Do you want to know more about the measurement of training and activity loads in human and animal athletes? Do you want to know more about the history and previous use of the Rating of Perceived Exertion or RPE? If you do, you’re in luck! Below is the link to a short optional training video that will provide some answers for the curious mind. We have also included links to some peer-reviewed publications on this topic in case you want to explore even further! Enjoy!

Click HERE to view the optional training video with additional background information about the RPE.
Click HERE to view or download a PDF of the slides and script used for this video.
Click HERE to view or download a PDF of the script (no images) used for this video.

Below is a selected bibliography of peer-reviewed publications related to the study of activity load in athletes, especially as it relates to the Rating of Perceived Exertion. If you click on a reference you will be able to either an abstract or full text version of that paper. Enjoy!

Borg G. Perceived exertion as an indicator of somatic stress. Scand J Rehabil Med 1970;2:92-98.

Drew MK, Finch CF. The relationship between training load and injury, illness and soreness: A systematic and literature review. Sports Med 2016;46:861-883.

Eckard TG, Padua DA, Hearn DW, et al. The relationship between training load and injury in athletes: A systematic review. Sports Med 2018;48:1929-1961.

Foster C, Boullosa D, McGuigan M, et al. 25 years of session rating of perceived exertion: historical perspective and development. Int J Sports Physiol Perform 2021;16:612-621.

Foster C, Rodriguez-Marroyo JA, de Koning JJ. Monitoring training loads: The past, the present, and the future. Int J Sports Physiol Perform 2017;12:S22-S28.

Haddad M, Stylianides G, Djaoui L, et al. Session-RPE method for training load monitoring: Validity, ecological usefulness, and influencing factors. Front Neurosci 2017;11:612.

Murphy MC, Glasgow P, Mosler AB. Self-reported measures of training exposure: can we trust them, and how do we select them? Br J Sports Med 2021;55:891-892.

Robertson RJ, Goss FL, Aaron DJ, et al. Observation of perceived exertion in children using the OMNI pictorial scale. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2006;38:158-166.

Robertson RJ, Goss FL, Aaron DJ, et al. OMNI scale rating of perceived exertion at ventilatory breakpoint by direct observation of children’s kinematics. Percept Mot Skills 2007;104:975-984.

Soligard T, Schwellnus M, Alonso JM, et al. How much is too much? (Part 1) International Olympic Committee consensus statement on load in sport and risk of injury. Br J Sports Med 2016;50:1030-1041.

Sylvia LG, Bernstein EE, Hubbard JL, et al. Practical guide to measuring physical activity. J Acad Nutr Diet 2014;114:199-208.

Scherr J, Wolfarth B, Christle JW, et al. Associations between Borg’s rating of perceived exertion and physiological measures of exercise intensity. Eur J Appl Physiol 2013;113:147-155.

Swanson KDJ, Harper TAM, McMichael M, et al. Development of a perceived exertion scale for dogs using selected physiologic parameters. J Small Anim Pract 2019;60:247-253.

Sylta O, Tonnessen E, Seiler S. Do elite endurance athletes report their training accurately? Int J Sports Physiol Perform 2014;9:85-92.

Tabor G, Marlin D, J. W. Can human training load quantification be applied to equine training? Int Conf Equine Exerc Physiol 2018;S8.