Article Title: A Novel Approach for Lactate Threshold Assessment Based on RPE

Abstract This study aimed to test the hypothesis that the D MAX (for maximal distance) method could be applied to ratings of perceived exertion (RPE), in order to propose a novel method for individual detection of the lactate threshold (LT) using RPE alone during an incremental test to exhaustion. Twenty-one participants performed an incremental test on cycle ergometer. At the end of each stage, lactate concentration was measured and the participants estimated RPE using the Borg CR100 scale. The intensity corresponding to the fixed lactate values of 2 or 4 mmol.L -1 (2mM and 4mM), the ventilatory threshold (VT), the respiratory compensation point (RCP) and the instant of equality of pulmonary gas exchange (RER =1.00 ) were determined. Lactate (D MAX La ) and RPE (D MAX RPE ) thresholds were determined using the D MAX method. Oxygen uptake ( 2. VO ), heart rate (HR) and power output (PO) measured at D MAX RPE and at D MAX La were not statistically different. Bland-Altman plots showed small bias and good agreements when D