What is the typical range of the RPE scale used by athletes?

The Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) scale is commonly used by athletes and trainers to gauge the intensity of exercise based on individual perception. The typical range of the RPE scale is from 6 to 20, which allows athletes to provide feedback on how hard they feel they are working during physical activity. This scale correlates with physiological metrics such as heart rate, making it a practical tool for both monitoring and adjusting exercise intensity.

Using this scale, an athlete can express their level of exertion from a light workout to an extremely hard effort, contributing to effective training and recovery decisions. The design of the scale allows for a straightforward interpretation of perceived exertion, which is critical for both endurance and strength-based training. This is why the range of 6 to 20 is widely adopted in physical education and sports performance.