Rating of perceived exertion in kayaking ergometry

The purpose of this study was to examine the validity of the use or ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) to estimate and regulate exercise intensity during kayaking ergometry. Nine competitive male kayakers (mean age 28.6 yrs plus or minus 6.3) completed two kayaking trials on an ergometer. The first trial (estimation) consisted of an incremental protocol designed to elicit a range of work outputs (WO) and heart rates (HR). The subjects indicated their perception of effort using a 15-point scale at each intensity level. In the second trial (produc-tion), 7-14 days later, the subjects were asked to produce exercise intensities corresponding to the five levels of RPE: 15, 11, 17, 13 and 19. Data analysis revealed high Pearson correlation coefficients between HR and RPE (r=0.95, P