Classification of exercise intensity based on physiological and perceived exertion responses
| %V̇O2max | %HRpeak | %HRreserve or %V̇O2reserve | Perceived exertion* | |
| Light | 37–45 | 57–63 | 30–39 | RPE 9–11 |
| Moderate | 46–63 | 64–76 | 40–59 | RPE 12–13 |
| Vigorous | 64–90 | 77–95 | 60–89 | RPE 14–17 |
| Near maximal to maximal | ≥91 | ≥95 | ≥90 | RPE ≥18 |
Table adapted from ACSM20 and Garber et al.21
*As per the Borg 6–20 RPE scale.
ACSM, American College of Sports Medicine; %HRpeak, percentage of peak heart rate; %HRreserve, percentage of heart rate reserve; RPE, rating of perceived exertion; %V̇O2max, percentage of maximal oxygen uptake; %V̇O2reserve, percentage of oxygen uptake reserve.