Understanding Programme Language
“3×10, RPE 7, leave 2 RIR on the last set.” The language you meet when you open a training plan rests on a vocabulary that takes less than half an hour to learn and serves you for years. This module hands you that vocabulary.
In this module
- You can use the concepts of set, repetition and rest correctly
- You can choose a resistance suited to you, safely
- You can grade difficulty with the RPE and RIR scales
- You can plan progression one variable at a time, in small steps
What does this module teach?
Training programmes speak in abbreviations, and when that language is unknown, one of two things happens: the programme is never used, or it is used wrongly. This module lays four foundation stones in order: first you learn to read the sentence structure of a programme — sets, repetitions and rest; then to fill the “weight” blank in that sentence for yourself; then the RPE and RIR scales that grade difficulty; and finally how a programme is progressed over time. By the end of the module you will be able to read every line of a typical beginner programme and adapt it to yourself.
Why this order?
The sequence mirrors the order in which you read a programme: first the skeleton of the line (sets and repetitions), then the load placed on that skeleton (choosing resistance), then the measure that audits whether the load is right (RPE and RIR), and last, how all three change over time (progression). Each lesson uses the concepts of the one before it, so working through in order is most effective. Before starting, we recommend having completed the safe exercise start lessons in the first module.
Lessons
- Choosing ResistanceThe programme says “3×10” — so how heavy should the dumbbell be? This lesson explains the practical method for choosing the right resistance: finding the load t
- Progressing One Variable at a TimeProgress comes from raising the load on the body over time, wisely; but which load, and by how much? This lesson teaches the safest rule of progression: increas
- RPE and RIRIf you could turn your effort into a number, programmes could speak to you far more precisely. That is exactly what this lesson teaches: the 0–10 perceived exer
- Sets and RepetitionsKnowing what a programme means by “3×10” is reading the first sentence of training language. This lesson defines repetitions, sets and rest, and explains the ty