Have you ever gone bicycling, jogging or swimming and wondered if you were working hard enough to reap the benefits of the aerobic exercise?
If you answered yes, you are not the only one.
It is necessary to exercise at a recommended intensity to achieve the benefits of cardiovascular training.
Unfortunately, gauging exercise intensity can be difficult, expensive and time-consuming.
But it does not have to be. All you need to do is learn about and adapt one of the best-kept secrets of the fitness world: the RPE scale.
One of the easiest ways to monitor your exercise intensity is to rate perceived exertion.
Perceived exertion is assessed by using a zero-to-10 scale to evaluate a combination of sensory feelings from your muscles and joints as well as your heart and breathing rates.
A rating of zero would be lying or sitting down, doing nothing but existing comfortably.
As movement begins and your heart rate and other metabolic processes increase, so does your rating on the RPE scale.
The RPE scale is completely independent of your own thoughts and feelings about your exercise intensity. Therefore, an activity that you perform at a rating of five (strong) may be performed by someone else at a rating of 10 (very, very intense).
The recommended RPE for most people is between three (moderate) and five (strong).
There are three main reasons RPE should be used by people participating in aerobic activity.
The first is that it is free. We are all in college and on a tight budget, so this is an important point to consider. You do not need to purchase anything -- no high-tech gadgets, videos or training manuals.
Secondly, RPE can be used while you are actually participating in the aerobic activity. There is no need to stop, unlike with heart-rate checks done on the neck or wrist with a watch.
Finally, RPE serves as a double check on the level of comfort you are or aren't experiencing during an exercise session.
The bottom line is that anyone can use the RPE scale at any time to gauge exercise intensity.
Once you become familiar with the scale, you will find that your exercise sessions are more meaningful and purposeful, and you will more easily attain the benefits you are looking for.
