It keeps you motivated and offers immediate feedback on your workout.
WHETHER you're a fitness novice or a seasoned veteran, a heart rate monitor (HRM) is one of the best fitness investments you can make. It will keep you motivated, in the zone and honest about your workout performance.
I discovered this wonderful little tool about 15 years ago, and I still rely on it to know in an instant if I'm doing too little, too much, or just right.
Each of our From Flab to Fab Fitness Challenge participants received a Polar Heart Rate Monitor last week to stay on track with their fitness goals.
What is a HRM?
A heart rate monitor is comprised of two items: a transmitter and a watch. The transmitter has two electrodes that detect your heartbeat. Mounted on your chest with an elastic band, it relays the signal to a watch (wrist receiver) that displays your heart rate in beats per minute.
Why use an HRM?
A heart rate monitor delivers continuous feedback, whether you're doing weight training, running, or simply walking. In a nutshell, a heart rate monitor permits you to train smarter. Exercising in your target heart rate zone and at the right intensity level are two key components to reaching your fitness goals.
Sure, many people check their heart rate the old-fashioned way, by feeling their pulse. However, by the time you find your pulse, you may have missed 10 to 20 beats, and thus have an inaccurate reading. If you've ever taken a traditional aerobics class, the instructor typically does a pulse check after the aerobic segment. Most people manage to fumble around and find their pulse just when the instructor says to stop counting.
Listen to your heartbeat.
The target training zone for the average person is typically a heart rate of 50 percent to 85 percent of their maximum heart rate (MHR).
MHR is best defined as the number of times a person's heart can beat during one minute of exercising - a number that depends on many variables, such as age, gender, genetics and fitness level.
Clinical testing on a treadmill administered by a physician is by far the most accurate way to determine MHR. But there are also formulas you can use to approximate your MHR and your target training zone.
To determine your MHR, subtract your age from 220. For a 40-year-old, for example, the maximum heart rate would be 180 beats per minute. The target training zone would be 50 percent of that (90 beats a minute) for a beginning or out-of-shape exerciser, up to 85 percent (153) for an intermediate to advanced exercise enthusiast.
Another, more accurate method for determining your training zone is the Karvonen Formula. You must also know your resting heart rate (RHR) to use this formula: (MHR - RHR) x (Intensity + RHR).
Let's try this one using our 40-year-old, who has a RHR of 60 and is an intermediate/advanced exerciser. Her MHR is 180. Thus, her target training range would be 120 (minimum intensity, or 0.50) to 162 beats per minute (maximum intensity, or 0.85).
Check your meds
If you take prescription medications - for high blood pressure, for instance - you will likely have an artificially lower resting heart rate and will need guidance from your doctor to learn what your upper limits are.
In the end, working out comes down to one word - effectiveness. How effective is your workout?