Gauging Intensity

Not too hard, not too easy. Use these tips to work out right.

Was your last workout so hard you felt like quitting or worried about getting injured? Or so easy you barely broke a sweat? “The best way to achieve your fitness goals, whether that’s losing weight, training for a 5K or simply trying to be your healthiest, is to tune in to your intensity levels,” says Brad Schoenfeld, PhD, assistant professor of exercise science at Lehman College in the Bronx, New York. Here are four ways to measure your exercise intensity to make sure the workout is working for you.

RATE OF PERCEIVED EXERTION (RPE)

BEST FOR: Aerobic exercise