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Responses to RPE Questions:


What Is RPE?
RPE stands for Rate of Perceived Exertion. The scales that are used to measure RPE are
intended to measure the intensities of training. By measuring RPE you can measure the
perceived rate of exertion and how hard you feel that you have worked and how fatigued
you are because of it. It is referring to total perceived exertion, not just one thing that may
be sore or hurt.
How is RPE used during training?
RPE is used to measure the rate and intensity that you feel that you are working at. It can be
used especially for people who are on medication or have some other factor that may affect
heart rate, a person can measure their perceived rate of exertion in order to maintain a
generally healthy level of exercise while maintaining a level of safety in which their body is
not over worked.
Compare the two methods of RPE. Which method would you use in your training?
The Omni Scale is based on a 0-10 measure of level of perceived exertion, showing pictures
of children and adults at each level of exertion and there are also descriptors. The Omni
scale shows the athletes physical appearance as walking up a hill, and numbers from 0-10
under them. You basically match yourself with the picture and descriptor, and it has been
found to be pretty accurate among children and adults when measured across genders and
races. The Borg Scale ranges from numbers 6-20, where 6 means no exertion at all and 20 is
the maximum you could do. The Borg scale, even though it is subjective, like the Omni Scale,
it too correlates very similar to heart rate zones and actual intensity of the workout. 9
corresponds to "very light" exercise 13 is "somewhat hard" exercise, 17 "very hard" is very
strenuous, 19 on the scale is an extremely strenuous exercise level. You basically just judge
yourself on how you are feeling, dont base it off any one else or the level that you think it
should be at. The Borg scale gives a wider range than the Omni Scale, and both are based on
personal feeling during the exercise.
Why does the Borg scale start at 6 and finish at 20?
The Borg scale starts at 6 and ends at 20 as a way to estimate heart rate. With 6 being very
minimal exertion and 20 being high/maximum exertion, you can generally multiply the
number that you feel by 10 and get a rough estimate of your heart rate during that point in
your exercise, without having to stop your exercise to measure.