How can training load be monitored using rating of perceived exertion (RPE)?

• A. Divide RPE by duration
• B. Multiply RPE by duration of the session to estimate training load
• C. Add RPE to heart rate
• D. Ignore RPE and adjust only by time

Answer: (B)

Training load with RPE is calculated by multiplying how hard the session felt by how long it lasted. The RPE gives the intensity, while the duration converts that intensity into a total amount of stress the body had to endure. This is known as the session-RPE method. For example, if a workout feels like an 8 out of 10 and lasts 60 minutes, the training load is 8 × 60 = 480 arbitrary units. This approach lets you add up loads across days to monitor weekly or monthly stress and to balance training with recovery. It’s practical because it relies on a simple rating and a timer, no extra gear needed. Dividing RPE by duration would yield a rate per minute rather than total load; adding RPE to heart rate isn’t a standard way to quantify overall session stress; and ignoring RPE misses the crucial element of intensity.