rpe.guru

RPE

8–9

Intervals

Short, hard repeats with recovery between. They raise the top end of your fitness (VO2 max).

How it feels

  • 8, very hard: Hard to keep going. You can barely speak. Breathing: heavy and fast. Talk test: a word or two.
  • 9, near max: Almost everything you had. You couldn't hold it much longer. Breathing: gasping. Talk test: barely a word.

Start with

5 × 3 minutes at RPE 8–9, with 2–3 minutes easy jogging between. 15 minutes easy before and after.

How it builds

Add a repeat, then move to 4 × 4 minutes, then 5 × 4 minutes.

Watch out for

Going all out on the first one. Every repeat should be about the same pace.