Relationship between subjectively perceived exertion and objective loading in trained athletes and non-athletes
Abstract
The aim of this study was to compare the relationship between the subjective perception of exercise intensity and the physiological response by elite endurance athletes and the non-athlete population. The research sample consisted of elite-level short triathlon athletes from the Czech Republic (n = 23; 14 men and 9 women) and non-athletes who were students (n = 15; 9 men and 6 women).
The curve estimation method was used to evaluate the relationship between subjective and objective fatigue in both groups. The model of the subjective perception of fatigue does not lend itself to objectivisation.
Using a cubic model, we detected a significant association between heart rate and the Borg Scale of Fatigue score in the non-athlete group (69%) but not in the athlete group (40%). Therefore, for non-athletes, the Borg Scale may be used as a tool for the objectivisation of physical loading as evaluated by heart rate; however, this method does not apply to elite endurance athletes.
For elite endurance athletes, the most predictive parameter is the blood lactate level. Here, the cubic model also accounted for the highest percentage of the variance (65%).
For the non-athlete population, the cubic model (75%) and the exponential model (78%) accounted for higher percentages of the total variance.