Relations between perceptual and physiological response during incremental exercise followed by an extended bout of submaximal exercise on a cycle ergometer

The purpose of this study was to examine the relations of ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) of the legs, chest, and overall body with physiological responses (heart rate and oxygen uptake) both during incremental cycling exercise and the recovery stage (submaximal light exercise after total exhaustion). Subjects were 10 healthy university males ages 18 to 23 years (M age=20.5 yr., SD=1.4 yr.) who performed incremental cycling exercise until exhaustion after 1-min. rest and unloaded cycling for 2 min. They then continued to exercise at a constant load of 30 Watts (used for cooling down; recovery stage) for a total of 25 min. Oxygen uptake and heart rate were measured, and three types of RPE were done; Respiratory (chest; RPE-R), Peripheral (legs; RPE-P), and Overall (overall body; RPE-O) during the exercise and recovery stage. All variables during exercise and RPE-R and RPE-P during recovery stage showed significant linear changes. RPE-O and physiological exercise intensity (oxygen uptake and heart rate) in the recovery stage showed significant curvilinear changes (quadratic). RPE-P were significantly higher than RPE-R both during exercise and the recovery stage and the variables highly correlated (r > or = .88, p < .05). At the point of exhaustion, RPE-P and RPE-O almost reached a peak, but RPE-R did not. In the exercise period until exhaustion, the regression coefficient of RPE-R (.38) was significantly lower than that of RPE-P (.56) and RPE-O (.50), and RPE-R increased according to an increase of the incremental load, but the amount was significantly lower than those of RPE-P and RPE-O. In the recovery stage after exhaustion, the regression coefficient of RPE-O (-1.35) was significantly greater than that of RPE-P (-1.07). A decrease in RPE-O corresponded to a decrease in heart rate and oxygen uptake, but RPE-P did not, and the recovery of RPE-P tended to be late. The results suggest that relations for the physiological responses of heart rate, oxygen uptake, and RPE, and between each RPE in the recovery stage differed from those during exercise until exhaustion.