How to measure physical activity intensity
Huffing and puffing, out of breath, can’t do anymore! Or, feeling good, breathing heavy, “in the zone.” At least one person in your life has told you that physical activity is good for your health, but how difficult should it be, and how should you feel during?
Before we decide how hard you should be working during physical activity, let’s first examine an important question: why are you physically active at all? Maybe it’s to improve a disease condition such as diabetes, heart disease, or obesity. Or, maybe you’re physically active to avoid getting chronic diseases altogether. Other motives could be to look better, or to improve fitness level. Whatever the reason, it’s important to tailor the intensity of your physical activity to help you reach your goals.
How intensely, then, should you be moving to achieve your goals? Well, that depends what you want to get out of your activity. If you’re trying to improve your health, low to moderate physical activity is recommended. If fitness gains or weight loss are your goals, moderate intensity might be more effective than low intensity.
Now that you know how intensely you may want to work during your activity, you must learn how low and moderate intensity levels actually feel. There are two methods of gauging intensity that require no mathematical equations or pulse checking – it’s all about how your body feels. One method is called a “rate of perceived exertion scale” or RPE. The other is called the “talk test.” Learn and try both methods and then you can decide which works best for you.
RPE
Shown below is the RPE scale, which can be used to determine how hard you’re working during your activity. The scale is numbered from 1 to 10, and each number represents how hard you think you’re working during physical activity. 0-1 represents how you might feel if you were sitting in a chair reading or watching TV. 2-3 would feel like light walking such as shopping at the grocery store. This is considered “low intensity” activity. 4-6 on the scale is considered more “moderate” and represents how you might feel during yard work or house cleaning. 6 and above is considered “vigorous,” which is how you might feel if you were running up and down a field during a soccer game.
RPE Scale
· 0 – Nothing at all
· 1 – Very light
· 2 – Fairly light
· 3 – Moderate
· 4 – Somewhat hard
· 5 – Hard
· 6
· 7 – Very hard
· 8
· 9
· 10 – Very, very hard
The Talk Test
The “talk test,” is very user-friendly method in that no scale or numbers are needed. All you need to know is whether or not you can speak during your activity. During low intensity activity, you are still able to speak, but probably cannot hold a lengthy conversation. Moderate intensity is marked by a slight discomfort during talking. During vigorous activity, talking is nearly impossible, as it is extremely uncomfortable 1.
So, you’ll know if you’re at an appropriate intensity if you’re able to speak, but there is some slight discomfort. Tip: Try reciting a favorite poem, singing a song, or whistling during your next activity, and decide if it’s easy, slightly uncomfortable, or nearly impossible, to gauge how hard you’re working.
It’s always helpful to know how hard we’re working during physical activity, particularly when it’s helping us reach our activity-related goals. Use the “RPE scale” or the “talk test” the next time you’re active and walk away confident that you had a quality experience!
This public health message is brought to you by SDPRC/Familias Sanas y Activas. For more info on our free physical activity programs in South Bay, please contact Sara Solaimani at 619-594-2965.