Ratings of perceived exertion during intermittent and continuous exercise

Area of Science:

• Exercise Physiology
• Sports Science
• Human Performance

Background:

• Understanding perceptual responses to exercise is crucial for optimizing training protocols.
• Prolonged exercise can be performed continuously or intermittently, with varying effects on physiological and perceptual outcomes.
• Differentiated and undifferentiated perceptual responses require characterization during different exercise modalities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize acute differentiated and undifferentiated perceptual responses to prolonged intermittent versus continuous stationary cycle exercise.
• To compare ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) between continuous and intermittent exercise protocols at matched relative intensities.

Main Methods:

• Twelve subjects completed two 2.0-hour stationary cycle exercise sessions at 64% Watts(max) and 73% VO2 peak.
• Exercise protocols included continuous cycling and intermittent cycling with 3-minute rest intervals every 10 minutes.
• Measurements included oxygen uptake (VO2), ventilation (VE), respiratory rate, respiratory exchange ratio, heart rate, and OMNI RPE (Overall, Legs, Chest) every 30 minutes.

Main Results:

• OMNI RPE-Overall body and OMNI RPE-Legs did not significantly differ between continuous and intermittent conditions.
• A significant interaction for OMNI RPE-Chest was observed, being significantly lower in the continuous condition at 120 minutes.
• Perception of exertion was similar between conditions for the first 90 minutes of exercise.

Conclusions:

• Prolonged intermittent and continuous exercise elicit similar overall and leg perceived exertion at matched relative intensities.
• Chest perceived exertion may be lower during continuous exercise later in prolonged exercise sessions.
• These findings suggest that exercise modality (continuous vs. intermittent) has a minimal impact on overall perceived exertion during prolonged exercise.