What Does RPE Stand For?

RPE stands for rate of perceived exertion. It's a simple scale (usually 1-10) where you rate how hard a training session or exercise felt. A 1 is almost no effort, a 10 is the absolute hardest you could go. Sports scientists and coaches have used it for decades as a quick, reliable way to measure training intensity without any equipment.

How athletes use it

After a training session, you rate the session's overall difficulty on the 1-10 scale. You can also multiply your RPE by the session's duration in minutes to get a training load number. A 60-minute session at RPE 6 gives you a load of 360. Track those numbers across a week and you have a clear picture of how much total stress you're putting on your body.

Why it's useful

RPE captures something heart rate monitors and power meters can't: how the session felt to you personally. A workout that normally feels like a 5 might feel like a 7 after a bad night of sleep. That difference is useful information because it tells you something about your recovery and readiness, not just the workout itself.

The quick version

Rate your effort after every session (1-10). Multiply by duration for training load. Track it weekly. That's the whole system.

If you want an app that logs your RPE and duration, calculates your session load, and shows your 7-day training load in trends, Sherpa is free and handles this alongside your post-session reflections.