Perceived Exertion, Heart Rate, and other Non-Invasive Methods for Exercise Testing and Intensity Control

This chapter reviews relationships between heart rate, rating of perceived exertion, oxygen uptake, affect, and 'talking comfort' during exercise of increasing intensity. A common method to prescribe exercise intensity is the percent heart rate (HR) reserve method. This method uses the percentage difference between resting and maximal heart rate added to the resting heart rate. The chapter also reviews application of the above non-invasive methods to determine exercise intensity. Exercising at a high intensity for a sustained period of time requires the ability to deliver oxygen to the active muscles. The most frequently cited criterion of maximal functional capacity for sustained exercise is maximal oxygen uptake (VO_2max). VO_2max is estimated by extrapolating the HR: work-rate relationship from a series of standard, submaximal work-rates to maximal HR. The chapter assesses the efficacy of perceived exertion to assess maximal oxygen uptake and control exercise intensity.