Ratings of perceived exertion and muscle activity during the bench press exercise in recreational and novice lifters

• Published in: Journal of strength and conditioning research Vol. 18; no. 2; p. 359
• Main Authors: Lagally, Kristen M, McCaw, Steven T, Young, Geoff T, Medema, Heather C, Thomas, David Q
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.05.2004
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Analysis of Variance; Electromyography; Exercise - physiology; Exercise - psychology; Female; Humans; Muscle, Skeletal - physiology; Physical Exertion; Reproducibility of Results; Self-Assessment; Weight Lifting - physiology; Weight Lifting - psychology
• ISSN: 1064-8011
• DOI: 10.1519/00124278-200405000-00028

This study examined ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) and electromyography (EMG) during resistance exercise in recreational and novice lifters. Fourteen novice (age = 21.5 +/- 1.5 years) and 14 recreationally trained (age = 21.9 +/- 2.2 years) women volunteered to perform the bench press exercise at 60 and 80% of their 1 repetition maximum (1RM). RPE and EMG were measured during both intensities. Statistical analyses revealed that active muscle RPE increased as resistance exercise intensity increased from 60% 1RM to 80% 1RM (12.32 +/- 1.81 vs. 15.14 +/- 1.74). Integrated EMG also increased as resistance exercise intensity increased from 60% 1RM to 80% 1RM (in the pectoralis major; 98.62 +/- 17.54 vs. 127.98 +/- 29.02). No significant differences in RPE or EMG were found between novice and recreational lifters. These results indicate that RPE is related to the relative exercise intensity lifted as well as muscle activity during resistance exercise for both recreational and novice lifters. These results support the use of RPE as a method of resistance exercise intensity estimation for both types of lifters.