THURSDAY NOVEMBER 7. 2013

SUBJECT: TEACHING INTENSITY

The other night the Senior prep group (Junior Gold will learn next week started working on getting our pulse rate after a couple of our sets, in order to see how hard we are working at a specific time.  Perceived exertion is how hard you feel your body is working. "It is based on the physical sensations a person experiences during physical activity, including heart rate, increased respiration or breathing rate, increased sweating, and muscle fatigue.  Although this is a subjective measure, a person's exertion rating may provide a fairly good estimate of the actual heart rate during physical activity."(Borg 1998)

During some of your swim sets you will be able to self monitor how your body feels, and how hard you are working.  When you become aware and understand how your body is working. you will better be able to adjust the intensity of your workout by speeding up or slowing down your movements.

Although not an exact science a person's perceived exertion times 10 is also a good indication of your heart rate.  Remember to find your pulse rate and count the beats for 10 seconds.  When doing this it is very important that YOU are HONEST with YOURSELF when counting, do not inflate your number to impress others.  Do not concern yourself with any one factor such as shortness of breath, or leg pain, focus only on your total feeling of exertion.

PERCEIVED EXERTION  AND PAIN SCALE

EXERTION             RPE        MAXIMUM          PERCENT 

                                               HEART RATE         EFFORT
NO EXERTION      6                   91                          20%

EXTREMELY         7                 101                          30%

LIGHT                     8                 111                          40%

VERY LIGHT         9                 122                          50%

                                10                132                          55%

LIGHT                    11                142                           60%

                                12                153                           65%

SOMEWHAT         13                163                           70%

HARD                    14                 173                           75%

HARD                    15                184                            80%

                               16                194                             85%

VERY HARD        17                204                             90%

                               18                215                             95%

EXTREMELY       19                225                             100%

HARD                  

                MAXIMUM       20               235              EXHAUSTION        

Warm up usually will start around 6 and end between 11 and 13.  Your sprint training should elevate your rate  between  17 and 20 depending on your distances.  Hope this helps you, and you may want to print it and post it.

More on these topics later.    MIKE