Ratings of perceived exertion during steady-state exercise using leg-only versus arm-and-leg cycle ergometry

Abstract

Past psychophysiological research has led many investigators to believe that perceived effort during exercise is lower with greater active muscle mass (Hagan, et al., 1983; Sargeant & Davies, 1973; Shephard, et al., 1992; Stenberg, et al., 1967), presumably because the effort is distributed to more muscle tissue. The purpose of this investigation was to compare the Ratings of Perceived Exertion (RPE) of college-age females during steady-state leg-only (LE) and combined arm-and-leg exercise (ALE) using the 15-point Borg RPE scale. Volunteer subjects were 16 healthy, physically active female students, mean age 21.0 years (SE 0.33) and a percent body fat of 22.1 (SE 1.1). Each subject completed a graded maximal exercise test on a Monark 880 LE cycle ergometer. Exercise intensity during two subsequent 30-minute exercise treatments was then maintained at the HR corresponding to 70% of the subject's tested functional capacity (VO2max). The exercise treatments were two randomized bouts separated by at least 48 hours but not more than one week, one each using a Monark 880 cycle ergometer (LE) and a Schwinn AirDyne (ALE). Mean RPEs were 13.7 (SE 0.2) for the LE session, and 13.0 (SE 0.3) for the ALE session. Mean heart rates were 172.8 bpm (SE 1.18) for the LE session, and 170.6 bpm (SE 1.26) for the ALE session. Mean VO2s were 30.7 ml/kg/min (SE 0.76) for LE and 30.1 ml/kg/min (SE 0.68) for ALE. Workload means were 120.0 Watts (SE 3.83) for LE and 127.7 Watts (SE 4.11) for ALE. Repeated measures ANOVA revealed no significant differences between the two modalities for RPE (p < 0.07) or VO2 (p < 0.12), but significant differences for HR (p < 0.006) and workload (p < 0.0003). Tukey's post-hoc test for simple effects determined that time effects were significant (p < 0.0001) regardless of modality, with RPE and HR measurements at minutes five and ten differing from those at minutes 15, 20, 25, and 30 (p < 0.05) during both LE and ALE bouts. The results of this investigation indicate that no significant perceived effort difference exists between these LE and ALE modalities over a 30-minute exercise bout at the same HR-regulated intensity.