Power vs Heart Rate vs RPE: Which Metric is Best?

OVERVIEW
Power, heart rate, or RPE (rate of perceived exertion or how you feel)? Which data point is best for gauging intensity during training or a race, and which is best for monitoring training progress? Coach Adam Pulford tackles these frequently asked questions in Episode 249 of "The Time-Crunched Cyclist Podcast". Although ALL THREE metrics have their place, Coach Adam reveals the hierarchy for what matters most and what metrics are used for context. 

TOPICS COVERED

• Power vs Heart Rate vs RPE Hierarchy
• How to keep HR from drifting up during intervals
• Why HR might drop during intervals
• Why prioritize Power first, then RPE, and HR last
• Training at the top vs bottom of power zones
• All about Rate of Perceived Effort (RPE)
• Why three data points are better than one

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LINKS/RESOURCES

• Eston, R., & Connolly, D. (1996).
  Use of Ratings of Perceived Exertion for Exercise Prescription in the Elderly.
  Validates RPE as a tool even without heart rate monitoring.
  Shows strong correlation between RPE and physiological markers like VO2 max and lactate threshold.
• Faulkner, J., et al. (2008).
  Rating of perceived exertion during isometric and dynamic exercise is influenced by the duration of exercise.
  Indicates how fatigue alters perceived effort.
• Garcin, M., Fleury, A., & Billat, V. (2002).
  The correlation between RPE and physiological variables (heart rate, lactate) in cycling.
  Found strong correlation between RPE and lactate threshold, especially in trained cyclists.
  Source: International Journal of Sports Medicine.
• Seiler, S., & Kjerland, G.Ø. (2006).
  Quantifying training intensity distribution in elite endurance athletes: is there evidence for an "optimal" distribution?
  RPE used as a monitoring tool for training load in elite cyclists and runners.
  Source: Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports.
• González-Alonso J, et al. (1999). Influence of body temperature on the cardiovascular response to exercise. Journal of Applied Physiology, 86(2), 599–605.
  https://doi.org/10.1152/jappl.1999.86.2.599
• Berntson GG, et al. (1997). Heart rate variability: Origins, methods, and interpretive caveats. Psychophysiology, 34(6), 623–648.
  https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-8986.1997.tb02140.x

HOST
Adam Pulford has been a CTS Coach for nearly two decades and holds a B.S. in Exercise Physiology. He's participated in and coached hundreds of athletes for endurance events all around the world.

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