Effects of Exercise Intensity on Rating of Perceived Exertion During a Multiple-Set Resistance Exercise Session

• Published in: Journal of strength and conditioning research Vol. 26; no. 2; pp. 466 - 472
• Main Authors: de L. Lins-Filho, Ozéas, Robertson, Robert J, Farah, Breno Q, Rodrigues, Sérgio L.C, Cyrino, Edilson S, Ritti-Dias, Raphael M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States National Strength and Conditioning Association 01-02-2012; Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Ovid Technologies
• Subjects: Adult; Exercise; Exercise - psychology; Humans; Impact analysis; Male; Perception - physiology; Physical Exertion; Random Allocation; Resistance Training; Sports training; Studies; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1064-8011; 1533-4287
• DOI: 10.1519/JSC.0b013e31822602fa

Lins-Filho, ODL, Robertson, RJ, Farah, BQ, Rodrigues, SLC, Cyrino, ES, and Ritti-Dias, RM. Effects of exercise intensity on rating of perceived exertion during a multiple-set resistance exercise session. J Strength Cond Res 26(2)466–472, 2012—The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of intensity on rating of perceived exertion (RPE) during a multiple-set resistance exercise session. Fourteen men (22.9 ± 3.8 years) with previous experience in resistance training (22.9 ± 3.8 years) performed 2 experimental sessions in random orderresistance exercise at 50% of 1 repetition maximum (1RM) (E50%) and resistance exercise at 70% of 1RM (E70%). In both sessions, 5 exercises (bench press, bent-over row, frontal raises, arm curl, and overhead triceps extension) were performed in 3 sets of 12, 9, and 6 repetitions, respectively. Active muscle RPEs were measured after each repetition using the OMNI-Resistance Exercise Scale (OMNI-RES). In the 3 sets of 5 exercises, the RPE was higher at E70% than that at E50%. The differences in RPE between intensities were observed in both the first and the sixth repetitions for each exercise. In the E70% session, the RPE increased between sets in all exercises, whereas it did not change in the E50% session. In conclusion, the RPE was higher at 70% of 1RM than that at 50% of 1RM. Moreover, in a multiple-set prescription, the RPE did not change between sets with 50% of 1RM, whereas the RPE increased between sets with 70% of 1RM. These findings suggest that RPE can be effectively used to prescribe and monitor resistance exercise intensity during an entire multiple-set exercise session in young men with previous experience in resistance training.