Your heart rate is one of your best, measurable indicators of overall fitness. When you exercise, your heart pushes oxygen-rich blood from your lungs to your muscles (which burn the oxygen like a car burns fuel) and back again. The harder you exercise, the more fuel your muscles demand, and the harder your heart beats. To maximize the benefits of exercise, it is critical to tailor the intensity to what your body is capable of, and your heart rate is your gauge for modifying the intensity level for maximum benefit. As you become more fit, your heart pumps more blood with each beat, your muscles get more fuel, and your heart becomes more efficient, beating at a slower rate. A heart rate monitor allows you to track your heart beat and see whether it's staying at the same level, or decreasing as your training progresses.
The most accurate heart rate monitors use a chest strap which fits snugly around your chest just below the breast. The transmitter detects the electrical activity of your heart just like an ECG. It relays this to a display, usually worn like a wristwatch, although some use earphones instead, or transmit to apps via Bluetooth. It is important for the strap to maintain contact or you get wild readings.
A "best" heart rate monitors provide nearly an internet worth of information. They often come with PC-compatible software to coach you through analyzing your workouts and building a program to reach specific fitness goals. They also often come with GPS tracking sensors or accelerometer foot pods to monitor speed, distance, and elevation. While the average outdoor enthusiast may be overwhelmed by the functionality of the best heart rate monitors, these are the tools Olympic athletes and world-class skiers use.
Basic models display only your heart rate, and perhaps elapsed exercise time. With increasing price you get a variety of useful features such as: Heart rate zone alarm: Set the zone and it alerts you when you are high or low. Timers: Countdown timer, stopwatch, interval timers, clock, alarm. Calories burned. Time in zone, splits. Fitness test. Computer link. Pre-programmed workouts.
If you want to know just steps, distance, and approximate calories burned during the nightly dog walk, a pedometer with its internal pendulum will suit you fine. But if you are looking for more detailed and accurate information about your current level of fitness so you can make progress toward improved fitness, a heart rate monitor is the best tool.
Even though a heart rate monitor can be an excellent way to judge the intensity of your workout, it's still important to pay attention to your body and not rely solely on the monitor for feedback. Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) and the "Talk Test" are two other ways to know how hard you're working.
The most accurate heart rate monitors use a chest strap which fits snugly around your chest just below the breast. The transmitter detects the electrical activity of your heart just like an ECG. It relays this to a display, usually worn like a wristwatch, although some use earphones instead, or transmit to apps via Bluetooth. It is important for the strap to maintain contact or you get wild readings.
A "best" heart rate monitors provide nearly an internet worth of information. They often come with PC-compatible software to coach you through analyzing your workouts and building a program to reach specific fitness goals. They also often come with GPS tracking sensors or accelerometer foot pods to monitor speed, distance, and elevation. While the average outdoor enthusiast may be overwhelmed by the functionality of the best heart rate monitors, these are the tools Olympic athletes and world-class skiers use.
Basic models display only your heart rate, and perhaps elapsed exercise time. With increasing price you get a variety of useful features such as: Heart rate zone alarm: Set the zone and it alerts you when you are high or low. Timers: Countdown timer, stopwatch, interval timers, clock, alarm. Calories burned. Time in zone, splits. Fitness test. Computer link. Pre-programmed workouts.
If you want to know just steps, distance, and approximate calories burned during the nightly dog walk, a pedometer with its internal pendulum will suit you fine. But if you are looking for more detailed and accurate information about your current level of fitness so you can make progress toward improved fitness, a heart rate monitor is the best tool.
Even though a heart rate monitor can be an excellent way to judge the intensity of your workout, it's still important to pay attention to your body and not rely solely on the monitor for feedback. Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) and the "Talk Test" are two other ways to know how hard you're working.
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Want to find out more about Polar Heart Rate Monitors, then visit Natalie van der Brogen's site on how to choose the best for your needs.
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