Total Training Load Calculator
Total training load quantifies the cumulative physiological demand of all sessions across a week. This calculator uses the Foster session-RPE method: multiply each session's Rating of Perceived Exertion (CR-10 scale, 0-10) by its duration in minutes to get a session load in arbitrary units (AU). Summing all sessions gives your weekly total. The method correlates strongly with heart-rate-derived TRIMP scores and is widely used in research and elite sport programs.
Training load formula (Foster session-RPE method)
Session Load (AU) = Session RPE (CR-10) x Duration (minutes)
Weekly Load = sum of all session loads
The CR-10 scale runs from 0 (rest) to 10 (maximal exertion). RPE is collected 30 minutes after each session for a global impression of intensity.
Interpreting weekly training load
- Low weekly load (under 1,000 AU): suitable for beginners or active recovery weeks.
- Moderate load (1,000 to 2,000 AU): typical maintenance training for recreational athletes.
- High load (2,000 to 4,000 AU): common in competitive endurance or team sport athletes during build phases.
- Increase weekly load by no more than 10 percent per week to reduce overtraining risk.
- Use acute-to-chronic workload ratio (ACWR) alongside total load for injury risk monitoring.
Total training load: frequently asked questions
What is training load?
Training load quantifies the cumulative physiological stress of exercise over a period. It is commonly calculated by multiplying session Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE on a 0-10 scale) by session duration in minutes, giving a dimensionless Training Load unit (AU) per session.
What scale should I use for RPE?
The Foster session-RPE method uses Borg's CR-10 scale (0 to 10), where 0 is rest and 10 is maximal effort. Athletes report RPE approximately 30 minutes after each session to get a global impression of the whole workout rather than just the last effort.
How is total weekly training load calculated?
Total weekly load = sum of (session RPE x session duration in minutes) for all sessions in the week. For example, five sessions each rated 6/10 and lasting 60 minutes gives a total weekly load of 5 x 6 x 60 = 1,800 AU.
What is a safe weekly training load?
There is no universal safe threshold, as it depends on sport, experience, and individual fitness. Coaches commonly recommend limiting week-to-week load increases to no more than 10 percent and monitoring acute-to-chronic workload ratio (ACWR) to stay in a protective zone of 0.8 to 1.3.
Where does this method come from?
The session-RPE method was validated by Carl Foster and colleagues and published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research (2001). It correlates well with heart-rate-based methods such as the Banister TRIMP model and is widely used in team sport research.
Official sources
- Foster C et al. (2001). A new approach to monitoring exercise training. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 15(1), 109-115. PubMed 11708692.
- Banister EW (1991). Modeling elite athletic performance. In: Green H, McDougal J, Wenger H (eds). Physiological Testing of Elite Athletes. Human Kinetics, 403-424.
Reviewed by the CalculatorHub team, edited by James Graham, 14 June 2026. See our methodology.