RPE stands for the rate of perceived exertion. This is used by an individual to describe how hard they believe they worked during a given activity, most often a lift. For example, if a person believes that they could not go any further, their RPE would be maxed out at 20. RPE is strongly correlated with heart rate. For example, if someone thinks they went to complete exhaustion, then their RPE is 20, and their heart rate should have approached 200. The actual heart rate will vary depending on the health and age of the individual.
The formula to calculate RPE is:
\[ \text{RPE} = \frac{\text{HR}}{10} \]
Where:
Let's assume the following value:
Using the formula:
\[ \text{RPE} = \frac{180}{10} = 18 \]
The RPE is 18.
