Use an RPE training app to keep effort with each set and apply it to the next prescription. In ChatRPE, "225 lb for five, two reps left" supplies the load, reps, and an effort estimate in one message.
Ask the coach to compare similar sets before suggesting today's weight. If you are unsure how many reps remained, say so; an uncertain description should not become a precise rating without clarification.
What an RPE app should actually do
| A tracker with an RPE field | ChatRPE |
|---|---|
| Stores the number you type | Understands RPE, RIR, and plain-English effort |
| Leaves interpretation to you | Reads effort trends across weeks and says what they mean |
| Prescribes fixed loads regardless of the day | Autoregulates: picks today's load from the target RPE and recent sets |
| Effort lives beside the sets | Effort connects to sleep, stress, nutrition, and notes |
Autoregulation is the payoff. A set prescribed at RPE 8 means the load should come from how you are performing today, which the coach can judge from your warm-ups, your recent sessions at that lift, and the check-in context it already has. On a good day the bar gets heavier; after three bad nights of sleep, it doesn't. That is RPE-based training working as intended, without you doing chart math at the rack.
"Prescribe my squat top set for today at RPE 8. Base it on my last three squat sessions and this morning's check-in, then log the session as we go."
If your gym tracker already has an RPE field
An existing RPE field may already meet your logging needs. In ChatRPE, the workflow is conversational: report the set, ask for matched-session comparisons, and discuss a load for the target effort.
ChatRPE closes that gap. The effort is part of the sentence you were going to say anyway ("225 for five, last one was an 8") and from then on it is a variable the coach reads: today's load can be chosen from a target RPE, and weeks of effort at a matched load become a trend you can chart. If you are moving off a structured logger to get that, the Hevy alternative guide covers what the switch actually looks like, set by set.
Effort trends are the real progress chart
Compare ratings across similar sets. Repeatedly lower effort at the same load can suggest progress; rising effort may be a reason to review recovery and deload timing. Keep RPE alongside an estimated 1RM chart as context. The Epley formula uses weight and reps, so it does not automatically adjust for effort.
New to the scale itself? Start with the RPE guide to learn the 1–10 anchors, then log a few sessions with the workout log workflow: rough ratings are enough for the coach to start reading.
Frequently asked questions
Is ChatRPE an RPE-based training app?
Yes: effort is a first-class part of the logbook. ChatRPE structures RPE or RIR from natural language, uses target RPEs to select loads, and analyzes effort trends across your whole history.
Can it autoregulate my working weights?
Yes. Give it a target RPE and it proposes the load from your recent performance and today's context, then adjusts as the session unfolds. You stay in charge; the coach does the arithmetic and remembers the reasoning.
Can I use RPE instead of percentages in the gym?
Yes, and that is the point of an RPE-based app. Give the coach the prescribed effort and it proposes the weight from your recent sessions rather than from a percentage of a max you may not have tested this year. The RPE guide covers the scale itself if the numbers are still new.
What if my RPE ratings aren't accurate yet?
Log them anyway. Ratings calibrate with practice, and the coach can cross-check your reported effort against rep speed notes and performance to help you tighten the scale over time.