How Hard Should Your Workout Feel? Use These 2 Numbers

From 9 to 5 Wellness · 25:05

Show by Aesha Tahir

“Push harder. One more rep.” But how hard is hard?Most busy professionals know how often they work out and for how long. Intensity is the part most people guess at. Guess too high on a week of five-hour nights and a product launch, and you’re on the way to injury and burnout. Guess too low and you lose time you don’t have.In this episode, yours truly, a clinical exercise physiologist and corporate wellness consultant is taking a deep dive into the three tools exercise physiologists use to measure intensity: RPE (Rating of Perceived Exertion), heart rate zones and the talk test. You’ll learn why 80% of your max can feel like 100% after a rough night of sleep, how to use “reps in reserve” when lifting weights, how to work out your max heart rate and your five training zones, and whether the “fat-burning zone” is a myth.By the end, you’ll know how to use RPE and heart rate together so each workout helps you instead of adding to your stress.Key Takeaways:What is RPE in exercise?RPE stands for Rating of Perceived Exertion. It’s a scale for scoring how hard a workout feels to you, based on your heart rate, breathing, sweating and muscle fatigue. The most common version runs from 0 to 10.How do I calculate my heart rate zones?First, estimate your maximum heart rate. You can use 220 minus your age, or the more accurate Tanaka formula: 208 minus (0.7 × your age). What is Zone 2 training, and is it good for fat loss?Zone 2 is light, comfortable exercise at 57–63% of your max heart rate. You can still hold a full conversation, as in a power walk or an easy jog. How does RPE work for weightlifting?For strength training, RPE is measured with reps in reserve (RIR), meaning how many more reps you could have done before failure. RPE 10 means 0 reps left, RPE 9 means 1 left, RPE 8 means 2 left and RPE 7 means 3 left. Should I train by RPE or heart rate?Use both. Heart rate gives you an objective number, and RPE tells you how that number feels on a given day. When they line up, your training is on track. 📥 Free download Heart Rate Zones Cheat Sheet. All five zones, what each one feels like and how to use it in your training. 👉https://unhunched.kit.com/a224575554Connect with AeshaWebsite: aeshatahir.comLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/aeshatahirInstagram: @tone_and_strengthenPartner with the showWant to reach busy professionals who care about health and career growth? 👉 9to5wellness.com/brand-partnershipShare this episodeKnow a coworker who’s always saying “push harder”? Send them this episode. Follow 9 to 5 Wellness wherever you listen. New episodes drop every Friday and Sunday.This episode is for education only and is not medical advice. If you have a heart condition or take medications that affect your heart rate, talk to your doctor before changing your training.Send us Fan Mail🌟 🌟 🌟 If you liked this episode and would like to learn more about wellness training and workshops offered by 9 to 5 Wellness, email us at [email protected]. You can learn more about our programs at: https://toneandstrengthen.com/workshops-trainings/. 🌟 🌟 🌟My passion is helping organizations create a culture of wellness, and I do this by setting up health programs that prioritize the most important asset they've got – their employees. Cheers to a healthier and happier journey ahead!🌟 🌟 🌟 You can learn more about ME- the host at https://www.aeshatahir.com Follow me on IG and LI to learn morehttps://www.instagram.com/tone_and_strengthen/https://www.linkedin.com/in/aeshatahir/

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