In principle, training load can be defined by these three factors:
Training intensity – the weight on the bar or a percentage of 1RM.
Training volume – the total amount of work performed (sets × reps).
Duration and quality of rest periods – the time required to recover between sets.
Note: Training frequency can also be added, but this depends on the time frame (e.g., week, month, year). For now, intensity, volume, and rest periods are more than sufficient.
Training intensity
In resistance training, intensity is indicated by the weight on the bar or the number of weight plates on a machine. This data can be defined in absolute terms (kilograms) or relative terms (percentage of your maximum). The maximum is usually referred to as 1RM and represents the heaviest weight you can lift for a given exercise for exactly one repetition. Besides the one-rep max, other maximums are used, such as 3RM, 5RM, or 8RM, where the number defines the maximum number of repetitions possible with a specific weight.
In other sports, this could be speed, height, tempo, etc.
Training volume
Training volume refers to the amount of work completed in a session. In resistance training, volume can be defined by the number of sets, repetitions, or total weight lifted. The most common metric is the total number of repetitions for a given exercise or training session. You may also encounter "relative/normalised volume," which uses an interval to bound intensity, e.g., volume within an 80%–90% zone.
So, how do you choose the right weight, sets, and repetitions? There are several authoritative tables that help select the appropriate number of reps, sets, and weight.
One such tool is the Prilepin Table, which is based on years of experience from Russian coaches. Named after Russian weightlifting coach A.S. Prilepin, it dictates the ideal number of reps and sets for a given weight, or the range to aim for if the primary goal is strength development.
Prilepin Table
| Weight (%1RM) | Reps / set | Optimal total | Total range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 55% – 65% | 3 – 6 | 24 | 18 – 30 |
| 70% – 80% | 3 – 6 | 18 | 12 – 24 |
| 80% – 90% | 2 – 4 | 15 | 10 – 20 |
| 90+% | 1 – 2 | 4 | 10 |
Practical example: For better understanding, let's look at a concrete example.
I want a workout focused on strength development, and we know the best method is maximal effort, using weights from 85% 1RM and above.
For a load of 85%, an appropriate rep range is 2–4 reps.
If we are just starting with strength training, we begin with, say, 3 reps.
The optimal total number of reps is 15, which gives us 5 sets.
Therefore, at 85% load, we perform 5 sets of 3 reps to achieve the ideal training stimulus for strength growth.
The total range tells us that we could also perform 3–4 sets of 3 or even 6–7 sets of 3. Choosing the right volume requires a bit of practice and experience. For starters, just use the recommendations for the optimal number of reps.
Basic recommendation table for beginners
(Supertraining, Verkhoshansky, Siff)
| Parameter | Strength | Power | Hypertrophy | Endurance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight (%1RM) | 80%-100% | 70% – 100% | 60%-80% | 40%-60% |
| Reps/set | 1-6 | 1-6 | 6-15 | 25-60 |
| Sets/exercise | 4-7 | 3-5 | 4-8 | 2-4 |
| Rest between sets (minutes) | 2-6 | 2-6 | 2-5 | 1-2 |
| Duration (seconds/set) | 5-10 | 4-8 | 20-60 | 80-150 |
| Training sessions/week | 3-6 | 3-6 | 5-7 | 8-14 |
Beyond intensity and volume, another concept is used—intensity of effort. This is a subjective assessment of how difficult a given set felt. For clarity, let's compare lifting a 100 kg bar 6 times versus 8 times. Which is harder? The intensity is the same (100 kg), but the effort is different; logically, it is higher for 8 reps.
This perception of effort factor is abbreviated as RPE (Rated Perceived Exertion). RPE is scored from 1 to 10, where 1 is the easiest and 10 is the hardest possible effort. You may also encounter the original 6–20 scale, known as the Borg scale.
Easiest 4 6 8 10
Maximum
Borg’s research in 1993 demonstrated the relationship between perceived exertion, heart rate, lactate, %VO2 max, and an athlete's breathing rhythm. In strength training, you can orient yourself based on how many repetitions you could STILL perform with a given weight—in other words, how many reps you had in reserve before total failure.
RPE values
(Michael Tuchscherer, The Reactive Training Manual)
| RPE | Description |
|---|---|
| 10 | Maximum, no further reps possible. |
| 9 | The last rep was very heavy. 1 rep in reserve. |
| 8 | The weight on the bar feels heavy. The movement is smooth, but the bar does not accelerate. 2–4 reps in reserve. |
| 7 | The bar moves with speed when using maximal force. |
| 6 | Light dynamics; the bar moves quickly even when using moderate force. |
| 5 | Warm-up weights |
| 4 | Recovery, generally 20+ reps per set; muscle blood flow, not fatigue. |
| <4 | Not used |
RPE is used in autoregulatory training, where the number of sets is determined more or less during the workout, alongside fatigue markers, fatigue percentages, etc.
There is a table for converting RPE values into percentages for a given number of repetitions.
| Reps | 10 RPE | 9 RPE | 8 RPE | 7 RPE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | 62% | 60% | 58% | 56% |
| 10 | 66% | 64% | 62% | 60% |
| 8 | 71% | 68% | 66% | 64% |
| 7 | 74% | 71% | 68% | 66% |
| 6 | 77% | 74% | 71% | 68% |
| 5 | 80% | 77% | 74% | 71% |
| 4 | 85% | 80% | 77% | 74% |
| 3 | 90% | 85% | 80% | 77% |
| 2 | 95% | 90% | 85% | 80% |
| 1 | 100% | 95% | 90% | 85% |
Finally, we define the three main functions of training: development, maintenance, and recovery, along with the individual parameters important for composing and planning training days from the perspective of recovery and training loads/intensities.
| Training type | Load / Intensity | Recovery time | Training RPE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Development | Extreme | > 72 hrs | 10 |
| High | 48 – 72 hrs | 9 | |
| Substantial | 24 – 48 hrs | 8 | |
| Maintenance | Moderate | 12 – 48 hrs | 7 |
| Recovery | Low | < 12 hrs | < 6 |