🧠 Reps in Reserve (RIR): The Smarter Way to Chase Gains Without Burning Out

I’ve been in this game long enough to know that going to failure every set might feel good in the moment, but it’ll chew you up over time. That’s where Reps in Reserve (RIR) comes in. RIR is about knowing when to push and when to hold back to achieve the best possible gains without burning out mid-cycle.

🔍 So, What Is RIR Exactly?

It’s simple, really: RIR is how many clean reps you had left in the tank when you finished a set.

Let’s say you smash out a set of bench press for 8 reps. If you could’ve squeezed out 2 more (but didn’t), that’s an RIR of 2. You didn’t fail but you were close. And that’s the sweet spot more often than not.

RIR helps you train with intensity without flirting with injury or frying your nervous system.

🧬 Why RIR Works (and Works Well)

We’ve all heard the “no pain, no gain” motto. But here’s the truth: you don’t need to hit failure to grow.

Research backs it up training with 1 to 2 reps in reserve can stimulate just as much muscle growth as going to failure. But with less overall fatigue, better recovery, and way more consistency across sessions.

That means:

• Fewer missed lifts.

• More energy session to session.

• And the ability to train harder for longer.

🎯 How I Use RIR In Training (and How You Can Too)

Here’s how I personally like to program RIR—and how I get clients dialled into it.

1. Get Real With Yourself

This isn’t about guessing. You’ve got to know your body. That means tracking your reps, logging your sets, and getting brutally honest. Could you have done one more? Two? Or were you just surviving? It takes time, but the self-awareness pays off in spades.

2. Dial It In for Different Goals

• Strength days? RIR 2–3. Heavy, but clean. Leave something in the tank so your nervous system stays fresh.

• Hypertrophy work? RIR 1–2. Push the volume. Create tension. Still controlled.

• Deloads or recovery phases? RIR 3–4. Move the blood, grease the groove, and bounce back stronger.
  
  

3. Adjust Based on Feel & Recovery

Some days, you’ll crush it. Others, life hits. Don’t be afraid to auto-regulate. RIR gives you a framework that adapts, because not every session needs to be harder than the last.

👉 Ready to train smarter, not just harder?

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