Reading training load with RPE
The RPE method to measure your players' training load: simple, free, and usable from your very next session.
Thibaud C. · Fitness coach · Last updated: September 26, 2026
RPE (Rating of Perceived Exertion) is a simple way to measure how hard a session felt. At the end of the session, each player gives a score from 0 to 10 (the Borg scale modified by Foster).
How to collect the answers
- Out loud: everyone calls out their number (quick, but leaves little written record).
- On a sheet or a board (recommended): simple, and it allows tracking.
- By message or form (WhatsApp, Google Form): convenient, but not essential.
Ideally, collect the RPE 15 to 30 minutes after the session, and individually (players are influenced by other people's answers).
How to calculate the load
Load = RPE × duration (in minutes) — expressed in AU (arbitrary units).
Example: a 90-minute session where a player says 6.5 ⇒ 6.5 × 90 = 585 AU.
What benchmarks?
Around 3,000 AU per week is an order of magnitude for a frequently trained team (already a very big week), to be calibrated on your own group — not a universal ceiling. With practice, you'll build your own reference values by type of session and block.
Increase the load gradually from one week to the next. It's a debated benchmark, but beyond roughly a 10 to 15% increase per week, injury risk tends to climb — simply because the body doesn't have time to adapt.
4 rules for reading RPE properly
- Never compare players with each other. You compare a player with himself: "he's usually at 5-6, today he's at 8".
- Look at the repeats, not an isolated value. A high RPE once = normal; 2-3 times in a row = a signal; plus visible fatigue = a warning.
- Compare with the intention of the session. Light → 3-4 · normal → 5-6 · intense → 7-8 · match → 8-9. A mismatch is useful information, not a mistake.
- Look at the spread. If most are at 5-6 but 2-3 players are at 8-9: the load is fine for the group, heavy for certain profiles.
| Intention of the session | Expected RPE (out of 10) |
|---|---|
| Light session | 3 to 4 |
| Normal session | 5 to 6 |
| Intense session | 7 to 8 |
| Match | 8 to 9 |
4 concrete cases
- RPE higher than expected → the session cost more than planned: lighten the next one, don't repeat the same load.
- High RPE for certain players → the load isn't being absorbed: adapt for them specifically, watch their recovery.
- Low RPE but good quality → a useful session at little cost: good maintenance, room to load more later.
- High RPE across several sessions → cumulative fatigue: plan a genuine breather, don't wait for someone to break down.
RPE doesn't tell you why a player is tired, nor which quality was worked on: always cross it with your own observation, the context and wellness questionnaires. And never forget enjoyment: players who enjoy themselves absorb load better and progress better.