Summary
The purpose of this study was to investigate the validity of heart rate (f c) and ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) as indices of exercise intensity in a group of children while swimming. Six healthy male swimmers, aged 10–12, swam tethered using the breast-stroke in a flume. The resistance started at 1.0 kg and increased in 1.0 kg steps up to the point of their exhaustion. The subjects swam for 5 min during each period, with a rest of 10–20 min until they had returned to their resting f c level. The last exercise intensity was with the maximal mass the subjects could support for 2 min. The last min of oxygen consumption (VO2) and 30 s of f c were measured during each exercise period. The subjects gave their RPE assessment at the end of exercise.
The individual relationships between f c and VO2, and percentage maximal oxygen consumption (% VO2max, were linear with a high correlation r=0.962–0.996 and r=0.962–0.996, respectively. Therefore, it was concluded that f c was valid as an index of the exercise intensity of children while swimming. Compared to the results found in adults using a similar protocol, the children's f c were 8.3–26.9 beats·min−1 higher than those of the adults at the given % VO2max. The present study showed two different patterns in the relationship between VO2 and RPE in individuals. In two subjects the RPE increased linearly with VO2 while in the other four subjects the increase was discontinuous. If f c and RPE were to be applied to the setting and evaluation of exercise intensity during swimming, it would seem that f c would be a more useful guide than RPE for some children.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Atomi Y, Iwaoka K, Hatta H, Miyashita M, Yamamoto Y (1986) Daily physical activity levels in pre-adolescent boys related to VO2max, and lactate threshold. Eur J Appl Physiol 55:156–161
Borg G (1970) Perceived exertion as an indicator of somatic stress. Scand J Med 2:92–98
Ekblom B, Goldbarg A (1971) The influence of physical training and other factors on the subjective rating of perceived exertion. Acta Physiol Scand 83:399–406
Eriksson BO (1972) Physical training, oxygen supply and muscle metabolism in 11–13 year old boys. Acta Physiol Scand [Suppl] 384:1–48
Gaisl G, Buchberger J (1980) Determination of the aerobic and anaerobic thresholds of 10–11-year-old boys using blood-gas analysis. In: Berg K, Eriksson BO (eds) Children and exercise IX. University Park Press, Baltimore, pp 93–98
Holmér I, Stein EM, Saltin B, Ekblom B, Astrand PO (1982) Hemodynamic and respiratory responses compared in swimming and running. J Appl Physiol 37:49–54
Ishihara T, Miyashita M (1982) An evaluation on the exercise in water as a means of improving the aerobic power (in Japanese with English abstract). Jpn J Sports Sci 1:325–328
Izumi I, Ishiko T (1984) Lactate threshold in pubescent boys (in Japanese with English abstract). Jpn J Phys Educ 28 (4):309–314
Kurokawa T, Ueda T (1986) The effect of water temperature on heart rate-oxygen uptake relationship during swimming (in Japanese with English title). Jpn J Phys Fitness Sports Med 35:304
Kurokawa T, Nomura T, Togashi S, Ikegami H (1984) Cardiorespiratory responses during swimming, running and bicycling in swimmers (in Japanese with English abstract). Jpn J Phys Fitness Sports Med 33:157–170
McArdle WD, Glaser RM, Magel JR (1971) Metabolic and cardiorespiratory response during free swimming and treadmill walking. J Appl Physiol 30:733–738
Miyashita M, Onodera K (1978) Rating of perceived exertion (in Japanese with English abstract). Jpn J Phys Fitness Sports Med 6:96–99
Miyashita M, Onodera K, Tabata I (1985) How Borg's RPE-scale has been applied to Japanese. In: Borg G, Ottoson D (eds) The perception of exertion in physical work. Wennergren International Symposium Series, available from No. 46, pp 27–34
Onodera K, Miyashita M (1977) A study on Japanese scale for rating of perceived exertion in endurance exercise (in Japanese with English abstract). Jpn J Phys Educ 21:191–203
Pandolf KB, Noble BJ (1973) The effects of pedaling speed and resistance changes on perceived exertion for equivalent power outputs on the bicycle ergometer. Med Sci Sports 5:132–136
Purvis JW, Cureton KJ (1981) Ratings of perceived exertion at the anaerobic threshold. Ergonomics 24:295–300
Sady SP, Savage MP, Thomson WH, Petratis MM (1983) The reliability of the VO2-HR relation during graded treadmill exercise in prepubertal boys and adult men. Res Q Exerc Sport 54:302–304
Stamford BA, Noble BJ (1974) Metabolic cost and perception of effort during bicycle work performance. Med Sci Sports 6:226–231
Tanaka H, Shindo M, Shiwa K, Ono T, Kajiyama H, Momii Y (1981) Blood lactate concentration in relation to running velocity in 9-year-aged boys (in Japanese with English abstract). Jpn J Phys Fitness Sports Med 9:27–33
Wakui T, Takahashi S, Kitagawa K, Ishiko T (1987) Validity of heart rate, exercise speed and rating of perceived exertion as measures of exercise intensity in swimming and walking in a swimming pool (Japanese with English abstract). Tokai Annu Rep Health Phys Educ 9:1–9
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ueda, T., Kurokawa, T. Validity of heart rate and ratings of perceived exertion as indices of exercise intensity in a group of children while swimming. Eur J Appl Physiol 63, 200–204 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00233848
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00233848