Custom RPE to Percentage Chart Calculator for Strength Training

Many strength training programs use RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion) to prescribe training intensity, but most standard RPE-to-percentage charts are based on generalized estimates. In reality, lifters often have very different strength profiles, meaning the same RPE can correspond to different percentages depending on the athlete.

To make load selection more individualized, I created a customizable RPE-to-percentage chart calculator. By entering your 1RM and 5RM for a specific lift, the spreadsheet automatically generates individualized percentage values across multiple rep ranges and RPE targets.

You can use true tested maxes or estimated values such as e1RM and estimated rep maxes, making the tool useful whether you are in a testing phase or in the middle of a training block. The result is a personalized RPE chart that better reflects your own strength profile and helps improve programming accuracy, load selection, and training precision.

Click and download the spreadsheet below to generate your own customized RPE-to-percentage chart.

Custom RPE to Percentage Chart

Powerlifting Gut Cut Calculator: Plan a 2-Hour Weigh-In Weight Cut

Cutting weight for a powerlifting meet with a two-hour weigh-in requires a different approach than longer weigh-ins. Because there is very little time to recover before lifting, aggressive dehydration strategies can negatively impact performance. Instead, many lifters rely on a combination of a gut cut and a controlled water loading protocol to temporarily reduce body weight before weigh-ins.

The challenge is knowing exactly how to structure those adjustments in the days leading up to the meet.

To make this process easier, I created a gut cut calculator designed specifically for powerlifters competing with two-hour weigh-ins. By entering your typical daily calorie intake and the amount of liquids you consume, the spreadsheet automatically generates a structured gut cut and water loading protocol leading into meet day.

This tool gives athletes and coaches a clear breakdown of how to manipulate food volume and water intake in the days before weigh-ins, helping you arrive at your weight class while minimizing unnecessary stress and performance loss.

Click and download the gut cut spreadsheet below to generate your personalized weight cut plan for your next powerlifting meet.

Weight Cut Spreadsheet

Powerlifting Attempt Planner: How to Choose Your 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Attempts

One of the most common questions lifters have leading into a powerlifting meet is how to choose their attempts. What should your opener be? How big of a jump should you take for your second attempt? And how do you plan a third attempt that is aggressive enough to push your total while still being realistic?

Attempt selection plays a huge role in meet performance. Poorly chosen attempts can leave strength on the platform or force you into unnecessary misses. On the other hand, a well-structured attempt plan helps you build confidence throughout the meet, stay in control of your attempts, and maximize your total when it matters most.

To make this process easier, I created a simple powerlifting attempt planner. By entering the third attempt you want to take, the spreadsheet automatically generates recommended first, second, and third attempts. It also provides both conservative and aggressive options, allowing you to adjust based on how the meet is going, how warm-ups feel, and how your previous attempts move on the platform.

This tool gives lifters and coaches a clear framework for attempt selection, making it easier to walk into a meet with a structured plan instead of guessing on the fly.

Click and download the attempt planner below to start planning your attempts for your next powerlifting meet.

PRs Attempt Selection Spreadsheet

How To Warm-Up To A Top Set In Powerlifting

People often ask how they should structure their warm-ups leading into a top set. Should you take big jumps or small ones? How many sets should you take before the working weight? How many reps should each warm-up include? While the exact approach can vary slightly between lifters, having a clear and repeatable structure makes training sessions smoother and helps ensure you arrive at your top set properly prepared without accumulating unnecessary fatigue.

To make this process easier, I created a simple warm-up planner that does the work for you. By entering your planned top set weight, the spreadsheet automatically generates a full warm-up progression, including the number of warm-up sets, the weight for each set, and the recommended reps. The planner also adjusts the number of warm-up sets based on how heavy the top set is, since heavier weights generally benefit from a few additional jumps while lighter weights can be approached more quickly.

If you’ve ever wondered how to structure your warm-ups for squat, bench press, or deadlift, this tool provides a clear framework you can follow every session. Click and download the warm-up planner below to start using it in your training.

Powerlifting Warm-Up Planner

 

Squat Walkout Tutorial: Setup, Timing, and Consistency – CLICK HERE TO VIEW

In this video, we break down squat walkout technique in detail, including setup, timing, consistency, and how to minimize wasted movement so you can stabilize heavy weights more efficiently. Over the past decade, walkout technique across powerlifting has improved significantly, but common errors like rushing, inconsistent steps, and unnecessary movement still show up frequently, especially at the local level. A consistent and repeatable walkout can be the difference-maker for advanced lifters trying to control maximal loads, so this video covers the most common faults, the key anchors that create stability, step-by-step tutorials for both the 3-step and 2-step walkout, and how to optimally set rack uprights based on your stance and lead foot. Whether you are a beginner learning the fundamentals or an experienced lifter trying to improve that final 2-3% of performance, this guide will help you build a more controlled and repeatable squat setup. Click the link above to view!