Sedentary individuals were able to use PRET at RPE13 to improve their cardiovascular health and fitness, and on average, the exercise intensities selected were perceived to feel pleasant.

No abstract

The validity of predicting peak oxygen uptake ([Formula: see text]) in sedentary participants from a perceptually regulated exercise test (PRET) is limited to two cycle ergometry studies. We assessed the validity of a treadmill-based PRET. Active (n = 49; 40.7 ± 13.8 years) and sedentary (n = 26; 33.4 ± 13.2 y) participants completed two PRETS (PRET 1 and PRET2), requiring a change in speed or incline corresponding to ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) 9, 11, 13 and 15. Extrapolation of RPE: [Formula: see text] data to RPE 19 and 20 from the RPE 9-13 and 9-15 ranges were used to estimate [Formula: see text], and compared to [Formula: see text] from a graded exercise test (GXT). The [Formula: see text] :heart rate (HR) data (≥RPE 15) from the GXT were also extrapolated to age-predicted maximal HR (HRmax(pred)) to provide further estimation of [Formula: see text]. ANOVA revealed no significant differences between [Formula: see text] predictions from the RPE 9-15 range for PRET 1 and PRET 2 when extrapolated to RPE 19 in both active (54.3 ± 7.4; 52.9 ± 8.1 ml kg(-1) min(-1)) and sedentary participants (34.1 ± 10.2; 34.2 ± 9.6 ml kg(-1) min(-1)) and no difference between the HRmax(pred) method and measured [Formula: see text] from the GXT for active (53.3 ± 10.0; 53.9 ± 7.5 ml kg(-1) min(-1), respectively) and sedentary participants (33.6 ± 8.4, 34.4 ± 7.0 ml kg(-1) min(-1), respectively). A single treadmill-based PRET using RPE 9-15 range extrapolated to RPE 19 is a valid means of predicting [Formula: see text] in young and middle to older-aged individuals of varying activity and fitness levels.

A maximal, perceptually-regulated exercise test (PRETmax) whereby participants control the intensity according to preset ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) may induce more positive affective responses than a conventional 'experimenter controlled' incremental ramp test (Iramp). The authors aimed to assess (1) if a PRETmax could be used to measure VO(2max) and (2) if affective responses differed between the PRETmax and Iramp. Sixteen participants (age 20.5, s=1.2 y) completed a PRETmax which required them to adjust the resistance on a recumbent cycle ergometer to correspond to prescribed RPEs of 9, 11, 13, 15, 17 and 20 and an Iramp. Both tests ended with volitional exhaustion. Affect was recorded every minute throughout exercise using the Feeling Scale (FS). There was no difference (P>0.05) between VO(2max) measured by PRETmax (43.5, s=4.1 ml kg(-1) min(-1)) and Iramp (44.3, s=4.9 ml kg(-1) min(-1)). Participants reported feeling significantly less negative (P<0.001) throughout the PRETmax compared to Iramp (average mean difference FS = 1.4, s=0.1). The PRETmax has application in situations where the direct measurement of VO(2max) is required and the affective responses of the individual are considered to be important.

No abstract