A method for calculating a flip angle schedule for a train of refocusing radio frequency (RF) pulses with reduced flip angles allows control of RF power deposition and use of a longer echo train. A target signal is defined for each echo in the echo train, and flip angles are then calculated from the target signals. The target signal schedule includes two phases. In the first phase, the target signals drop asymptotically to efficiently establish a pseudo-steady state at a pre-defined minimum signal level, Smin. In the second phase, the target signal is increased monotonically for the remainder of the train to a pre-defined maximum signal level, Smax. By increasing the target signal, the effect of relaxation may be reduced, decreasing blurring and ringing artifacts. Flip angles are then calculated from the target signal schedule, using a simplified method that requires no information about the tissues' relaxation properties.