A New Rating Scale of Perceived Exertion Based on Subjective Estimation of Exhaustion Time: A Preliminary Study

Abstract

Perceived exertion has been investigated during incremental exercise to exhaustion with athletes, according to the 6-20 scale proposed by Borg (RPE, 1970) and a new scale based on the estimation of exhaustion time (t(lim)) (Estimated Time Limit or ETL, from 1 to 20; ETL= 21 - 2 n, with n = log2t(lim)). ETL increased linearly with the percentage of maximal aerobic power (%MAP) up to the ventilatory threshold (VT). Beyond VT, an inflection of the ETL-%MAP relationship was observed. RPE and ETL calculated at VT were equal to 15 +/- 1.7, i.e. an exercise intensity perceived as "hard", and 10 +/- 2.3, i.e. an estimated exhaustion time equal approximately to 45 minutes. Standard deviations for RPE and ETL at VT were too large for an accurate estimation of this threshold. The results of the present study suggest that RPE and ETL should be used in addition to physiological data, but not replace them in the prescription of a training program.

Self-regulation of exercise intensity by estimated time limit scale

“…The perception of exertion was expressed according to a scale based on estimated Tlim (estimated time limit, ETL, Garcin et al 1999). The ETL scale comprises twenty numerical ratings (between 1 and 20) from 1 (more than 16 h) to 19 (2 min).…”

“…Garcin et al (1998) had noted a large variability in the RPE values at the same percentage of voluntary exhaustion time (Tlim) among subjects performing the same relative constant workload. Consequently, Garcin et al (1999) proposed associating the RPE scale with a second scale based on subjective estimation of Tlim (estimated time limit scale, ETL) to understand further how the subject is feeling. The ETL scale allows a subjective estimation of Tlim that can be maintained at an intensity and at a given instant.…”

“…These scales are complementary tools because the RPE scale is concerned with the current status of the subject (how hard he/she feels the exercise currently is) whereas the ETL scale deals with a subjective prediction of how long the current exercise intensity can be maintained. The concurrent validity of the ETL scale has been studied through the HR (Garcin et al 1999) and exercise relative intensity in various populations (Garcin et al 1999(Garcin et al , 2003(Garcin et al , 2004Garcin and Billat 2001). Moreover, the reliability of the ETL scale has been established during incremental and constant velocity runs in physical education students (Garcin et al 2003) and during field tests in trained male runners (Coquart and Garcin 2007).…”

The rate of increase in rating of perceived exertion predicts the duration of exercise to fatigue at a fixed power output in different environmental conditions

“…In this case, the RPE will rise linearly (Nethery 2002) to reach maximum levels at exercise completion, whether at volitional fatigue (Eston et al 2005(Eston et al , 2006(Eston et al , 2007(Eston et al , 2008Garcin et al 1998Garcin et al , 1999Garcin and Billat 2001;Garcin et al 2003;Horstman et al 1979;Morgan and Borg 1976;Noakes 2004), or at the finish of self-paced time-trial performances (Albertus et al 2005;Garcin et al 2003;Joseph et al 2008;Tucker et al 2004). As a result changes in perception of exertion measured early during exercise may be a sensitive predictor of exhaustion time (Eston et al 2005(Eston et al , 2006(Eston et al , 2007(Eston et al , 2008Garcin and Billat 2001;Horstman et al 1979;Morgan and Borg 1976).…”

Regulating intensity using perceived exertion: effect of exercise duration

“…That is, the lower RPE during early stages of exercise is associated with greater sustainability (Garcin et al 1999;Garcin and Billat 2001;Noble et al 1973;Horstman et al 1979). RPE may also be inXuenced by anticipation of exercise duration.…”