Train Smarter, Not Harder – The Power Of Reps In Reserve

When it comes to training, most people think more is better—more reps, more volume, more sessions. But this “go hard or go home” mindset often leads to the opposite of what you’re aiming for: fatigue, soreness, plateaus, and even injury.

At 5EW, we work with people every day who’ve pushed too far for too long. And we teach them how to pull back just enough to make real progress—without burning out.

That’s where Reps In Reserve (RIR) comes in.

What is RIR?

Reps In Reserve is a training strategy that helps you stop short of failure—on purpose.

If you could lift a weight for 10 reps at absolute max effort, stopping at 8 reps would mean you have 2 RIR. That’s your “reserve tank.”

Why does this matter?

Because going to failure every time exhausts your nervous system, breaks down your joints and connective tissue, and leaves you feeling wrecked. RIR lets you hit the sweet spot: enough stimulus to build strength and muscle, without the high cost of overtraining.

What happens when you always train to failure

• Joint inflammation and recurring pain
• Poor sleep and hormonal disruption
• Slower recovery and higher stress levels
• Performance plateaus or even regression
• Nervous system burnout

Sound familiar? The problem isn’t that you’re not trying hard enough. It’s that you’re pushing when your body needs to pull back.

How to use RIR in your program

Use RIR to autoregulate intensity week to week:

• Week 1–2: 3 RIR (focus on form, not fatigue)
• Week 3: 2 RIR (moderate challenge)
• Week 4: 1 RIR (push a little harder)

You can also scale intensity across the week:

• One high-intensity session (8–9/10 effort)
• One moderate session (6–7/10)
• One lighter recovery-focused session (4–5/10)

This lets your body recover while still progressing.

Recovery is where the gains happen

Training is the stimulus. But recovery is when your body actually adapts. Without rest, your nervous system gets stuck in fight-or-flight—and your strength, energy, and results tank.

What helps recovery?

• Daily movement at ~70% intensity
• Sleep, breathwork, and nervous system resets
• Walking, sauna, stretching, cold therapy
• Tracking soreness, energy, and performance trends

You can also use RIR to reduce load during higher-stress periods, while still showing up.

Smarter training gets better results

At 5th Element Wellness, we teach clients how to build strength and performance without the crash. RIR is just one of the strategies we use to help you stay consistent, reduce injuries, and feel better in your body long term.

You don’t need to train harder. You need to train smarter.