What does RPE stand for in training?

Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) is a scale used by athletes and coaches to help quantify the intensity of exercise based on an individual's personal experience of effort, fatigue, and exertion during a workout. The RPE scale typically ranges from 1 to 10, with lower numbers indicating very light effort and higher numbers indicating maximum effort.

Understanding RPE is essential because it allows lifters to regulate their training intensity based on how they feel on a given day rather than relying solely on external measures such as weight on the bar. This self-awareness can lead to more effective training sessions, as athletes can adjust their efforts according to their readiness, which is particularly useful for managing fatigue and avoiding overtraining.

Other options, while they may involve concepts relevant to training or exercise, do not relate to the widely recognized methodology of gauging perceived exertion. For instance, "Rate of Power Efficiency" does not have an established definition in the context of training, "Relative Performance Evaluation" typically refers to comparing performances against others, and "Repetitions Per Exercise" simply measures volume in a workout without relating to perceived effort or intensity.