Oxygen Uptake At Criterion RPE In Trained And Untrained Females Following Exercise And Memory Anchoring

Abstract

Exercise and memory anchoring provides a definitive anchoring procedure for linking perceptions of effort to variable intensities of physical exertion. However, it is unclear if relative intensity at a given RPE would remain consistent in individuals of different training status. PURPOSE: The current investigation compared percent of maximal oxygen uptake in recreationally trained (RT) versus untrained (UT) adult females at selected, criterion RPE during maximal, graded, treadmill exercise following exercise and memory anchoring to the Borg 15-category scale. METHODS: The RT (n = 8) group (21.8± 2.0 yrs.) and the UT (n = 3) group (18.0 ± 0.0 yrs.) each received anchoring instructions during a maximal, graded treadmill exercise test at an initial session. The low anchor was assigned a seven and the high anchor was assigned a 19 on the scale. At a second session, memory anchoring instructions were provided prior to a GXT during which RPE was recorded following each stage. Linear regression with RPE as the independent variable and oxygen consumption as the dependent variable was used to calculate percent VO2max for each criterion RPE (7, 9, 11, 13, 15 17, and 19). An independent samples t-test was used to compare percent VO2max between RT and UT at each criterion RPE. RESULTS: As expected, VO2max was higher for the RT than the UT. All other descriptive variables were similar between groups. Relative oxygen uptake at each criterion RPE was also similar. CONCLUSION: Pre-exercise exercise and memory anchoring yielded similar relative VO2 for young adult females independent of training status. It appears that exposure to the high and low anchors during the anchoring procedure is sufficient to guide exercise intensity during a maximal, graded, treadmill exercise test for this population. The current findings further validate Borg’s assumption for the application of a category scale in that the perceptual range may be set equal for all individuals as percent VO2max was similar between young, adult women of varying training status.