How much weight to use, and how many sets and reps to do?

In principle, we can define training load using these three parameters:

• training intensity
• training volume
• rest period duration and quality

Note: Training frequency can also be added as a parameter, but this depends on the time period in question — whether it's a week, month, year, etc. For now, intensity, volume, and rest period length will serve us perfectly well.

Training Intensity

In strength training, intensity is expressed as the weight on the barbell, or the number of weight plates on a cable machine. This figure can be defined in absolute terms (kilograms) or relatively — i.e. as a percentage of your maximum. The maximum is commonly referred to as 1RM (one-repetition maximum) and represents the heaviest weight you are capable of lifting for a given exercise exactly once. In addition to the one-rep max, other rep maxes are also used — for example 3RM, 5RM, and 8RM — where the number defines the maximum number of reps you can complete with a given weight.

In other sports, intensity may be expressed as speed, height, pace, and so on.

Training Volume

Training volume refers to the total amount of work performed during a training session. In strength training, volume can be defined by the number of sets, repetitions, or total weight lifted. The most commonly used measure is the total number of reps for a given exercise or session. You may also come across the concept of relative/normalised volume, which restricts volume to a specific intensity zone — for example, volume within the 80–90% zone.

So how do you choose the right weight, and then the appropriate number of sets and reps? There are several well-established tables that can help you select the right number of reps, sets, and load at any given time.

One such tool is the Prilepin Table, which is the result of many years of experience among Russian coaches. It is named after Russian weightlifting coach A.S. Prilepin, and tells us what the ideal number of reps and sets is for a given weight — or more precisely, what range you should be working within if your primary goal is strength development.

Prilepin's Table

For a clearer understanding, let's walk through a practical example. Say I want a training session focused on strength development — and we know that the best method for this is maximal effort training, which uses loads of 85% 1RM and above. At 85%, the appropriate rep range is 2–4 reps per set. If we're just starting out with strength training, we might begin at 3 reps per set. The optimal total rep count is 15, which gives us 5 sets. So at 85%, we would perform 5 sets of 3 reps to achieve the ideal training stimulus for strength gains. The total range tells us we could also do 3–4 sets of 3, or even 6–7 sets of 3. Choosing the right volume does take a bit of practice and experience. To begin with, simply follow the optimal rep count recommendation.

Basic Recommendation Table for Beginners
(Supertraining, Verkhoshansky, Siff)

Alongside intensity and volume, there is one more important concept — known as intensiveness or effort. This refers to a subjective assessment of how hard a given set felt. To understand this properly, let's use another example. Compare lifting a 100 kg barbell for 6 reps versus 8 reps. Which feels harder? The intensity is the same — 100 kg — but the effort is different; logically, it is higher for 8 reps.

The perceived effort factor is abbreviated as RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion). RPE is measured on a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 is the easiest and 10 is the hardest perceived effort. You may also encounter the original scale ranging from 6 to 20, known as the Borg Scale.

Borg's research in 1993 demonstrated a relationship between perceived exertion, heart rate, blood lactate, %VO2 max, and breathing rate in athletes. In strength training, you can gauge RPE by how many more reps you feel you COULD still perform with a given weight — in other words, how many reps you have left in the tank before complete failure.

RPE Values
(Michael Tuchscherer, The Reactive Training Manual)

RPE is used in so-called autoregulatory training, where the number of sets is determined more or less during the session itself, in conjunction with fatigue points, fatigue percentages, and similar metrics.

There is also a conversion table for translating RPE values into percentage-based loads for a given number of reps.

Finally, let's define the 3 main training functions — development, maintenance, and recovery — along with the key parameters relevant to structuring and planning individual training sessions from the perspective of recovery and training load/intensity.