.,~
:
ORIGrNAL RESEARCH ARTICLE
-
!
Validity
i
and reliability
monitoring L Herman
exercise
(MS)
C Foster
of the session training
RPE method
for
intensity
1
(PhD,
FACSM)
1
, M A Maher (PhD)2 R P Mikat (PhD, FACSM) 1
J P Porcari (PhD, FACSM) 1Department
of Exercise and Sport Science, University of Wisconsin-La
2Department
of Biology, University of Wisconsin-La
Crosse, USA
4.3) and hard (81 v. 81%,
Objective.
7.4) exercise bouts. Correlations between repeated bouts for %VO2peak (r = 0.98), %HRpeak (r = 0.98), %HRreserve (r
The
Session
is a method
may be useful training regarding
method.
Rating
This
study
exercise
was
to evaluate
designed
healthy
rate (HR) were
measured to maximal
maximal
the conclusion the global
of each
intensity
the
.
intensities,
values
with
test.
each
Thirty
exercise
each
inten-
exercise during
minutes
bout,
of the bout using
the
compared ercise
to the mean
intensity
Results.
There
between
Session
(R2 = 0.74) significant
value
across were
and
significant
was
measures
of
exercise
less
The of
Session
Rating
monitoring
of
exercise
than
following
subject
give
rated of the
measured
ex-
a global
exercise ercise
rating
session
relationships
minutes
as is the usual practice with ited objective
data were
of the technique, blood
lactate
presented
on the basis
responses.
the Session
have
demonstrated
values
of
tifying
moderate
(69 v. 700/", 83 v.. 84%,!~v.!5%,and
4...2 v'"
I
training
At that time, limof the validity
heart
r~e
method
its value
method
has b.e~n used the
training
to demonstr~te
f
C Foster
i
Department
La Crosse,
!
and Sport
Science
Crosse
by athletes,11
thus
providing
by coaches
tion for the incidence of overtraining syndrome athletes.6 However, the validity of the Session
of Wisconsin-La
as the
inconsistencies
designed
has not been
systematically
tested
tive methods
of measuring
exercise
a plausible
against
trainRPE beand
explana-
in high-level RPE method
accepted
training
of
to quan-
intensities4,7,a,9,16,17.23 and
programmes
and
several
in a variety relative
executed .'
(HR)
decade,
CORRESPONDENCE:
!
of an ex-
intensity component6710111321. of larger schemes of evaluating ing programmes. " , " Most notably, the Session
tween
to
for the entire
in support
RPE
meth-
level of exertion
In the subsequent
used
exercise
RPE
the subject
~xertion
of both
and
retest
(CR)
asking
RPE:,3,19,20,22
have
k
Ratio
method in 199510
after the conclusion
papers
There
I,
University
obJec-
(RPE)
than rating the momentary
settings
of Exercise
the
developed
involved
of the perceived
-30
bout rather
Exertion was
Category
no
and
ex.erci,se
intensity.
Perceived intensity
were
test
, rell-
for a subJec.tlve
precise
training
of the
: I!
RPE
%HRpeak
between
and
and
o~ monitoring
be predlct~d
RPE and %VO2peak (R2 = 0.76),
o/o HR I'
significant
. . validity
the
method
%HRreserve (R2 = 0.71).
differences k
Session
modification
,
O2
the
R~E
as might
od.2,3,19,20,22 The
%HR reserve and Session RPE durin g I(0 V pea. pea, the easy (47 v. 47%, 65 v. 66%, 47 v. 48% and 2.0 v. 1.9), 0/
method
althoug~
as a modification
of the bout. non-linear
were
support
bout
a modification
of objectively
the duration
results
a pre-
Category Ratio (CR) (0 - 10) RPE scale. This rating was ,,'
(r = 0.88)
I t d . n ro uctlon
7 female)
(VO2) and heart
obtained
The
Intensity,
and
constant-load
consumption
91 v. 91% and 7.3 v.
reserve
(7 male,
30-mlnute
RPE
~bility .of the Session
tive
throughout
exercise
10
and Session
Conclusions.
in com-
HR
01
peak,
volunteers
Oxygen
and normalised liminary
10
ordered
at 3 different
sity being repeated.
both
= 0.98)
94 v. 94%.
strong.
data. RPE
RPE method
( 01 HR
that
of exercise
are inadequate of the Session
6 randomly bouts
assessment
of the Session
Fourteen
Extertion
intensity
However, there and reliability
t b. t . e measures , parlson 0 0 Jec IV %VO2peak) of exercise intensity.
performed
Perceived
exercise
for the quantitative
and reliability
Methods.
of
of measuring
programmes. the validity
validity
!
Crosse, USA
Abstract
(RPE)
i
1
intensity,
objecsuch
as %VO2peak, %HRpeak, and %HRreserve;nor has the reliability
WI 54601
Tel: 54601608-7858687
of the method
Fax: 54601608-7858172
of this study
E-mail:
Session
[email protected] "
been demonstrated. was to evaluate
RPE method.
Accordingly,
the validity
the purpose
and reliability
of the
Methods . ., The subjects were 14 physically active volunteers (7 males, 7 females), All subjects completed a health screening ques-
TABLEU. Modification of the Rating of Perceived Ex;; ertion Scale. Subjects rated the entire exercise ses-
tionnaire1 which revealedno evidencethat exercisetesting
\'
sion 30 minutes after exercise in response to the verbar 'How was workout?'
or training should be limited. The subjects provided informed consent and the protocol for this study was approved by the Institutional Review Board for the Protection of Human Subjects at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. Characteristics of the subjects are presented in Table I. Since th~re w~s
Veryeasy Easy Moderate
no expectation
Hard
of a gender-related
Sort of hard
effect on the relationship
between the Session RPE and objective markers of exercise intensity, the results of all subjects were pooled into a single group for analysis,
I
'ff
'
.th
,
All subjects completed 7 dl erent exercise sessions WI a minimum of 2 days of rest between sessions. The first session was an incremental test to fatigue to determine maximal exercise responses for HR and peak oxygen uptake (VOzpeak) (highest30-secondVOzobservedduringthe test). Each subject completed all of their exercise sessions on either a cycle ergometer or treadmill, depending on their normal exercise habits. During the cycle ergometer protocol, the starting power output was 25 Wand was increased by 25 W every 2 minutes. During the treadmill protocol, the belt velocity was set at either 5.6 or 8.1 kph (1.56 or 2.23 m.s-1), depending on whether the subject regularly walked or ran for exercise. The grade was 0% initially, and was increased by 2% every 2 minutes, The next 6, randomly ordered,
the RPE scale, the only verbal prompting was 'How was your
workout?' Statistical comparisons were made using repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) for an intensity x trials design. Statistical significance was accepted when p < 0.05. Post hoc comparisons, when justified by ANOVA, were performed using the Tukey test. Curve fitting and computation of correlation coefficients and/or coefficients of determination were made using a least squares technique. Results The tests were completed by all subjects without complications, and all subjects completed aT!tests. The mean serial responses of VOz, HR and RPE are presented in Fig, 1. The low-intensity exercise bout satisfied criteria for a steady state of VO2, whereas the moderate and hard exercise bouts displayed evidence of a slow component of VOz, All outcome
completed each intensity session twice. During every exercise session, respiratory gas exchange was measured using open-circuit spirometry (Quinton Q-MC, Seattle, WA) and HR was measured using radiotelemetry (Polar ElectoOy, Finland). The RPE was assessed every 5 minutes throughout each exercise bout using the CR ., scale (Table II). Thirty minutes after completing the exercise session (after
measures differed (p < 0.05) between the 3 intensity levels, There was no significant difference between exercise intensity, measured by %VOZpeak, %HRpeak,%HRreserve and Session RPE during repeat trials at the same exercise intensity bout (Fig. 2), Th e Sesslon . RPE es t Ima ' t e 0 f exercise " Int ens I.ty was b I. bl ' . I . also shown to e re la e using regression ana ysls. Th e ' relations ' RPE (Rz h'IpS between day 1 and day 2 for Sesslon d f t' 0.78, standar error 0 es Ima te (SEE) =., 1 2) 01 10 VOZpeak Z = 96 SEE = 3 2) 01 HR (R z = 0 93 SEE = 3 7) d (R 0., . ,10 peak., . ,an
, time
to
,shower.,
and
change
clothes), ".
. subject
each
rated the perceived Intensity of the entire exercise session
" according ' fi
modi
,,= to the Session RPE scale (Table II), which IS a f
'
Icatlon
anchors
th
0
to exercisers
t e
changed ,
f
Maximal
sessions, were performed using the same mode of exercise, Each was 30 minutes in duration, was of constant intensity within the trial, and varied in intensity between trials. There were 3 different intensity levels, designed to correspond to easy effort (-40 - 50% VOzpeak), moderate effort (-60 - 70% VOZpeak) , and hard effort (-80 - 90%VOZpeak). Each subject
. having
.
Very hard Very,very hard Near maximal
conven
'
uent In
A
I CR
RPE
lona
to represent
fI
'
terms
that
I
.th
sca
e,
are
more
b
WI
. .d' t . E I' h merlcan I loma IC ng IS.
ver
I a
relevant
I
I
n pace
of the usual specific verbal instructions normally used with
%HR
(R Z = O. 93 reserve
andhadasmall
S E' E
SEE
= 5 . 7) were
(F'
3)
Ig,.
s t a t IS ' t Ica . II y sign! ' 'fiIcan t ,
The Session RPE method was compared with %VOZpeak, %HRpeak and %HRreserve to gain an appreciation
[
i
TABLE I. ~ean (:t coHhe subjects
Ccc!"
~
,
.,:f
of the degree
to whic,h the various ,methods ~f exercise intensi.ty were
measuringthe samething. The R betweenthe SessionRPE and %VOZpeak(Rz = 0,76), %HRpeak (Rz = 0.74), and %HRreserve
Age(years)7!{tffy)\
(Rz = 0.71) was strong, but not comparable to the Rz amongst
He!ght (Cnl)c )))f)) Body mass (kg)
the various objective measures of exercise intensity (Fig, 4). There was apparently a much weaker relationship between
-1
YO2peak (ml.kg )
the Session
RPE and the objective
measures
of exercise
intensity at the higher exercise intensities (Fig, 4).
SAJSM VOL 18 NO.1 2006
15
I
-
-~.
I.
0/'
I
%VO.m8X
S...ionRPE
% Vo,
10
f\'-078 ,~
8
~
75
.
100 80
see-12
~
6
. 50
p...
SEe-32 -0,96
80
.
-.. 20
2
25
0 0 a
5
'0
15
20
25
0
~
0
2
.
8
Tm'lm..)
8
%HRn.x
[=::J
80
100
75
50
0
pe..
%HR
f\'-0»3 9&E83,7
. .
.
. .
~. 60 ..
20
20 20
..
60
25 15
20
25
,
.
oj
;; J
80
~
100
0
20
..
.
n 10
.
0 0
5
100
.
..
0
0
80
R...rv.
80 f\SEE057 -OB3
100
10
~
.. 11
n
%HR
20
,.
80
'00
11
=-
!
~.(mkl) Fig.
3.
Scatter
RPE,
RPE
10
%
Trial
plots
VO2peak.
2,
with
of
indIvIdual
%HRpeak all
and
three
.
responses
%HRreserve
intensities
of
during
Session
Trial
1
and
combined.
.
,
Discussion
. 2
The
Session
terms of I nanumb
0
5
10
15 TIm.
Fig.
1.
during
Serial the
bouts.
The
produce
responses course two
the
trials
the at
25
~
(mln)
of
of
28
%VO2max,
eas}.;
medium
each
'intensity
this %HRmax and
and hard
were
RPE
i~
exercise
combined
to
not
the
"
of
cise
training.
ous
studies2.3,19.2o.22
and
reliable
accepted
tensity.
This any
8 the
.
done
data
measure
blood
constant
decision
limitation
similar a
study,
method
exercise
test
of
because
our
used
the
was
much
intensity
is
as
a
would results
the
inrather
and be
of
with
the
lactate interest, Session
exercise
bouts
challenge.
more
other
responses.10
exercise
to
objective
as
This
convenient
using
We either
monitoring
RPE
lactate
valid
exercise
lactate
early
a
concerns
constant-load
providing it
which
bouts
blood
be
intensity.
measuring
using
previ-
during
session
with
we
for
exercise
of
exer-
to
practical
demonstrating
compared
RPE
responses
on
Session
with
exercise
of
interpret
monitoring
exercise,
based
we the
comparable
lactate
exer-
objective
of of
0 f
method
sam~
such,
shown
method was
provide
method
As
momentary
intensity
studies
this
have
the
validity
are
t come
accepted
method
of
particular
would
the
alternative present
during
In
.
an
in
training
RPE by
widely
the
value
ou
Session
intensity.
objective
Other
RPE
training supporting
of
'
the
to
be
primary
chal~enge
related
which
or
widely
and
that
measure to
monitoring
e
well
as
The
not
to
and Th
6.7.1o.11.13.21
repeat
as
shown
Ions.
IS
data
responses
10
ua
been inte~ity
demonstration
method
tool.
t
exercise
present
than
'
Sl
already
exercise t.
but
incremental
.
has
reliable.during
measures
chose
1~
is
~nly
RPE
%HR-
0
stimulus,
the
%VOzps..
er study
clse
figures.
RPE
evaluating f
'
8
was
represent
methods
during
2 steady-state have
0
i :
'
Fig.
2.
and
Session
exercise
Mean
responses
RPE intensity
of
during bouts.
%VO2peSkI'
Trial
1 and
%HRm8XI
Trial
%HRreserve
2
of
the
three
c.,
exercise. compared
the
measures
of
exercise,S,g
with
data. that intensity laboratory
Thus, the
Previous
we
h~ve
Session
exercise
RPE
believe
a
that method
variety
of
the
a
HR-based
to
state the
experience valid
situations. that
laboratory
non-steady
findings
collective is
our with
during similar
RPE
demonstrated
from method
intensity
substantially
Session under
studies
the
suggests
marker Other 'drift'
of
studies in
present
Session
exercise from
our RPE
~ ~;J'" RPEw
S.Ii~
100 75
%Vo, ptak
i",
50
2S
.
"
7&,
S:"I~ R~E 8
10
0
d~:~:~~::: .' .. d
S..I~RPEw%HRR...w 100 75 eo ' "., ' ' . ,
i
.
.:.
2
100 76 1 50
R'-0.71
100
2
4
~Vo,polk
l
6
8
5essioo RPE
'
eo
40
,
' -
-,
,,-'0.. 80
., ..., pta
~HR
100
"
R' = 0.87
40
60 80 % \,C, peek
~
%HRpeak
and
plots
%HRreserve
ptakw
HRR.-
~
::::;~~::::~~;~
60 80 % HR peek
%HRpeak
that although
2.
Borg
3.
~
exercise intensity than the objective markers othet:
to each
.
We
. .. to the drift In HR during prolonged
not tested
training
su
objective
b
t
e
bouts)
exercise
I
.
maxima .
.
RPE
esslon
such as, competitive
of
a
very
intensity
Th.
zone.
IS pro
for
d
un
er very
I
pro
example, performance
prolonged
training,
HR-based
5. Fitz-Clarke JR,
drift I
I
'i
does
marathon (or even the
not
RPE met~od, Our
this
is also
I
e exp
ore
a limitation
exercise
limitation
d
' In
as
the
Intensity
th
t
with
intensity,
unique
to
underlying assu~ption.s
the Session RPE method h b t .' 't .
b
0
a clearly
problem In terms of momtorlng as
a
t
remains .,.
of monitoring
represent
within
6.
in relation
Eur J Appl
to heart
rate
Physlol1987;
65:
The increase of perceived exertion, aches
Morton RH, Banister EW Optimizing athletic performance by
Foster C. Monitoring training in athletes with reference to overtraining syndrome. MedSciSports Exerc 1997; 30: 1164-8. Foster C. Daines E, Hector L, Snyder A, Welsh R. Athletic performance in rela-
8:
Foster C, Florhaug J, Franklin J, et al A new approach to monitoring exercise training. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 2001; 15: 109-15.
9.
Foster voor C, Florhaug J, Hrovatin en L. Monitoring of athletic 1999; training. V/aams schrlft Sportgeneeskunde Sportwetenshappen 80: 47-54.
Tijd-
cificversus cross-training on running perWrmance. EurJAppIPhysio/1995;70: 367-72 11. Foster C, Heimann K, Esten P; Brice G, Porcari J. Differences in perceptions of t~ini~g by coaches and athletes. South African Journal of Sports Medicine 2001,8.3-7. 12. Foster C, Hoyos J, Earnest C, Lucia A. Regulation of energy expenditure during
the
Session
component
' on
of
RPE to
momorlng raining as een 0 use e essl . . .. . .. replace objectivemeasuresof exerciseIntensitywithin the
i
training
impulse
(TRIMP)
approach
originally
14. Lucia A, Hoyos J, Carvajal A, Chicharro JL. Heart rate response to professionai roadcycling:TheTourde France.IntJ Sports Med 1999; 20: 167-72. 15. Lucia A, Hoyos J, Santally A, Earnest C, Chicharro JL. Tour de France vs Vuelta
a Espana:Whichis harder?Med Sci Sports Exerc 2003; 35: 872-8. 16.
in studies using
S
prolonged athletic competition. MedSciSports Exerc2005; 37: 670-5 13. Impellizzeri FM, Rampinni E, Coutts AJ, Sassi A, Marcora SM. Use of RPEbased training load in soccer. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2004; 36: 1042-7.
this
!
developed
McGuigan MR, exertion dunng
Egan AD, F.oster C. Salivary cortisol respons7s and perceived high Intensity and low Intensity bouts of resistance exercise
Journalof SportScienceandMedicine 2004;3: 8-1~. ..
..
17. McGuigan MR, Fo~~er .C. A new appr~ach, to monitoring resistance training. Strength and CondItIoning Journal 2004, 26. 42-7.
18. MortonRH,Fitz-Clarke JR,BanisterEW Modeling humanperformance in running.JAppIPhysio/1990;69:1171-7. 19. Noble B, Robertson R. The Borg scale: development, administration, and exper-
by Fitz-Clarke et al,5 and Morton et al.18 and widely used by others,6712141521 " , , , The TRIMP approach is a very useful .
imental use. In: Washburn R, Mittelmeiner K, eds. Perceived Exertion. Cham-
paign,III:HumanKineticsPublishers, 1996: . 59-92. .
.
.
20. Pandolf K. Advances in the study and application of perceived exertion. Exerc
way of combining single
number
O .ded by
.
exertion
leg exercise.
influence curves J Appl Physio/1991; 71: 1151-8.
d
onge
duration,
remain
'
em
However,
methods
would
bl
that It presents a fundamental exercise
Ljunggren G, Ceci R
M. Perceived
ergometer. Eur J Appl Physiol1985; 54: 343-9.
Session RPE would approach maximal values, even though the
and
10. Foster C, Hector L, Welsh R, Schrager M, Green M, Snyder A. Effects of spe-
h S
and exhaustive exercise running, In a situation of severe
arm
tion to training load. Wisconsin Medical Journal 1996;95: 370-4.
8.9
have
R Langerstrom during
4 Day ML,McGuigan MR,BriceGA,Foster C.Monitoring workintensities during resistance training using a session RPE scale. Journal of Strength and Condl-
7.
. . I I rf t fi d . with progressive y onger pe ormance a a Ixe exercise exercise.
679-85. Borg. G,
lactate
tioning Research 2004; 18: 353-8.
RPE is
are
G, Hassman blood
and pains in the legs, heart rate and blood lactate during exercise on a bicycle
%HRreserve
Session
.
Balady GJ. Chaitman B, Driscoll D, et al. Recommendations for cardiovascular screening, staffing and emergency policies at health/fitness facilities: A Joint Position Statement by the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association. Med Sci Sports Exerc 1998; 30: 1009-18
100
significantly related to objective markers of exercise in' t. k f tensl.tY; I' t IS . Iess we II re Ia te d t0 the 0 b!/ec Ive mar ers 0
intensity is comparable
Clearly, exercise intensity changes
1.
and
of
question
use.d
]
R' = O.~
40
and
demonstrate
to exercise.
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Fig, 4. Scatter plots of individual responses of Session RPE ~,0 % va 2peakJ %HR and %HR and of %0 va 2peak 0 peak, 0 reserve These
fundamental
100
k
eo
100
more
the milieu internal in ways that are different from exercise
25'
20
~
adaptations
75
Z
the
crude subjective methods of estimating exercise intensity is
%'~
'-
raises
%vo",..w%HRp.k ~:::~ :;.~..I
10
:::;;~~:~:~~~~: ;.:J
This
duration. Until this signalling mechanism is elucidated, it may not be critical whether one or the other of the comparatively
,
w % HR R.s..w
75
4 8 8 Senlon RPE
intensity.
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10
20
0
'
~
25
I
. .:
.'
R'-O.
2
exercise
:f~~::::::~]
,,
,
0
lion RPEw % HRptak 100
pr VI, absence
exercise
of
the
and duration
stimulus
for
into a
adaptation
any exercise bout which has been limited by the
of a simple
method
During
very
prolonged
of
acts
as a multiplier
HR)
intensity
representation
of expressing
exercise, of
the exercise
drift
exercise of
duration
Session and
intensity. RPE
(or
suggests
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VOL 18 NO.1 2006
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