How to Use RPE to Optimise Your Training Intensity
If you want to build muscle, why does RPE matter?
If you want to build muscle and get stronger, how hard should you train in the gym?
Should you go all out? Or, should it be more like 90% all out?
That’s where we find the rate of perceived exertion (RPE) useful.
In this article, we explore RPE, how it works, and how it impacts our training in the gym.
What is RPE?
RPE (rating of perceived exertion) is an effort-based scale that measures the intensity of an exercise set.
“The RPE scale is used in exercise science primarily to monitor exercise intensity and is most often used as a method to quantify exercise intensities during aerobic training.” — Day et al., 2004
Developed by Swedish researcher Gunnar Borg, the fitness community people use RPE to quantify exercise intensities. Essentially, it’s a difficulty and effort guide for a set.
The Borg rating of perceived exertion (RPE) was initially over a 6 to 20 rating scale but later changed to a more practice 0–10.
