Monitoring Your Rate of Perceived Exertion while Cardio Training

To do a pyramid workout properly you need to monitor how hard you are working at any point in time. You could monitor the speed you are running or walking, or you could use a heart rate monitor, but in fact the most effective way to keep a track on the intensity is also the easiest- monitoring how hard the workout feel! Learning to do this makes you think about how you are feeling and it puts you in touch with your body. It also makes sure you work out to your maximum every time without needing to waste time fiddling around with stopwatches and monitors.

To work out your personal intensity levels, use the rate of perceived exertion(PE). Your PE level is personal to you. Depending on your fitness levels you may reach level 9(the ultimate challenge for your muscles and lungs) doing a very fast walk- or a sprint.

Perceived Exertion (PE)	How Hard does it Feel?	Breathing	Can you Talk?	% Aerobic Capacity
1	Resting.	Normal	Yes.	35
2	Minimal activity such as sitting at a desk working.	Normal	Yes, easily.	45
3	Gentle activity - you begin to feel slightly warmer.	Comfortable	No problem	55
4	Your heart rate is starting to rise and you're feeling slightly wrmer. Sustainable, but definitely exercise.	Deep by regular	Still chatting.	65
5	Quite hard. Your're starting to sweat.	Deep but still steady.	Yes, but you'd rather have a conversation than do all the talking yourself!	75
6	Between hard and very hard	Getting heavier.	Still possible, but holding a conversation requires effort.	85
7	Very hard. You're sweating a lot and feeling warm.	Deep and fast.	Conversation is reduced to words rather than sentences.	90
8	Strenuous.	Very fast and deep.	One syllable.	95
9-10	The absolute hardest effort you can possibly make - you could'nt go any faster. Your muscles are burning.	Your breading becomes laboured. You have now passed the 'anaerobic threshold'.	No.	96-100