A workout app built around reps in reserve.
RIR (reps in reserve) is the most concrete way to track how close a set was to failure. Holy Lift uses RIR as its default effort metric because counting reps left is easier to estimate honestly than rating effort on a scale. RPE is available as an alternative for lifters who prefer it.
What RIR actually is
RIR stands for reps in reserve. It is a number from 0 to 4 or higher that estimates how many more reps you could have done with the same weight before reaching failure. RIR 0 means you went to true failure. RIR 2 means you stopped two reps before that point. The lower the number, the closer to failure the set was.
The RIR scale, in plain terms
- 0 RIR True failure. No more reps would have happened.
- 1 RIR One rep left in the tank. Hard but technical.
- 2 RIR Two reps in reserve. Fast bar speed, controlled.
- 3 RIR Three in reserve. Heavy work but you are not near the edge.
- 4+ RIR Four or more left. Warmup, technique, or speed work.
Why RIR is easier than RPE for most lifters
RIR and RPE measure the same thing from different angles. RIR asks "how many more could you have done?" RPE asks "how hard did that feel on a 6 to 10 scale?" They are nearly one to one (RIR 2 = RPE 8, RIR 1 = RPE 9, RIR 0 = RPE 10). Most lifters find RIR easier because counting reps is concrete. Rating effort on a scale is more subjective and drifts over time.
Holy Lift defaults to RIR for that reason. If your program is written in RPE, you can switch the display in settings without changing how the data is stored. See the RPE tracking page for the RPE scale side by side with RIR.
What Holy Lift does with RIR data
Logging a number per set is not the point. What you do with the numbers across a block is. Holy Lift turns RIR logs into weekly intensity trends, deload signals, and autoregulation prompts so the data earns its place in your training.
Inline RIR on every working set
The RIR selector sits next to weight and reps in the same row. One tap to log. No menu hopping, no separate notes app, no rest timer eaten by data entry.
Intensity trends over a block
Weekly reports show average and minimum RIR per lift across the block. When RIR creeps toward zero week over week, you know a deload is coming.
Autoregulation, not rigid percentages
Hit a target RIR rather than a fixed percentage, and adjust load on the day. The app stores planned RIR and achieved RIR so you can compare and adjust over time.
Top-set plus back-off pairs
Log a top single at RIR 1, then back-off sets at RIR 2 or 3. Both flow through the same screen and show up correctly in your week over week intensity tracking.
RIR plus recovery plus nutrition
Low RIR for two weeks in a row, combined with a recovery map showing fatigued muscle groups and a calorie deficit, is meaningful signal. Holy Lift keeps those three views in one app so a deload week is a decision you can defend, not a feeling.
Join the beta
Free during the iOS and Android beta. Beta users get at least 14 days of Holy Lift Premium free at launch.
Get the beta link