A New Approach to Monitoring Exercise Training

Abstract

The ability to monitor training is critical to the process of quantitating training periodization plans. To date, no method has proven successful in monitoring training during multiple types of exercise. High-intensity exercise training is particularly difficult to quantitate. In this study we evaluate the ability of the session rating of perceived exertion (RPE) method to quantitate training during non-steady state and prolonged exercise compared with an objective standard based on heart rate (HR). In a 2-part design, subjects performed steady state and interval cycle exercise or practiced basketball. Exercise bouts were quantitated using both the session RPE method and an objective HR method. During cycle exercise, the relationship between the exercise score derived using the session RPE method and the HR method was highly consistent, although the absolute score was significantly greater with the session RPE method. During basketball, there was a consistent relationship between the 2 methods of monitoring exercise, although the absolute score was also significantly greater with the session RPE method. Despite using different subjects in the 2 parts of the study, the regression relationships between the session RPE method and the HR method were nearly overlapping, suggesting the broad applicability of this method. We conclude that the session RPE method is a valid method of quantitating exercise training during a wide variety of types of exercise. As such, this technique may hold promise as a mode and intensity-independent method of quantitating exercise training and may provide a tool to allow the quantitative evaluation of training periodization plans.

The application of differential ratings of perceived exertion to Australian Football League matches

“…Such findings provide valuable information for interpreting meaningful betweenmatch changes in the players' different dimensions of perceived exertion. Given the relatively small range of matches included in our study (3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8) we recognise that our thresholds for the interpretation of change may be an overestimation and acknowledge that further work in required in this area.…”

“…Ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) provide a valid measure of an individual's response to exercise 4,5 and could therefore help to inform post-match recovery and training strategies. A gestalt however, may lack sensitivity, which would limit its application for the interpretation of the internal load imposed by competitive team-sport matches.…”

“…3 Ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) provide a simple, noninvasive, inexpensive and valid method for measuring exercise intensity. 4,5 The limited available data demonstrate competitive match RPE's to be relatively stable measures in soccer players 6 and soccer referees 7 with between-match coefficients of variation (CV) of ~5%. This lack of variability, however, is observed despite high variability (between-match CV's 17-54%) for key measures of external load, in particular high-speed running and sprinting.…”

Effects of self-monitoring of heart rate and additional sprint running on exercise intensity and technical performance during small-sided games in soccer

“…The overall mean RPE score for the present study was 6.8 ± 0.9 (range 4 -9) indicating that the player's perception of the difficulty of the sessions was typically between hard and very hard. 14 The lowest mean RPE values were recorded during the control (6.2 ± 0.7) and were approximately 8-10% higher during the modified conditions (Figure 2). Previous research has established that RPE can be implemented with SSGs to accurately reflect exercise intensity 20 Due to variations in RPE scales used in the literature and the many different SSG formats featured it is difficult to compare results across studies.…”

“…Further analysis of the HR data was based on the percentage of time spent in five HR zones, including 50-59%HRmax = zone 1, 60-69% = zone 2, 70-79%HRmax = zone 3, 80-89%HRmax = zone 4 and ≥ 90%HRmax = zone 5. Subjective assessment of exercise intensity was collected using the 10-point RPE scale proposed by Foster et al 14 RPE values were obtained immediately after each game and prior to sprints if they were to be performed. All subjects were familiarised with the scale prior to commencement of the study.…”