1.

What is RPE?

The RPE, or Rated Perceived Exertion, scale is used to measure exercise intensity. Its omni version runs
from 0 to 10, with each number corresponding to a rating of how easy or difficult an activity is: for
instance, 0 means nothing (very easy) and 10 means very heavy (very difficult). The Borg Rating of
Perceived Exertion (RPE) is also a scale, but it ranges from 6 to 20 to measure workout intensity level.
Perceived exertion is how hard one feels his/her body is working during exercise.

2. How is RPE used during training?

As mentioned above, the numbers 0 to 10 on the RPE each represents certain phrases used to rate how
easy or difficult you find an activity. 0 is the lowest intensity and stands for nothing at all, or how one
would feel when sitting in a chair. On the other end of the spectrum, 10 is the highest intensity and
stands for very, very heavy, or how one would feel at the end of an exercise stress test or after a very
difficult activity. The RPE can be used during training by setting a general idea of how intense the
exercise should be. It is recommended that one exercises at a level around 3 to 4, or moderate to
somewhat heavy. These ratings take several factors into account, such as shortness of breath, muscle
fatigue, and heart rate. During training, the RPE is useful as a personal intensity meter that provides
constant feedback on an exercise routine. Meanwhile, the RPE(Borg scale) has numbers between 6 and
20 to represent phrases used to rate how easy or difficult an activity is based on the effort percentage.
Thus, the Borg Rating of Perceived Exertion gives one an idea of how hard he/she is training and
whether the pace should be accelerated or slowed. Again, it is useful during training for individuals to
adjust their routines.

3. Compare the two methods of RPE. Which method would you use in your training?
I would use the Borg RPE scale in my training because it is much more exact (it runs from 6 to 20
whereas the Omni scale runs from 0 to 10). Although I am not very familiar with rating the intensity of
my exercise and the Omni scale allows more room for approximation, I could always count my intensity
as a range in the Borg scale. The Borg scale has more phrases to describe the intensity of exercise, and
its scale of 6 to 20 allows a better, simpler estimation of heart rate too!

4. Why does the Borg scale start at 6 and finish at 20?

The Borg scale starts at 6 and finishes at 20 because it is based on heart rate. Multiplying the Borg score
by 10 gives an approximate heart rate for that particular level of activity: 6, the lowest number, times 10

gives 60, and 20, the highest number, times 10 gives 200. These values thus encompass the average
range of 60 to 200 bpm of heart rate.