Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) Scale

How to measure your exertion levels during exercise

Personal Trainers and exercise physiologists use the Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) scale to measure your level of effort during exercise. Using this guide during your workouts is a great way to gauge how hard you are working.

 RPE Scale     
 0-1  Little to no exertion; you're lying on the couch, lifting nothing heavier than a potato chip  
  2-3  You're moving, but it's easy and slow, like stretching or strolling; this is how you warm up your body before exercise and cool down afterwards  
  4-5  Your muscles are warm and you're starting to sweat; your breathing rate is slightly elevated but you can still hold a conversation while you exercise  
  6-7  You're working harder, but you can still take a sip from your water bottle and utter a full sentence without gasping  
  8-9  You're breathing hard and getting close to your maximum limit; you can only say a few words  
 10  This is the absolute limit of what you can do; you can't waste a breath on a single word  

(Posted January 2007)

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
More From Fitness Tips