Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsReasons to Use ItWho Uses ItTypes and FactorsHow to Use RPE ScalesIs It Accurate?Uses in Medical ManagementWays to Check Your Heart Rate
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Reasons to Use It
Who Uses It
Types and Factors
How to Use RPE Scales
Is It Accurate?
Uses in Medical Management
Ways to Check Your Heart Rate
The rate of perceived exertion scale, or RPE scale, is a scale for visualizing your exercise intensity. Understanding RPE meaning can help you plan your workouts, including recovery days. The RPE scale rates your effort from 0 (at rest) to 10 (maximum effort).
Reasons to Use RPE During Physical Activity
Using the rate of perceived exertion scale can help you ensure that you’re pushing yourself enough during exercise sessions. The scale can apply to any type of exercise, including weight lifting and cardiovascular exercise like running or cycling.
Utilizing the RPE scale can also help you be sure you’re getting the recommended amount of exercise. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends 150 minutes of moderate to intense exercise each week, and the RPE chart can help you ensure you’re getting that.
Who Needs to Know Their RPE and Why
Anyone who exercises can find RPE helpful. However, there are certain people who especially benefit, including those who are:
What Is the Scale for Rate of Perceived Exertion?There are two ways to measure RPE. The most common uses a scale from 0 to 10, where 0 is the effort needed to sit, and 10 is the maximum possible effort.
What Is the Scale for Rate of Perceived Exertion?
There are two ways to measure RPE. The most common uses a scale from 0 to 10, where 0 is the effort needed to sit, and 10 is the maximum possible effort.
There are two types of RPE scales. The most common scale runs from 0 to 10. Zero is the effort that you need to sit. Ten is a maximum effort, like that required during an all-out sprint or one-rep max (maximum weight you can lift for a single repetition of an exercise) attempt.
The RPE chart is as follows:
Borg Scale
The Borg scale is less commonly used today, since it’s less intuitive than the 0to 10 scale. This is what a Borg Scale RPE chart looks like:
You can use an RPE scale to ensure that you’re pushing yourself during each workout, and resting when needed. The RPE scale measures your effort on that particular day (and after each set or interval). It’s a fluid measurement, and can complement more concrete measurements like tracking your pace or weight.
For example, if you’re recovering from an illness, you might lift 150 pounds for three reps, and feel that your RPE is a 7. On a day when you’re feeling well-rested and healthy, that same set might give you an RPE of 4. You can use your RPE to ensure that you’re always working hard, while also accepting your body’s day-to-day variations.
Is the Scale an Accurate Assessment of Exercise Intensity?
The RPE scale is subjective, meaning that it will always depend on a person’s perception of how hard they are working. However, research has shown that this generally corresponds with exercise intensity.For example, people report a higher RPE as they lift more weight and approach their one-rep maximum.
RPEs can be used during physical therapy and other rehabilitation programs. These programs often use resistance training to rebuild and strengthen muscle, and understanding your RPE can help ensure that you’re making progress.
RPE is not a way to check your heart rate, butchecking your heart rateis another way to gauge exercise intensity. These days, this is most commonly done with a smartwatch or exercise watch, though you can also count heartbeats within one minute.
There’s no set heart rate to definelow-impact exercisevs. high-impact exercise. However, the talk test can help you determine your exercise intensity. People doing moderate exercise (like walking or cycling) can generally talk. People doing intense exercise can’t carry on a conversation without taking a breath.
Summary
The rate of perceived exertion scale is a way of measuring your exercise intensity. A zero RPE means you’re using the same effort you would to sit; a 5 represents a moderate level of intensity; while a 10 reflects maximum effort. Understanding RPE can be useful when following a weight-training program, doing HIIT training, or recovering from injury. RPE is a subjective, but still effective way to monitor your exercise intensity.
4 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Academy of Sports Medicine.The rate of perceived exertion scale (RPE) explained.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Moving matters for my health.Morishita S, Tsubaki A, Takabayashi T, Fu JB.Relationship between the rating of perceived exertion scale and the load intensity of resistance training. Strength Cond J. 2018 Apr;40(2):94-109. doi: 10.1519/SSC.0000000000000373.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.How to measure physical activity intensity.
4 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Academy of Sports Medicine.The rate of perceived exertion scale (RPE) explained.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Moving matters for my health.Morishita S, Tsubaki A, Takabayashi T, Fu JB.Relationship between the rating of perceived exertion scale and the load intensity of resistance training. Strength Cond J. 2018 Apr;40(2):94-109. doi: 10.1519/SSC.0000000000000373.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.How to measure physical activity intensity.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
National Academy of Sports Medicine.The rate of perceived exertion scale (RPE) explained.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Moving matters for my health.Morishita S, Tsubaki A, Takabayashi T, Fu JB.Relationship between the rating of perceived exertion scale and the load intensity of resistance training. Strength Cond J. 2018 Apr;40(2):94-109. doi: 10.1519/SSC.0000000000000373.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.How to measure physical activity intensity.
National Academy of Sports Medicine.The rate of perceived exertion scale (RPE) explained.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Moving matters for my health.
Morishita S, Tsubaki A, Takabayashi T, Fu JB.Relationship between the rating of perceived exertion scale and the load intensity of resistance training. Strength Cond J. 2018 Apr;40(2):94-109. doi: 10.1519/SSC.0000000000000373.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.How to measure physical activity intensity.
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