Which physiological responses should an instructor monitor during class?

Monitoring heart rate, respiratory rate, and perceived exertion during a group exercise class is essential because these physiological responses provide critical feedback on the participants’ effort and safety levels.

Heart rate indicates how hard the heart is working and is a primary indicator of cardiovascular exertion. Keeping track of heart rates helps instructors ensure that participants are exercising within safe and effective intensity levels, promoting fitness while minimizing the risk of overexertion.

Respiratory rate is another important measure, as it reflects how well participants are oxygenating their bodies during exercise. An increased respiratory rate can signal higher levels of exertion, requiring instructors to adjust intensity or offer modifications to ensure safety and enjoyment of the workout.

Perceived exertion, often assessed through scales like the Borg Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE), provides subjective feedback from participants about how hard they feel they are working. This self-assessment can help instructors gauge if participants are, in fact, challenged enough without being overwhelmed, allowing for necessary adjustments to the class dynamics.

In contrast, while monitoring body temperature, energy levels, blood pressure, muscle soreness, hydration, and nutrition status can be important in specific contexts, they do not provide the immediate real-time feedback during exercise that heart rate, respiratory