Ratings of perceived exertion in a group of children while swimming at different temperatures

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to compare the Ratings of Perceived Exertion (RPE) in children while swimming at different temperatures. Five healthy male swimmers, aged 10 to 12, swam tethered using the breast stroke at 32 degrees C, 25 degrees C and 20 degrees C water temperature in a flume, and biked at 25 degrees C air temperature in contrast with swimming. In swimming, the resistance started at 1.0 kg and increased in 1.0 kg increments up to the point of exhaustion, and in bicycling, started at 0.5 kp with 60 rpm and increased in 0.5 kp increments, respectively. The subjects swam or biked for 5 min during each period, with a rest of 10 to 20 min until they had returned to their resting HR level. The last exercise intensity was for 5 min with the maximal weight the subjects could support. The last min of VO2 and 30 sec of HR were measured during each exercise period. The subjects gave their RPE assessment at the end of each exercise. The relationships between %VO2max and HR were linear with a high correlation coefficient (r = 0.995-0.998) in both water and air. However, the slope of the %VO2max-HR line tended to shift to the right in colder water. Increased VO2 of swimming in cold water was largely attributed to shivering. The RPE increased exponentially against %VO2max in both water and air and deviated more from linearity against HR. The RPE in 25 degrees C water was lowest at all submaximal swimming. At maximal swimming, however, the RPE in the four conditions were much the same. It seemed that the RPE responded differently from HR in varying water temperatures.