Training-load method
Session RPE training load: useful arithmetic with clear limits
Calculate session RPE × duration, preserve the subjective rating and missing-time caveats, and avoid turning training load into an injury forecast.
The short answer
Session-RPE load multiplies a whole-session effort rating by session duration, commonly in minutes. A 45-minute workout rated 7 produces 315 arbitrary units. It is a practical way to summarize perceived internal load across activities, but the result is athlete-specific, depends on consistent rating and duration, and should not be treated as a medical or injury-risk prediction.
Show the arithmetic
Keep session load attached to duration and effort.
LogFast preserves the raw minutes, RPE, activity, and source workout behind every derived training-load value.
Track session effortKeep the input visible
The multiplication is simple; the interpretation is not. Display duration, the scale used, the rating, and the resulting arbitrary units. Do not calculate zero when duration is missing, and do not mix 1–10 and 6–20 scales without conversion and disclosure.
- Use a consistent post-session RPE scale
- Use actual recorded duration
- Keep the athlete and modality context
- Show raw inputs behind every weekly total
Use it for within-person patterns
Session RPE can summarize running, lifting, games, and classes when external work uses incompatible units. It does not mean 300 units of cycling equals 300 units of lifting in tissue demand or adaptation. Compare an athlete with their own history and keep activity mix visible.
Worked example: 60 min × RPE 5 = 300 AU. A 30 min × RPE 10 session also equals 300 AU mathematically, yet the sessions are not interchangeable.
Do not overpromise risk prediction
Training-load ratios and thresholds are often presented with more certainty than a consumer log can support. Use session-RPE load to ask better questions about recent demand, not to clear someone medically, diagnose fatigue, or guarantee injury prevention.
Frequently asked questions
When should I rate session RPE?
Use a consistent timing after the session so the rating reflects the whole workout rather than only its hardest moment.
Can I add session-RPE load across a week?
Yes as a within-person summary when scales and duration conventions are consistent; keep the underlying sessions and activity mix available.
What if workout duration is unknown?
Leave load unavailable for that session rather than treating missing duration as zero or guessing.