Final answer:
To determine intensity level during cardiorespiratory exercise, monitoring your heart rate is one of the best methods. It provides a direct measure of exercise intensity and can help ensure workouts are within the target heart rate zone.
Step-by-step explanation:
When participating in cardiorespiratory exercise, one of the best ways to determine your intensity level is to monitor your heart rate. This method allows you to assess how hard your heart is working during exercise and to ensure that you are exercising within your target heart rate zone. The heart rate can be correlated with cardiac output, which is the volume of blood the heart pumps per minute, and this relationship is influenced by the intensity of exercise. Regular monitoring of heart rate during exercise can also identify cardiovascular centers and cardiac reflexes that regulate heart function, thereby helping to maximize the efficiency of your workout.
Alternatively, the Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) is another method recognized by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) that gives a more complete view of an individual's actual exertion level. However, between the two, monitoring heart rate is more direct and quantifiable.