spINTENSITY: Keep it under control!

With 2020 well underway…a flood of new, returning fitness-seekers are HIITing gyms, fitness studios and CYCLE STUDIOS everywhere. Many unaware of or uneducated about how to effectively manage the intensity of their fitness activity. I’ll review a few common tools and techniques for keeping it safe.

RPE: Rating of Perceived Exertion

The most basic technique available to all participants is the 10-point Borg RPE scale. Simply put, this is a non-scientific, self-assessment of how intensely someone is exerting themselves. This has been used as long as I can remember and breaks down as follows:

0 – Nothing at all
1 – Very light
2 – Light
3 – Moderate
4 – Somewhat heavy
5 – Heavy
6 – Heavier
7 – Very heavy
8 – Very, very heavy
9 – Approaching max effort
10 – Most intense & max effort

I like this more illustrative breakdown from BRITISH CYCLING, https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/knowledge