Validation of rating of perceived exertion for resistance training with elastic bands: A focus on first repetition metrics in moderate and velocity-based training
- Autores: Carlos Babiloni López
- Directores de la Tesis: Juan Carlos Colado Sánchez (dir. tes.)
- Lectura: En la Universitat de València ( España ) en 2025
- Idioma: inglés
- Número de páginas: 222
- Tribunal Calificador de la Tesis: Juan Manuel Cortell Tormo (presid.), Ana Maria Ferri Caruana (secret.), Álvaro Juesas Torres (voc.)
- Programa de doctorado: Programa de Doctorado en Actividad Física y Deporte por la Universitat de València (Estudi General)
- Materias:
- Enlaces
- Tesis en acceso abierto en: RODERIC
- Resumen
Perceived exertion scales have been used since the 1960s to prescribe training intensities, guide daily training dosage, and measure training progress. Initially developed for aerobic exercise, these scales were validated for resistance training with the growing popularity of this modality in the early 21st century. Traditionally, resistance training has been characterized by slow execution speeds (e.g., 2 seconds for the concentric and eccentric phases). However, velocity-based training (VBT) has recently gained prominence. VBT is considered more efficient, with shorter set and session durations, and it induces less fatigue than traditional resistance training. Using a linear position transducer (encoder), VBT quantifies the loss of speed per repetition, where greater speed loss correlates with increased fatigue—though this is required for greater hypertrophy. Studies have demonstrated that VBT leads to substantial strength gains without excessive fatigue accumulation. Elastic bands (EB) have become a popular alternative for resistance training due to their affordability, portability, and ease of use. These bands have proven to be as effective as traditional equipment (e.g., machines or free weights) for strength gains. Several studies have already assessed the effectiveness of resistance training with EB at both moderate and maximal execution speeds, using perceived exertion and velocity scales, yielding promising results. Nevertheless, current perceived exertion scales for EB, such as OMNI-Resistance Exercise Scale for EB (OMNI-RES EB) and Resistance Intensity Scale for Exercise (RISE), have been validated using the final repetition of a set and are employed across both moderate and maximal speed exercises. However, measuring exertion based on the first repetition might offer a more optimal method for reducing fatigue, similar to VBT. If the subject’s reported exertion on the first repetition does not align with the trainer’s or researcher’s expectations, the set could be terminated early, and adjustments (e.g., grip modifications) could be made to achieve the desired intensity. This approach has not been thoroughly explored in the literature, which this doctoral thesis aims to address. This thesis seeks to evaluate the relationship between internal load (e.g., heart rate and RPE) and external load (e.g., number of repetitions) using the OMNI-RES EB scale based on the first repetition at moderate execution speeds (traditional resistance training). Additionally, in the context of VBT, the study compares internal and external loads (including average propulsive velocity and peak power measured by an encoder) when performing squats with EB versus weight plates at various percentages of one-repetition maximum intensities (%1RM). Given the growing interest in VBT, the concurrent validation of both the OMNI-RES scale for EB and the RISE scale was undertaken. A secondary objective was to investigate the influence of relative strength on the first-repetition RPE. The sample for this validation consisted of physically active young adults. Two interventions were conducted. In the first, participants performed three exercises (fly, military press, and push-press) at moderate speeds. The grip width of the EB was varied to determine the number of repetitions until muscular failure at different RPE values (specifically, RPEs from 2 to 8). RPE was recorded after the first repetition and a value of 10 was expected at set failure. In the second intervention, focusing on VBT, participants performed squats in a Smith machine at predefined intensities (40%, 55%, 70%, and 85% 1RM) with EB or weight plates. RPE (both OMNI-RES and RISE) was recorded after the first repetition, and the set was terminated once a 10% velocity loss occurred, with RPE recorded again. The main findings confirm that RPE measured during the first repetition is a valid and reliable parameter, consistent across sessions and correlated with the total number of repetitions at each RPE value in both single- and multi-joint exercises performed at moderate speed. Thus, the OMNI-RES scale for EB provides an accessible and effective tool for quantifying intensity in traditional resistance training. Secondary findings include: (1) training experience significantly influenced the number of repetitions for the same RPE, (2) relative strength did not affect RPE during single-joint exercises, (3) heart rate did not differ by intensity but increased consistently during multi-joint exercises. In the VBT intervention, concurrent validity of the OMNI-RES and RISE scales was confirmed by significant correlations between first-repetition RPE values (with only a 15% difference in 1RM between sets) and reliability across sessions. Secondary findings showed: (1) greater power, velocity, and a higher number of repetitions, along with lower RPE and heart rate, when squatting with EB compared to weight plates, (2) relative strength influenced external load variables (mean propulsive velocity [MPV], maximum power [PMAX]), but not RPE, and (3) regression equations were established to predict external load parameters based on first-repetition RPE for both scales. In conclusion, this doctoral thesis demonstrates that perceived exertion scales (OMNI-RES and RISE) can be effectively used to monitor training intensity based on the first repetition, providing a valid and reliable method for resistance training with EB in both traditional and velocity-based contexts.
