and stopping at 1 or 2 RIR results in most benefits with minimal damage.

The basics of judging your RIR

The difficult part is at the beginning. A lot of beginners guess incorrectly. They think they are at 2 RIR, when they actually could do 5 more. This is normal and will get better the more you practice.

Here are some tips:

• Watch your speed. If a significant decrease in reps occurs, you’re approaching failure. If the rep takes a lot longer than the first few, it should be a red flag.
• Watch your form. When your technique begins to shimmer and/or break, you are working at your limit or exceeding it.
• Test yourself sometimes. Now and then progress to a safe exercise to failure, such as a machine press or leg press,s to familiarize yourself with how it feels to fail. Once you have, you can assess your RIR later on.
• Be honest. Before quitting the workout, ask yourself: “Would I be able to do two more straight reps?

It is a simple additional tool that is known as velocity pacing

Velocity pacing involves focusing on the movement speed of the bar weight. If the set is very easy, then speed up the reps. You slow down as you become tired.

Special equipment is not required. Simply be aware when your reps start to become obviously slower than your first. If your speed is slow, it’s a sign that you’re near your limits. Some lifters halt sets before being completely “done” when velocity decreases significantly.

A Very Easy Step to Take

This plan can be used with nearly any program.

• Pick your exercises. Select simple exercises like squats, presses, rows, and lunges.
• Choose a rep range. For most, 8-12 repetitions is a good number.
• Choose a weight where the last rep is challenging but still achievable.
• Early in the programme, stop at 2 RIR. Repeat for the first couple of weeks.
• As you increase your ability to accurately judge effort, approach 1 RIR.As you improve at the skill of judging effort, draw near to 1 RIR.
• Know how to incrementally increase weights or reps. If you are able to complete all reps in good form and the same RIR, use a little more weight.
• Rarely use 0 RIR except for safe exercises. You can do leg presses and machines without risking falling if you are unable to get a spotter, which is not the case when you are doing heavy squats or bench presses.

Common Mistakes

• Stopping too early. Having too many reps left in the tank is too easy. Even though you have the effort, you still need to do the work.
• Skipping progress. It’s not easy to do RIR. There is still a need to add load or repetitions over time.
• Copying others. Your RIR = your own feelings. Don’t compare this with your neighbor.
• Ignoring rest. Your needs and your need for sleep, for food and for rest days remain as significant.

What About Soreness?

Don’t assume that if you are sore, you had a good workout! It is possible to build muscle with little, if any, muscle soreness at all. While RIR will not make an exercise completely painless, for most individuals, it is much less “beat up” when moving into a new exercise. This does not mean that you have to limp while you work, study, or enjoy the evening.

Final Thoughts

It is not necessary to build up your body in order to build up your character. This is because when you train with 1-2 reps in reserve, you will get results without being as fatigued, with a lower amount of joint stress, and in a shorter time to recover. When you add in the simplicity of some speed awareness, you can more easily judge your effort.

For your next training session, do the following: finish each set when you have one or two reps remaining, in which case you are in the zone. Repeat this the next time, but add a little more weight. Steady steps replace exhausting workouts every time.