SetonomyHelp
How Setonomy suggests weight and reps
Setonomy suggests weight and reps from your last session of the same exercise: with target RPE from your estimated max, with a rep range as double progression.
Where to find it
- Workout
- a workout
- Start workout
If the suggestion differs from the plan, it appears as a chip above the set card; tap it to use it, and a line below explains why. You set target RPE under Settings → Effort (RPE), and the rep range and custom steps per exercise in the workout under Edit.
Where the suggestion comes from
Setonomy works from the most recent session in which you did the exercise, not your whole history. Completed sets with at least one rep count; a set with 0 reps is left out.
Timed exercises and per-set targets get no suggestion.
With target RPE
With “Use target RPE” on (new users start at 8), Setonomy estimates your max from every set: weight × (1 + (reps + reps in reserve) / 30), where reserve is 10 − RPE. The median of these estimates gives the weight at which the planned reps land at your target RPE. What RPE and reserve mean: see RPE and RIR.
Per session, the weight changes by at most 10 % or one step, whichever is larger. If you lifted much more or less than planned, Setonomy starts from the weight you actually lifted. A step is 5 lb or 2.5 kg; custom steps for the exercise take precedence, as do dumbbell, kettlebell and medicine ball steps. If the reps in your last set fall more than 20 % below your best set, the suggestion is at least one step below the plan.
Bench press, last session 3 × 8 at 175 lb, target 8 reps at RPE 8
| Last session (3 × 8 × 175 lb) | Next target | Action |
|---|---|---|
| RPE 6 / 6 / 6.5 (very easy) | 8 reps × 185 lb | increase |
| RPE 7 / 7 / 7.5 | 8 reps × 180 lb | increase |
| RPE 7 / 7.5 / 8 | 8 reps × 175 lb | hold (average inside the 7.5–8.5 band) |
| RPE 8 / 8 / 8 | 8 reps × 175 lb | hold |
| RPE 8.5 / 9 / 9 | 8 reps × 170 lb | reduce |
| RPE 9.5 / 9.5 / 10 | 8 reps × 170 lb | reduce |
| RPE 10 / 10 / 10 | 8 reps × 165 lb | reduce |
| no RPE, all sets 8 reps | 8 reps × 180 lb | increase by one step (5 lb) |
| no RPE, sets 8 / 8 / 7 | 8 reps × 175 lb | hold (target not met in every set) |
These values apply to target RPE 8 and a step of 5 lb. “RPE 7 / 7 / 7.5” and “RPE 7 / 7.5 / 8” lead to different suggestions, which is why the RPE of every set is listed.
With a rep range: double progression
If the exercise has a rep range, such as 8–12, and you hit the target in every set, exactly one rep is added. At the top of the range, the weight goes up one step and the reps go back to the lower end. With target RPE, this applies as long as the average RPE isn't above the target band and your reps don't drop off.
Double progression, range 8–12 reps, 175 lb, target RPE 8, average RPE within the band
| Last session | Next target | Step |
|---|---|---|
| 3 × 8 × 175 lb (target 8 met) | 9 reps × 175 lb | reps first: exactly +1 |
| 3 × 10 × 175 lb (target 10 met) | 11 reps × 175 lb | reps first: exactly +1 |
| 3 × 12 × 175 lb (top of range) | 8 reps × 180 lb | then weight: one step (5 lb) up, reps back to the lower end |
These values apply to target RPE 8 and a step of 5 lb.
Without RPE
Without target RPE, the weight goes up one step when every set reached the target; otherwise it stays. For exercises without weight, such as push-ups, the reps change instead of the weight.
Fixed rules
Setonomy’s suggestions and planner follow fixed rules and use no AI model; the app contains no machine-learning framework and sends nothing to the internet for them. After a workout, the same calculation suggests updating the workout's targets; you can accept them or not.
Premium
Free. Suggestions during a workout don't require Premium. Calculated warm-up sets come with Premium.
Frequently asked questions
Why does Setonomy suggest less weight than last time?
With target RPE, the sets were harder than your target RPE, or your reps dropped by more than 20 % in the last set; then Setonomy lowers the weight. Without RPE, the weight does not go down for this reason, and for exercises without weight the reps go down instead. If you lifted less than planned last time, Setonomy starts from that weight.
Does a set with 0 reps count?
No. It's left out of the calculation; the suggestion comes from the other sets.
Can I change the step?
Yes, per exercise with Custom steps in the workout under Edit. Suggestions and −/+ during a workout then jump in those steps.
Do I have to use the suggestion?
No. The suggestion is an offer; you enter what you actually lift.