Respiratory frequency is strongly associated with perceived exertion during time trials of different duration

Abstract

In order to provide further insight into the link between respiratory frequency (fR) and the rating of perceived exertion (RPE), the present study investigated the effect of exercise duration on perceptual and physiological responses during self-paced exercise. Nine well-trained competitive male cyclists (23 ± 3 years) performed a preliminary incremental ramp test and three randomised self-paced time trials (TTs) differing in exercise duration (10, 20 and 30 min). Both RPE and fR increased almost linearly over time, with a less-pronounced rate of increase when absolute exercise duration increased. However, when values were expressed against relative exercise duration, no between-trial differences were found in either RPE or fR. Conversely, between-trial differences were observed for minute ventilation (.VE), .VO2 and heart rate (HR), when values were expressed against relative exercise duration. Unlike the relationship between RPE and both .VE and HR, the relationship between RPE and fR was not affected by exercise duration. In conclusion, fR, but not .VE, HR or [.VO2, shows a strong relationship to RPE and a similar time course, irrespective of exercise duration. These findings indicate that fR is the best correlate of RPE during self-paced exercise, at least among the parameters and for the range of durations herein investigated.

The human ventilatory response to stress: rate or depth?

“…; Bell & Duffin, ; Nicolò et al . ), with the suggestion that ƒ R is less, and V T more determined by metabolic factors. Ohashi et al .…”

“…; Nicolò et al . ). The close association between RPE and ƒ R has led to the suggestion that they share a common regulatory mechanism involving central command (Nicolò et al .…”

“…Recent evidence suggests that ƒ R is a valid marker of rating of perceived exertion (RPE) during cycling exercise (Nicolò et al . , ). RPE and ƒ R also respond in a similar way to muscle fatigue (Marcora et al .…”

Influence of exercise duration on cardiorespiratory responses, energy cost and tissue oxygenation within a 6 hour treadmill run

“…Although cerebral tissue oxygenation did not change as a function of duration during 4-h of cycling (Rupp et al, 2013), exercise intensity may have been too low for comparisons with existing studies in prolonged running except for those conducted during 24 h or 300 km ultramarathons, and no research has currently described PFC oxygenation during prolonged running. Indirect estimations of neural input can also be gained using ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) (DeMorree, Klein & Marcora, 2012), which have been described to correlate with HR and ventilatory rate (Hampson et al, 2001; Mihevic, 1981; Nicolò, Marcora & Sacchetti, 2015; Tucker & Noakes, 2009), but not or (Hampson et al, 2001; Nicolò, Marcora & Sacchetti, 2015). …”

Control of the depth and rate of breathing: metabolic vs. non‐metabolic inputs

“…), which was inspired by previous observations (Nicolò et al . , ). Our findings fit nicely with some of the evidence reviewed by Tipton et al .…”