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Why use RPE?
Monitoring your exercise intensity with the RPE scale is beneficial
because:
Assessment of RPE can be performed without stopping to check
as with heart rate monitoring
No equipment is needed
Provides a double check on heart rate, especially when the
target heart rate is estimated from age.
A person’s resting heart rate can vary particularly when taking
medications to lower the heart rate. Therefore the RPE scale
can be used to determine a target heart rate as the range and
intensity would correspond with the score given on the RPE scale.
See Information sheet “Heart rate monitoring”.
How to use the RPE
Perceived exertion is assessed by use of a 6-20 scale to rate
the feelings caused by exertion
The rate of exertion should be independent of the pace you
think you are exercising: it is the feelings caused by the effort.
The recommended pace is between 12 (moderate) to 13 (somewhat
hard)
Ratings of 16 to 20 maximal exertion leads to fatigue, discomfort
and lack of enjoyment.
While doing physical activity, we want you to rate your perception
of exertion.
This feeling should reflect how heavy and strenuous the exercise
feels to you, combining sensations and feelings of physical
stress, effort and fatigue.
Do not concern yourself with any one factor such as leg pain
or shortness of breath, but try to focus on your total feeling
of exertion.
Try to appraise your feeling of exertion as honestly as possible,
without thinking about what the actual physical load is. Your
own feeling of effort and exertion is important, not how it
compares to others.
How the RPE works
Through experience of monitoring how your body feels, it will
become easier to know when to adjust your intensity.
For example, a walker who wants to engage in moderate intensity
activity would aim for a scale of “SOMEWHAT HARD” (12-14). If
the description given for muscle fatigue and breathing was “VERY
LIGHT”, then a number “9” would be given and the walker would
need to increase their effort.
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On the other hand if the walker felt the exertion was “EXTREMELY
HARD”, a number “19” would be given and they would need to
slow down to achieve the moderate intensity required.
An increase in intensity is directly related to elevation
in exercise heart rate and other metabolic processes such
as perspiration, muscle tiredness, increased temperature and
excessive breathing.
RPE scale can be used alone or together with the heart
rate when monitoring exercise intensity (target heart rate
range (THRR)
By using the RPE scale you can accurately describe your
sensation of effort when exercising and gauge how hard you
are working
Who uses RPE
Anyone can use the RPE scale to effectively gauge their exercise
intensity
An athlete or new beginner to exercise the RPE scale helps
you become familiar with your perception and description of
exercise effort.
Using the RPE scale your sessions will be more effective and
more enjoyable.
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