RPE Guide
What rate of perceived exertion (RPE) means:
RPE is used to gauge your intensity in cardio workouts. Here’s what the numbers in our fitness stories mean.
| RPE 1–2: Very easy; you can converse with no effort |
| RPE 3: Easy; you can converse with almost no effort |
| RPE 4: Moderately easy; you can converse comfortably with little effort |
| RPE 5: Moderate; conversation requires some effort |
| RPE 6: Moderately hard; conversation requires quite a bit of effort |
| RPE 7: Difficult; conversation requires a lot of effort |
| RPE 8: Very difficult; conversation requires maximum effort |
| RPE 9–10: Peak effort; no-talking zone |
