Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE)

The Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) is a scale that measures how hard you feel your body is working during physical activity. It’s usually numbered from 0 to 10 or 6 to 20, with higher numbers indicating greater effort. For example, a low RPE might be 2 or 3, meaning light activity, while a high RPE of 8 or 9 indicates very intense effort. RPE allows individuals to gauge workout intensity based on their own sensations of effort, breathlessness, and fatigue, making it a useful tool for tailoring exercise to personal fitness levels and safety.