If you read fitness magazines or FitSugar regularly then you have probably noticed that we use the Rate of Perceived Exertion, or RPE, as a way to measure your exercise efforts. This 1-10 scale seems way more complicated than it really is, but it's a great and easy way for anyone to monitor her exercise intensity when doing cardio. What's more? It requires no equipment. Here is how you use it:

RPE What It Means
0-1 No exertion. The only movement you're getting is pushing buttons on the remote.
2-3 Light exertion. This is how you should feel when you're warming up, cooling down, and stretching.
4-5 Medium exertion. You're breathing a little faster. Your heart is pumping a little faster. You're feeling a little warmer.
6-7 Moderate exertion. You're breathing pretty hard now, you're probably sweating. You can talk, but it's getting tougher.
8-9 Hard exertion. You're breathing really hard and you can only say a few words at a time. You're wondering how long you can go on like this.
10 Hardest exertion. You can not keep this pace for more than a minute. Speaking is impossible. This is your limit.

Try it out the next time you're doing one of my cardio workouts.

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