The Talk Test

The ability to measure your intensity level while exercising is crucial to athletes, older adults, and people at risk for cardiovascular disease. Having an accurate measure of your heart rate (HR) is the preferred choice, but unless you have your own personal HR monitor and a clear understanding of what your target range should be, this is a tough method to use. As you get older, the equations used to measure target ranges becomes less and less accurate, and typically athletes will have a higher maximum HR than the average exerciser. Also, the heart rate monitors on cardio machines are also notoriously inaccurate, and having to stop mid-workout to check your pulse for 15 seconds can be frustrating.

Story: My mom is in her 60’s and just got back into a regular exercise routine (way to go, Mom!). One day, she came back from her class and told me that her trainer asked her to stay within a certain HR range while exercising, and it felt so easy she didn’t even break a sweat. This is a very common situation because the equation (220 – age = max HR) leaves less room to get your HR up the older you get. So the HR my mom was expected to stay at during her “intense” exercise is the same HR that I would typically warm up at. If you are new to exercise or at risk for heart attack or stroke, staying within this calculated range is important, but if you are otherwise healthy, I feel that it is important to listen to your body (and if it says it wants to work harder, let it).

Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) is another method of measuring intensity. This basically a method where you make a guess at how hard you are working and match it to a number scale (example: 1 = rest, 10 = maximum exertion). The problem with this method is that it depends solely on how well you know your own body and its capabilities. Tip: If you want to become proficient at RPE I recommend borrowing a heart rate monitor for a few months to compare your actual heart rate with how you perceive your intensity level.

The Talk Test is a wonderful alternative for the average person who wants to get the most out of their workout without the restrictions or frustrations of measuring heart rate, and finds number scales confusing (like I do).

Warm-up: You are able to carry on a normal conversation.
Moderate: You can still talk but have to take a breath between sentences.
Intense: You can only say a few words before having to take another breath.
Maximum: You can no longer talk between breaths.

Note: The Talk Test works best if you have someone to talk to, so get out there with a friend and enjoy being active together!