Ui. Balldin et al., PERCEIVED EXERTION DURING SUBMAXIMAL G-EXPOSURES BEFORE AND AFTER PHYSICAL-TRAINING, Aviation, space, and environmental medicine, 65(3), 1994, pp. 199-203
Ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) were registered at submaximal leve
ls in G endurance tests of a combined strength and endurance training
program in 17 pilots. After 12 months of physical training, the endura
nce G tolerance (time to exhaustion during simulated aerial combat man
euver], increased by a mean of 40% (p < 0.001), while the mean RPE at
5 min submaximal G exposure decreased by 1.2 units (0 < 0.02). Followi
ng 12 months of physical training, a significant relationship was obse
rved between the improvement of the endurance G tolerance and the decr
ease of the RPE at 5 min (0 = 0.05). Mean SaO(2) at 5 min increased fr
om 84 to 90% (0 < 0.01) after training, while heart rate responses to
G stress did not change. It is concluded that mean RPE and, to some ex
tent, mean SaO(2) during submaximal G exposures may be used as indicat
ors of shifts in endurance G tolerance. The procedure may reduce the n
eed for exhaustive G tolerance tests with associated risks and discomf
ort.