Comparison of Perceived Exercise Intensity and Objective Exercise Intensity During A Freestyle Wrestling Match

This study compared perceived exercise intensity and objective exercise intensity during a freestyle wrestling match. Twelve elite collegiate male wrestlers performed freestyle wrestling matches with three 2-min periods. Perceived exercise intensity and objective exercise intensity were evaluated by the 6–20 point Borg rating of perceived exertion (RPE) scale and heart rate (HR), respectively. To compare these values directly, three methods were used: (1) comparison of RPE increased by 10 times and HR (method-1); (2) classification of five exercise intensities (very light, 1; near-maximal to maximal, 5) (method-2); and (3) classification of seven exercise intensities (very light, 1; near-maximal to maximal, 7) by subdividing scales in method-2 (method-3). Perceived exercise intensity was significantly lower than objective exercise intensity in each period (all P < 0.05, method-1), in the first period (P = 0.007, method-2), or in the first and second periods (all P < 0.01, method-3). Perceived exercise intensity of the winners was significantly lower than that of the losers (P = 0.04, method-1; P = 0.03, method-2), but objective exercise intensity was not significantly different between them. These results suggest that wrestlers, especially winners, feel lower exercise intensity compared with actual exercise intensity during a wrestling match.