What is... RPE?

Whether you're a seasoned athlete or just starting your fitness journey, understanding your body's signals during exercise is crucial for making progress and avoiding injury. One valuable tool in this regard is RPE, or Rate of Perceived Exertion. RPE is a subjective way to gauge the intensity of your workouts based on how you feel, rather than relying solely on external metrics. In this blog post, we will explore what RPE is, how to calculate it, and the pros and cons of using it as a valuable guide in your fitness regimen.

What Is RPE?

Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) is a simple yet effective system for assessing the intensity of your exercise based on how you perceive the effort involved. RPE is a subjective measurement that takes into account your own feelings, sensations, and physical response during a workout. It allows you to rate how hard you feel you're working on a scale, typically from 1 to 10, with 1 being the easiest and 10 the most strenuous effort.

How to Calculate RPE

Calculating your RPE is straightforward, but takes some getting used to; it involves evaluating your physical sensations and effort level during a workout. Here's a general guideline for using RPE:

RPE Scale: Familiarize yourself with the RPE scale, where 1 is equivalent to resting or very light activity, and 10 represents the most intense exertion you can imagine.
Self-Assessment: During your workout, periodically check in with yourself. Ask how hard the exercise feels and how your body is responding.
Assign a Number: Based on your assessment, assign a number on the RPE scale to your perceived effort. Be honest and consider both your breathlessness and muscle fatigue.
Consistency: Try to be consistent in your ratings, so your RPE remains a reliable reference point for future workouts.

Pros of RPE

Subjective Adaptation

RPE takes into account individual variations in fitness, mood, and energy levels. It allows you to tailor your workouts to your current physical condition and mental state. For example, a "6" on the RPE scale might represent a moderate effort one day but a challenging one on another, depending on various factors such as sleep quality, nutrition, and stress levels. This adaptability is especially valuable for avoiding overexertion and injury.

Versatility

RPE can be applied to a wide range of physical activities. Whether you're engaged in strength training, cardiovascular workouts, yoga, flexibility exercises, or even rehabilitation exercises, RPE provides a common language for evaluating intensity. This versatility makes RPE a valuable tool for those with diverse fitness goals and interests.

Feedback for Progress

RPE is an excellent tool for tracking and adjusting the intensity of your workouts over time. As your fitness level improves, you can increase the RPE to continue challenging yourself. This progression can help you achieve your fitness goals, whether they involve weight loss, muscle gain, or improved endurance.

Injury Prevention

RPE encourages listening to your body and respecting your limitations. By assessing your perceived exertion, you're more likely to avoid overtraining and overuse injuries. This self-awareness promotes safer training practices and a reduced risk of exercise-related injuries.

Cons of RPE

Subjectivity

RPE is highly subjective, which means that it relies on an individual's perception of effort. What feels like a "7" to one person might be a "5" for another. This subjectivity can lead to inconsistencies in tracking workout intensity, especially if you're not in tune with your body's signals or if you have a high pain tolerance.

Experience Required: Accurately gauging your effort level with RPE may take time and experience. Beginners or those who are new to exercise may struggle to estimate their RPE effectively. In such cases, using objective measures like heart rate monitors or power meters can provide more straightforward feedback.

One of the best ways to calibrate your RPE level is to (safely) take yourself close to, or to, true muscular or cardiovascular failure, depending on your goals. This is best done with a coach who can make sure this is done responsibly and safely, using exercises that pose minimal injury risk if/ when failure is reached.

Limited Precision: RPE is not as precise as objective measures like heart rate, power output, or distance covered. It can be challenging to determine small variations in intensity, which may be important for individuals with specific fitness goals or those following structured training programs.

Lack of External Feedback: RPE does not consider external factors like speed, distance, or weight lifted, which can be valuable for certain fitness goals. While it provides insight into your perceived effort, it does not offer data on your performance metrics or the exact load or distance you've covered.

Conclusion

Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) is a powerful tool for assessing workout intensity based on your personal perception of effort. It offers valuable advantages, such as adapting to individual conditions, versatility, and promoting self-awareness during exercise. However, it has its limitations, including subjectivity and a lack of precision. For many, RPE is a valuable addition to their fitness toolkit, offering a balance between listening to their bodies and incorporating objective data to optimize their training. It's a valuable concept to embrace for those seeking a holistic approach to fitness and well-being.

If you liked this post, make sure you sign up to my email chain for exclusive subscriber content, free nutrition and exercise tips, special offers and much more!

If you're ready to make a positive change to your own health and fitness, why not sign up for my coaching service? All of my clients get unique workout plans tailored to their specific goals, preferences and abilities. All the exercises you’ll perform will be specifically chosen to suit your needs and put into a comprehensive and effective plan that’s built around your lifestyle.

With CEH Fitness you’ll develop an exercise habit that’s sustainable and enjoyable, with gradual progression programmed in to avoid plateaus and boredom. You’ll also get regular check-ins and troubleshooting to ensure good technique and avoid injury, and make sure you keep progressing week by week.

Whether you're a rookie eager to step into the weight room for the first time, an out-of-habit runner who wants to pick the habit back up, or an experienced lifter looking to broaden your horizons and supercharge their progress, together we can achieve your goals.

Book Your Free Consultation