Development and Initial Validation of the Effort Sense Rating Scale (ESRS): A Self-Perceived Index of Physical Fitness

Background. The Effort Sense Rating Scale is a non invasive, easy to administer, self-assessment device for deriving an index of physical fitness comprising only aerobic and anaerobic power components. The scale originates from the notion that people who have experienced varying degrees of effort doing "everyday" tasks can accurately estimate the exertion required in fairly common, physically demanding "situations" when provided with an appropriate perceptual frame-of-reference. Estimations elicited in this way can be scaled and used to categorize fitness level. This article reports an initial validity study. Further development of this technique is in progress. Sample. Forty volunteers from a university community, mainly students (17 women and 23 men), completed ESRS twice and then underwent submaximal aerobic (cycle ergometry: YMCA protocol) and anaerobic power (Wingate protocol) assessments. Results. Nonparametric correlation coefficients between the Effort Sense Rating Scale and the aerobic power were rs = 0.47 (P < 0.05) and anaerobic power rs = 0.62 (P < 0.05). Interpreted at the category level there was 77.5% agreement between ESRS indices and category levels for measured fitness components. Readministration of the Effort Sense Rating Scale after 14 days prior to physical assessments showed 100% consistency in choice of rating items with some changes in assigned values (rs = 0.86, P < 0.01). Conclusions. Modifications to the equivalence and selection of fitness elements and wording of the effort-demanding "scenarios," the discriminative level of the fitness categories, and broadening the size and composition of the validation sample are required to further enhance the veracity of the scale. Appropriately tuned, this perception-based approach to self-assessment of physical fitness can provide a low-cost, meaningful device for baseline setting and progress monitoring by people either entering or continuing with an exercise program for health-related fitness purposes.