A gym log with only weight and reps can miss a useful detail: how hard the set was. RIR, or reps in reserve, is your estimate of how many more clean reps you could have completed when the set ended. Recording it gives the next session more context without a long note.
Record a set in FitArchive
- Choose an exercise from your plan, or start an empty workout and add one.
- After the set, enter the actual weight and completed reps. Keep the unit and the way you count the load consistent between sessions.
- Record RIR while the set is fresh. For example, 2 RIR means you estimate that two more clean reps were possible.
- Next time, use the previous set beside the current one. If equipment, technique or rest time changed, account for that when comparing the entries.
Explore the sample-data gym log. Workout logging, RIR and full history are free. Start without an account; sign in when you want to sync between devices.
The same 10 reps can mean different effort
This illustrative log uses the same row exercise, technique, set position and comparable rest. It is sample data, rather than a training prescription or a user's results.
| Session | Load | Reps | RIR | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 40 kg | 10 | 3 | A baseline to compare with. |
| B | 40 kg | 10 | 1 | The same load and reps, but closer to the limit. |
| C | 40 kg | 11 | 2 | One more rep at a similar reported effort to A. |
Load and reps make A and B look identical. RIR shows that B was reported as harder. C adds a rep at a similar effort to A, which is worth following on this exercise. It does not prove muscle gain: RIR is self-reported, and rest, technique and ordinary daily variation affect performance.
Use the log for progressive overload
Compare similar sets across several sessions instead of forcing a weight increase every workout. More reps at the same weight and a similar RIR give you a clearer sign of progress. If reps stay the same but RIR falls sharply, review the session conditions before calling it progress or changing the plan. Read the progressive overload guide.
How does RIR differ from RPE?
RIR asks how many reps remain; RPE describes perceived effort. The scales are related, but they are not always interchangeable. If your program already uses one scale consistently, keep the definitions clear before changing the way you record it. Compare RPE and RIR.
Keep training beside food and your chosen assistant
FitArchive keeps workouts, food and bodyweight together on iPhone, Android and the web, with offline logging. Connecting ChatGPT or Claude is a separate choice: review the access before connecting. You do not need an AI connection to record RIR.