Heart rate and rating of perceived exertion responses during exercise performed at intensities relative to anaerobic threshold

Abstract

The objectives of the study were to describe the responses promoted by intensity of the effort on the heart rate (HR) and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) and compare them with the responses of the power output of anaerobic threshold (WAT). Seven subjects were submitted to a progressive exercise test until exhaustion to determine the anaerobic threshold. Subsequently, they exercised continuously during thirty minutes in intensities relative to the WAT. An one-way analysis of variance with repeated measures and Bonferroni post-hoc test were used to the comparisons among the power output of the maximal HR stable state (WMHRSS) and RPE (WMRPESS) with the same parameters of the WAT (p < 0.05). Both WMHRSS (51 ± 18 W) and WMRPESS (76 ± 37 W) were statically lower than WAT (129 ± 4 W). Thus, the use of HR and RPE to monitor intensity in exercises that have the duration typically applied in aerobic training is limited.