A study on RPE during bicycle ergometer work and physical education class

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the applicability of Borg's rating scale. Heart rate (HR), oxygen uptake (Vo2) and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) were measured during two differ ent forms, bicycle ergometer work at 300kpm, 450kpm and 600kpm and physical education class of exercise. The subjects of this study were 7 healthy schoolboys in the eighth grade, aged 13.7 to 14.6 years and Vo2 max predicted 33.7 to 70.4ml×kg-1×min--1The results were as follows:1. Correlation coefficient of HR and %Vo2 max with RPE were 0.820 (p<0.01) and 0.892 (p<0.01), respectively, during the bicycle ergometer work.2. Correlation coefficient of HR and RPE was 0.589 (p<0.01) during physical education class.3. RPE response followed a linear increase as a function of HR or %Vo2 max during the two forms of exercise.Differences were found in the level of RPE in relation to HR during the two forms of exercise. It seems that the differences were related to complexity of exercise.