In the heart-pounding world of CrossFit, where intensity reigns supreme and sweat angels are frequently posted on social media accounts as a badge of honor, there’s a hidden secret to unlocking your true performance potential. It’s not about mindlessly pushing through grueling workouts or chasing elusive personal records. No, it’s about something more nuanced, more intuitive—Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE).
So what is Rate of Perceived Exertion?
RPE is a subjective measure to assess an individual’s perception of the intensity or effort expended during physical activity or exercise.
Rather than relying on objective measurements like heart rate or weight lifted, RPE considers the individual’s experience and perception of the effort exerted. It provides a way to quantify the intensity of exercise based on how it feels to the person performing it.
The RPE scale typically ranges from 1 to 10, with each number representing a different level of perceived effort. Here is a common interpretation of the RPE scale:
- 1-2: Very light exertion, minimal effort required (e.g., sitting or lying down).
- 3-4: Light exertion, a comfortable effort similar to walking at a leisurely pace.
- 5-6: Moderate exertion, noticeable effort but sustainable for an extended period (e.g., brisk walking or light jogging).
- 7-8: Hard exertion, a challenging effort that requires concentration and may lead to fatigue (e.g., running at a moderate to high intensity).
- 9-10: Maximum exertion, extremely intense effort, close to maximum capacity (e.g., sprinting or engaging in high-intensity interval training).
Using the RPE scale, individuals can assess their perceived exertion at any given moment during exercise and adjust their intensity accordingly. This helps them balance pushing their limits and avoiding overexertion or injury. RPE can be used in various forms of physical activity, including cardio workouts, strength training, and sports performance.
Alright, so when do we use it in CrossFit Workouts?
All the time! Think about the whiteboard brief when a coach is reviewing the daily workout. k about 15.12.9 Burpees and Pull Ups. The coach might say this is meant to be a fast-paced workout that you should be able to continuously move through. So your RPE is intended to be high, a 9/10. RPE is also considered for people who can’t do pull-ups when the pull-up movement is changed to Jumping Pull-ups or Ring Rows. Now on the flip side, think about a 30-minute workout. Can you sprint for 30 minutes? Probably not. So the coach will usually say to pace this to allow you to continuously move. You could rank a 6-7 on the 10-point scale.
When else is RPE used?
Strength sessions! Historically, we’ve used percentages to gauge improvements and set targets for daily progressions. However, in a CrossFit environment, it takes a lot of work to understand how well-recovered a person is from the workouts of the previous days and/or daily life stressors. A 200# back squat could feel easy one day, 5/10. Then the next day, that same 200# back squat can feel like 1,000#’s, ranking a 10/10. How can this be? Recovery. Sleep, daily stressors, impacts from previous workouts, eating habits, etc., all play a role in recovery, and depending on how well you recover, it will significantly impact how you perform each day.
So next time you find yourself struggling on a lift that you successfully achieved a few days ago or are at the whiteboard listening to a workout brief, you’ll better understand what’s happening and how to apply RPE to your specific needs.
