Exercise Intensity

One of the most common questions asked is " How hard should I be working?" To answer that question, we are going to talk about the exercise intensity and the RPE scale. RPE stands for Rating of Perceived Exertion, and that tells us how hard we felt our effort was in an exercise bout. The RPE scale is a range from 0-10, with 0 being extremely light to 10 being the maximal effort. 

The 0-3 range is a very light range and we can use the "talk test" for example. This range can be equivalent to just sitting on the couch while watching a movie where zero effort is required. We can also use the talk test. During this test, if we can hold a whole conversation easily while performing an exercise, that tells us the exercise is light with minimal effort. 

The 4-6 range is the moderate range and the range that we want to usually be in. We can also use the talk test during this range. If we are able to hold a conversation but are breathing a little heavier than normal while performing an exercise, we are more than likely in this moderate range. 

The 7-8 range is the very hard range where we are sweating more and breathing heavier. We are unlikely to be able to have a whole conversation while doing an exercise during this phase. 

The 9-10 range is the maximal effort used during this exercise bout. This was the hardest exercise ever done and we are sweating alot and breathing extremely heavily. 

We typically want to stay in the 4-6 range which would be about moderate intensity, not too easy but starting to get a little difficult. 

The RPE scale is a great indicator to use during a workout or while doing cardio to determine how much effort was used during the bout.