Response Normalized Omni Rpe At The Ventilatry Breakpoint In Young Adult Males And Females

Abstract

Response normalized ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) corresponding to the ventilatory breakpoint (Vpt) during cycling have been identified in children using the Children's OMNI Scale of Perceived Exertion. However, a normalized response has not been examined in adults using the OMNI-Cycle RPE Scale. PURPOSE: To identify a response normalized RPE-Overall (O), RPE-Legs (L), and RPE-Chest/Breathing (C) corresponding to the Vpt in recreationally active males and females. METHODS: Thirty-one recreationally active (< 150 min·wk-1 activity) males (n = 21, 20.7 + 2.6 yrs) and females (n = 10, 21.4 + 2.6 yrs) completed a load-incremented cycle ergometer protocol to measure VO2peak. The Adult OMNI-Cycle RPE Scale was employed to measure RPE-O, L and C during the last 30 s of each exercise minute. The Vpt was determined for each subject as the %VO2peak at which Ve:VO2 increased without an accompanying increase in Ve:VCO2. RPE-O, L and C corresponding to the Vpt were identified using individual linear regression analysis. All data are presented as means + SD. RESULTS: Mean VO2peak was 42.9 + 6.7 ml·kg-1·min-1 for males and 34.8 + 5.3 ml·kg-1·min-1 for females. Mean Vpt for males and females corresponded to 70.9 + 6.9% and 74.4 + 4.9% of VO2peak and 83.9 + 5.0% and 86.2 + 4.4% of peak heart rate, respectively. Mean response normalized RPEs corresponding to the Vpt during cycle ergometry were: RPE-O = 5.5 + 1.2, RPE-L = 6.0 + 1.1, RPE-C = 5.4 + 1.2 for males and RPE-O = 6.1 + 1.0, RPE-L = 6.2 + 1.1, RPE-C = 6.2 + 1.3 for females. There was no interaction effect of gender and rating site. However, a rating site main effect was observed when RPE data were analyzed for the combined male and female groups. Analysis of response normalized values at the Vpt indicated that RPE-L > RPE-O (p < 0.05) and RPE-L > RPE-C (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Response normalized OMNI RPEs at the Vpt were identified for undifferentiated and differentiated perceptual reports for adult males and females during cycling. These normalized responses were consistent with those reported previously for children. A normalized RPE-Vpt: (1) reduces the need for pre-participation testing to prescribe exercise intensity (i.e. Vpt) that provides an overload stimulus for cardiorespiratory training and (2) facilitates exercise intensity self-regulation by recreationally active young adults.