Understanding Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) and Its Benefits in CrossFit?

Basic Information

If you have been in the fitness community for more than a few days, you may have heard someone say “We want to have an RPE of 8 on this lift”. But, most people have no idea what it is, how it is used and more importantly, why should you use it? 

So, what is the Rate of Perceived Exertion? It is a subjective scale used to measure the intensity of physical activity or exercise (CrossFit). It’s based on how hard you feel your body is working during physical activity, rather than objective measures like heart rate or oxygen consumption. The scale typically ranges from 0 to 10, with 0 being no exertion at all (rest) and 10 being maximal exertion (the hardest you can possibly work).

How do we use the RPE Scale in our workouts? Here’s a breakdown of the most common scale:

  1. Category Ratio (CR-10) Scale:
    • 1-4 – Very light to light effort
    • 5-6 – Could do 4 to 6 more repetitions
    • 7 – Could do 3 more repetitions
    • 7.5 – Could definitely do 2 more repetitions, chance at 3
    • 8 – Could do 2 more repetitions
    • 8.5 – Could definitely do 1 more repetition, chance at 2
    • 9 – Could do 1 more repetition
    • 9.5 – Could not do more reps, could do slightly more load
    • 10 – Could not do more reps or more load

Why should I use the RPE scale in my CrossFit workouts?

RPE helps Individualized Intensity Control. CrossFit involves high-intensity workouts that can vary greatly in difficulty from one person to another. The scale allows athletes to gauge their effort level based on their own perception, ensuring they work within their capacity without overtraining.

RPE helps with Adaptability. Since CrossFit workouts can include a wide range of movements (e.g., weightlifting, cardio, gymnastics), the scale can be applied to different types of exercises, making it a versatile tool.

RPE Focuses on Effort Rather than Weight. In CrossFit, it’s common to have recommended weights already programmed for the workout, but everyone is completely different so it helps adjust weights or intensity based on how an athlete feels on a given day. It allows for adjustments that account for daily variations in energy, recovery, and stress, promoting safer and more effective training.

We all know how much CrossFitters love hard grindy workouts. But, we should not be on the floor dying every day. It helps by Preventing Overtraining. By paying attention to it, athletes can avoid pushing too hard when they’re fatigued, reducing the risk of injury and promoting long-term progress.

When the timer starts, most of us go out with fire behind us. Not because we want to but because we are not sure how intense or not intense we need to push. RPR helps us Auto-regulate our workouts. It enables athletes to self-regulate their training intensity. This is particularly useful in CrossFit, where workouts can vary in difficulty from day to day. Athletes can adjust their effort to ensure they’re pushing hard enough to improve but not so hard that they risk burnout.

The RPE scale offers a flexible, personalized, and practical method for self-managing intensity in the diverse and demanding environment of CrossFit. The scale is subjective and varies from person to person based on their fitness level, fatigue, and perception of effort. Let’s start thinking about the scale and how it can guide us in adjusting the intensity of our workouts to become healthier and fitter as long as possible.

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