Why You Should Monitor Your Heart When Exercising

Most people just keep themselves fit by exercising without monitoring their progress on each exercise activity. What they are missing is the importance of keeping track of their heart rate and calorie expenditure during their workout. With the use of a heart rate monitor, it will allow you to reap more benefit from your fitness program and even improve your overall health condition. Not only will it help you from easily feeling tired and burned out during exercise, it will also allow you to determine the ideal pacing just enough to burn the right amount of calories and gain muscle you have always wanted.

How the Heart Rate Monitor Helps

The common mentality among individuals who train to gain muscle is to push their bodies beyond its limit to know how stronger the body is becoming. While it is true that reaching a higher intensity would test your stamina and endurance, going beyond what you can actually achieve can somehow become dangerous for in the long run, instead of gaining positive results, it becomes a detrimental factor that might endanger your health. When the heart rate goes over your maximum training rate, you will eventually burn not only calories but important heart muscles as well. This might lead to some serious health complications.

There are four heart rate training zones starting from low intensity, moderate, high, and maximum effort. These levels shall be your guide to know the intensity of your cardio exercise. With each zone, you will expect your fitness level to be more enhanced and your endurance be developed. However, never ignore this vital information about monitoring your heart rate: you should first know your maximum heart rate that is safe for you before hit the gym. This value is accurately determined through a cardiac stress test that only a physician can conduct because of the risks associated with a high heart rate.

The Importance Of Getting Your Pulse

To find out how hard you are working out, you need to take your pulse throughout your exercise program. The pulse rate will tell the level of intensity of your exercise. Depending on your health, a target heart rate will be recommended for you to achieve while working out. This target heart rate which is recommended by a physician is specific for your weight, age, and health condition so you should never attempt to go beyond this limit for your own good.

People who are advised to lose weight and participate in an exercise program such as those with heart conditions will benefit the most by using a heart rate monitor. The device will help them achieve their weight loss goals while staying within the limit that is healthy and safe for them. The heart rate monitor will allow the user to adjust how hard he is exercising when his heart rate becomes too high.

Monitoring the heart rate will also guide you with the proper pacing especially when you have been inactive for quite awhile or are just planning to start exercising. It’s more like a car’s speedometer–it measures how fast you are going. But just like driving, you should know when to slow down and stop. Our body also has its own limits that once you’ve reached that limit, you’ll pay for the price for going beyond.

Presuming you’re already hooked into your fitness program, you will normally be curious and would like to have a complete and accurate assessment of your program which the heart rate monitor can conveniently provide you. Using this absolutely essential and beneficial tool in your exercise program provides a generally reliable information of how hard you need to train to achieve optimal results. You can calibrate your heart rate monitor to your desired specifications, and it will keep track of your entire workout, showing the intensity and overall quality of the exercise. Since your pulse rate will automatically be measured by the heart rate monitor, there’s no need to stop and take your pulse; which means saving more time and energy for you to do other stuff for the rest of the day while at the same time getting an accurate reading all throughout your gym or training session.

These are the reasons why the heart rate monitors are very much in demand recently. More and more people are buying it, making it a valuable tool for them. This device helps each individual understand the value of their fitness program and assists them to efficiently achieve their personal health goals.

Using Heart Rate Monitors Will Help You Lose Weight

We live in a disparaging world where most people seem to be concerned more about our social, financial, intellectual and physical well-being. Though all of us wouldn’t agree to it, our physical appearance is more often than not, the first to be scrutinized and judged by man. Naturally, everybody would feel accepted if they excel or at the very least fit in to this generation’s fab and fit mentality. In America alone, millions have engaged themselves in various diet and fitness programs and according to surveys, countless are planning to begin one.

Maybe at one point, it may have crossed your mind on what gadget will most effectively aid you in reaching your fitness goals. There are unlimited choices of fitness devices to help us lose or maintain our ideal weight. However, among these choices, one product that stands out would be heart rate monitors. This valuable tool can aid you to lose weight faster and effectively. Dieting alone cannot suffice. Losing weight in a healthy manner entails eating right and exercising using the right equipment.

The heart rate monitor is a vital tool in avoiding injuries, over-exertion and excessive stress to your cardiovascular system during workouts. Using a sensor that is fitted around the chest, it will automatically detect signals from the heart and counting each beat. The device’s unique algorithm will let it accurately compute the user’s heart rate. As you may know, our heart rate tells us hard we are working out. The heart rate rises in response to the physiological stress that we encounter during exercise in order to deliver sufficient oxygen to the various body tissues including our muscles. Hence, it would be best to monitor your heart rate when exercising to know how to pace yourself every time you exercise as there might be some instances that you may not notice that you are pushing yourself way too far, more than your heart can accommodate. Using a heart rate monitor therefore, would be a great addition to your workout without the risk of getting injured.

Moreover, you will benefit more and won’t have to be tired so easily during or after your workout. Using this device, you can maintain your heart rate within the fat burning zone without straining yourself. You should also keep in mindful of having a consultation with your physician to have a full grasp on monitoring your heart rate regularly and to be more informed regarding the intensity of your weight management and exercise program.

For individuals who have been advised by their physician to stick to a rigid diet and exercise program, it is best to have your heart rate monitored regularly. By using this watch-like device during exercise, they will surely maintain a safe heart rate as well as the total calories you’ve burned without having to be interrupted by stopping to take down their pulse.

This indispensable tool can also be used by healthy individuals to further improve their cardiovascular condition when doing cardio exercises. When you use your heart rate monitor, you’ll feel not only a sense of well being but also a sense of relief and satisfaction knowing that you won’t burn heart muscles due to over exercising since your heart rate is constantly monitored throughout the workout. You can even set your daily and weekly goals using its advanced features like calorie counters. Some models will even save these information that you can review at a later time to help you track your progress.

You can chose from a wide variety of heart rate monitors in the market depending on which one suits your lifestyle and budget. There are heart rate monitors that can fit snugly around the chest just below the breast. Some models can be worn around the wrist, like a wrist watch, which can be very convenient for runners, cyclists, and brisk walkers. These tools not only monitors your current heart rate but also presents the calories you’ve lost with each exercise session; conducts a fitness test; measures your cardiac rate, and keeps an accurate information from the beginning to the end of each workout..

Make a firm decision to live longer by improving your health; start by caring for your heart. Get rid of those unwanted fats, excess weight and feel a whole lot better with yourself. Acquiring a heart rate monitor will definitely help you feel empowered and motivated with your fitness program and lifestyle.

Heart Rate Monitor Watches for Women

During exercise, our heart rate tells us how hard we are working out. This is why many athletes as well as people who love to work out use a heart rate monitor to track their progress during training, or to simply monitor their current physical state. But because each user has special needs and activities, heart rate monitors are made differently in terms of color, shapes, and sizes.  And now, women’s heart rate monitors are becoming more distinct than the version for men.

Basically, heart rate monitors count a person’s heart beat per minute and other parameters with the use of a strap that is fitted around the chest. In order to do this, the chest strap must come in good contact with the user’s skin for the sensors to detect the electric signals emitted with each heart beat and give an accurate result. This may not pose a problem to women who have flat chests and can wear regular chest straps. But those who have larger cup sizes may find them uncomfortable. In the long run, using chest straps may also feel sore and may irritate the skin causing chaffing. Because of this, today’s heart rate monitors have chest straps that are styled for a more comfortable fit for women.

One good alternative for chest straps would be wearing a special sports bra. This type of sports bra is designed to function like a chest strap transmitter with its tiny sensors embedded in the fabric. Some sports bra like the Numetrex Sports Bra and the Polar Cardio Bra include a sensor that is already attached underneath the garment thus eliminating the need for those annoying straps. No need to worry about loose straps. It picks up the signals from the heart from the electrodes in the bra and transmits the result wirelessly through a built-in antenna to a separate wristwatch unit. The bra itself is also durable, and can last for more than a hundred washings.

But if you are one of these people who are completely bothered by the presence of chest straps, the best bet for you would be the strapless heart rate monitors. As the name implies, these are revolutionary watches that don’t include any chest strap at all. All you have to do is to touch sensors on the face of the watch, and after a few seconds it will automatically display the heart rate. Others have a sensor that is simply worn on the finger or the arm. There are also models like the InstaPulse Cardio Heart Rate Monitor that only requires holding the device and after such, it will reveal the user’s current heart rate.

However, there have been varied feedbacks regarding strapless heart rate monitors. Because of the need to halt from any activity for you to get a reading, the results then are not continual. Thus some users have doubts in using these types of heart rate monitors for zone training or while running or swimming. But experts agree that such units are ideal for getting periodic readings as well as measuring the resting and recovery heart rate. On the other hand, most of them can still track calories burned. Other features such as GPS capability, cadence sensors, and foot pods are optional and may depend on the brand and model.

Furthermore, women no longer have to worry about style, comfort, and fashion when it comes to their wristwatch receivers.  Unlike the regular ones, today’s heart rate monitors come in many different colors and styles. They are also slightly smaller to fit feminine wrists and look trendy and chic while continuously reading the heart rate. This allows you to use the heart rate monitor anytime any where.

Modern heart rate monitors are also very much versatile, and most of them are compatible with extra devices of the same brand. Some may even look very fancy yet they can offer a more advanced technology, better displays, and more features such as those from well-known brands like Polar, Garmin, Bowflex, Timex, Mio, and Suunto. But always remember that the most important thing to consider is the still the accuracy of the results.

Selecting a suitable heart rate monitor for you would mainly depend on the activity that you wish to use the heart rate monitor with as well as how much money you are willing to spend for the device. But with the current number of heart rate monitors available today, it is not impossible to find one that matches your needs and style.

Heart Rate Monitors with GPS

Heart rate monitors come with a variety of functions to suit the needs of its user. The GPS or Global Positioning System perhaps, is one of the most advanced features fitted inside this kind of device.

Any device that is GPS-enabled can track the real-time location of the user or any position on the face of the planet. It generates maps, roads, infrastructures, or even directions where you ought to go. When incorporated into a heart rate monitor, the prime purpose of GPS is to monitor the distance you have traveled from your starting point to your current location (mileage), as well as your velocity, and your coordinates.

For this reason, heart rate monitors with a GPS feature would be ideal for multi-sports such as running, cycling, sailing, windsurfing, or plain walking. A heart rate monitor with GPS would be best for triathlons. However, you should choose a model that works well on the water. Most HRMs are waterproof for a few meters, but the GPS signal does not track distance while swimming like it does on land. Fortunately, some models like the Garmin 310XT have improved their software for these kinds of technical issues.

Routes can be downloaded from Google maps or other digital maps available. To navigate through a map, a GPS receiver is necessary to obtain signals from GPS satellites in the earth’s atmosphere. They may come as a separate unit such as in the Timex T5J985 Trail Runner BodyLink, or may be integrated with the wristwatch receiver like the Garmin Forerunner 405. The capacity to get stronger signals depends on the type of GPS watches you are using.  One of the most popular types of GPS watches is the Garmin Forerunner 305 that is equipped with a highly-sensitive GPS receiver that works even on dense tree-covered trails and tall buildings. Like most heart rate monitors, it also collects an array of data such as an advanced calorie expenditure computation, average heart rate, elevation, and distance. A cadence and speed meter may be added that can be used during cycling.

The inclusion of a GPS in a heart rate monitor would be very useful, if you’re ready to spend some extra money for it.

Are Strapless Heart Rate Monitors Useful?

Generally, heart rate monitors are subdivided into two major categories: those with chest strap transmitters and the strapless type. Knowing which type of heart rate monitor is suited for you depend on your intentions of using it.

If you have noticed, conventional heart rate monitors include a transmitter that is worn around the chest to pick up electrical signals from the heart and count the heart rate of a person. Hence, to be able to get a heart rate, you should always wear the chest strap transmitter during workouts. Sadly enough, some users particularly women are annoyed by the presence of this strap because can be uncomfortable and can easily slip out of position. Many of them also necessitate wetting the strap or applying a conductive gel for better conduction. Because of this, strapless heart rate monitors are increasingly gaining in popularity.

Athletes and seasoned exercisers have professed that heart rate monitors with chest straps offer more accurate readings than strapless ones, which is why many have asked whether strapless heart rate monitors are just as effective. Here, we look into the strengths and drawbacks of strapless HRMs and draw a conclusion of their efficiency.

In identifying the advantages, first it is essential to look at how a strapless heart rate monitor works.

Review on Strapless Heart Rate Monitors

It is undeniable that one of its greatest benefits is to perform the same functions with the conventional HRM without the hassle of wearing a strap for a transmitter. This is due to the fact that they detect a person’s electrical impulses from his fingertips using a fingertip sensor. Therefore, it measures the heart rate of a person when he places his two fingertips unto the sensor–which is also its disadvantage.

To get a reading, a person may need to pause for a while to touch the sensors. This poses danger for cyclists who may have to remove one hand from the handlebar and become diverted from the activity. But now, newer units have been released to provide a continuous monitoring without having to touch the sensors of the watch. There are strapless types that include a ring sensor that is simply fitted to one of the fingers to conduct signals and measure heart rate, there is also another type that is wound around an arm and it will automatically provide the user a continuous reading. A good example for this is the ePulse Strapless Heart Rate Monitor and Calorimeter that uses the same technology as cardiac monitors found in hospitals and clinics.

Many manufacturers have claimed that a strapless heart rate monitor is just as accurate with an electrocardiogram. And several critics have also supported this claim by using heart rate monitors with and without a chest strap side-by-side. And the results yield no apparent difference in their measurements. Furthermore, they can also be programmed with the target heart rate zones plus many features.

Little by little, strapless heart rate monitors are being used in various sports activities. Apart from that, they are also very convenient to use anytime all throughout the day without the need to have a bulky strap around your chest.

Target Heart Rate: Getting the Optimum Heart Rate

When working out, a target heart rate is essential as it guides an individual of keeping his intensity within his or her upper and lower heart rate limits. Exercising below your limits will not burn enough calories and bring about minor or no results in terms of improving your cardiovascular fitness. Likewise, overtraining will also burn too much calories and eventually burn you out. Beginners are recommended to begin with the lowest intensity and gradually building up. In the future, baby steps will bring surprising results.

Low Fitness Level at around 50-60% of the maximum heart rate is ideal for starters or those who have low fitness level.

Low Intensity or Temperate Zone is about 60-70% of the maximum heart rate. This is a good choice for those who wish to warm up. Exercising at this pace may also allow some fat burning.

Moderate Intensity or the Aerobic Zone is 70-80% is the most effective and most recommended exercise intensity. At this rate, a person improves his capacity to transport oxygen to various parts of the body as well as eliminating the carbon dioxide from within. It is very effective in increasing the muscle strength and burning stored fat.

High Intensity workouts require 80-90% of the maximum heart rate and burns more calories. This is also called the lactic threshold or anaerobic threshold.

Maximum Intensity or the Red Light Zone is 90-100% of the maximum heart rate. This is the farthest zone that a person can go. This zone is only recommended for the advanced athletes or exercisers. Training should be limited in a short period as lactic acid can easily generate.

**In identifying the best intensity, it is best to talk to your doctor first for safety purposes.

Calculating Target Heart Rate

Basically, the target heart rate can be estimated. A quick formula for getting the range of your target heart rate is done by getting the maximum heart rate of a person multiplying it with the target heart rate zone or level of intensity mentioned above.

Getting the Maximum Heart Rate

Ideally, the maximum heart rate (Max HR or HR_max) must be taken by a physician on a clinical setting. It involves the use of a treadmill (stress test) while the doctor is monitoring changes in the EKG during the activity. Another option is a formula estimating the HR_max. However, the results are less accurate than the cardiac stress test.

To get the rough calculation of the HR_max, subtract the person’s age from 220 for males, and 226 for females.

For instance, for a 30 year –old male adult:

220 – 30 = 190 beats per minute

Estimating the Target Heart Rate

There are a variety of ways to estimate the target heart rate. An easy method would be multiplying the maximum heart rate with the level of intensity you intend to pursue.

Example:

If the HR_max 190 beats per minute, and that person is simply starting out, we can assume that the level of intensity belongs to the low intensity (around 60-70% of the HR_max)

To compute for the lower heart rate:

190 bpm x 0.60= 114 beats per minute

To compute for the upper heart rate:

190 bpm x 0.70= 133 beats per minute

Therefore, the range of the target heart rate of that person for a low intensity workout is between 114 up to 133 beats per minute.

Using This Information

A heart rate monitor can do all the progress tracking for you. You can set a specific range of your desired heart rate (target heart rate) to make sure you are not over or under training. A heart rate monitor could also determine the period it takes for you to reach your target heart rate and the length of time it takes for the heart rate to return to normal after training.

Working out gradually and within the specified limits is a lot better than overexertion. It improves circulation especially the pumping action of the heart. In the long run, the resting heart rate decreases as because of the optimal heart function.

Heart Rate Monitors and Calorie Expenditure

What a heart rate monitor does is self-explanatory. But did you know that some models include rough estimation of the calories burned during training?

Energy expenditure, expressed in Kcal, is a typical feature in most modern generation of heart rate monitors. To name a few, Polar F4, F6, F11, and S-410 models can predict this value depending on an individual’s personal information such as the gender and body weight. But an important factor to the calculation of caloric expenditure is the user’s heart rate.

The intensity of the workout is also said to contribute to the calories burned. Intensities are classified as target heart rate zones. Calories are burned at different rates for each zone. The following numbers are the predictable number of calories burned each minute.

Low Fitness Level 3-7 calories per minute

Low Intensity or Temperate Zone 7-12 calories per minute

Moderate Intensity or Aerobic Zone 12-17 calories per minute

High Intensity or Anaerobic Threshold 17-20 calories per minute

Maximum Intensity or Red light Zone >20 calories per minute

**The figures stated above are only approximations than the actual calories expenditure.

As the intensity grows higher, the calorie expenditure also increases. The maximum intensity burns the highest amount of calories however, the length of time dedicated to training at this rate should be very short as lactic acid easily accumulates. On the other hand, fats are burned at a different rate than carbohydrates. Fats burn because of the presence of oxygen. That is why on the first and second training zone, 85% of the burned calories are fats. Once in the anaerobic threshold, the amount of fat burned is lower.

With the use of the heart rate monitor, a person will know if he is exercising at the intensity right enough to burn calories and body fat. In addition, it also keeps a record of the amount of calories gained and lost to help an individual reach his/her fitness goals.

Features of a Heart Rate Monitor

Since its invention in 1977, heart rate monitors have gone through a lot of changes. There are already hundreds of styles and generations of heart rate monitors, and several companies have joined in the development of such fitness equipment. In the long run, the simple gadget that used to take only the heart rate of the Finnish Ski team has evolved into a more useful product. However, the addition of other features comes along with an increased cost

A major consideration in selecting a heart rate monitor (HRM) is the information that you will need for your training. Basically, reading the heart rate is the most important function. As for features, it is essential that you also know how to use them before purchasing.

Heart rate zone alarm

Perhaps, an alarm would be important to those who want to make sure they are getting the optimum heart rate to burn calories. A heart rate zone alarm includes audio and sometimes visual alarm whether the user is exercising too hard or too low. The user should set the target heart rate (range) prior to workout.

Calorie expenditure

Another key feature of newer models is the calories burned during exercise. The wristwatch automatically calculates the burned calories based on the heart rate, gender, and body weight of the user. Some brands have developed the feature to monitor differently between athletes and average users.

Memory

In order for the user to track his progress, he must record each session in the device’s memory. Some HRMs do not have an expanded memory that you may want to opt to manual recording instead.

Computer compatibility

A computer-compatible HRM might come with a hefty price. But this will allow you to save the data for each session to your computer where you can analyze the results much easier.

Unique signal

For HRMs with chest strap, it is essential that the device includes a unique coded signal to avoid interference with similar HRMs leading to inaccurate results.

Furthermore, there is also a big difference when it comes to choosing between HRMs with and without a chest strap. The tendency of a strapless kind is that the user must pause from a workout to read his heart rate, although this takes only around 3-5 seconds. An HRM that comes along with a chest strap is more convenient as it continuously takes the heart rate of the user without having the need to halt from training. But it is important to make sure that the strap

Introduction to Heart Rate Monitors

Using a heart rate monitor during workout has become the latest trend for sport circles. Why? Because it can determine the efficiency and impact of an individual’s training through his/her heart rate for a specific activity.

Our body uses oxygen to fuel our cells and generate energy. When there is an increase in the activity, the demand for oxygen also rises. The heart compensates with this by increasing the rate of its pumping to effectively deliver adequate amount of oxygen to vital tissues. As one increases his exercise intensity, the heart rate also increases. Over time, the body begins to adapt to this and will require you to work harder to improve your cardiovascular and muscular performance. To prevent over and under-training, a device called a heart rate monitor determines whether you are working out with the intensity that is appropriate for you.

Heart rate monitors allows immediate feedback about a person’s training effort.  It uses the same technology like that of the electrocardiogram—electrodes attached to the chest by means of straps or microprocessor fabrics that monitor the electric signal emitted by the heart for each beat. The electrodes deliver the signal wirelessly to a receiver that can be worn by the user. Some models do almost all calculations needed and identify whether you are training on the right level.

The great thing about modern heart monitors is that it gives you real time and reliable objective results rather than based on your feelings. Other than counting heart rates per minute, it also includes a number of features. Calorie expenditure can be estimated by some heart rate monitors. Additional accessories, such as foot pods, are available depending on its usage.

In the past, most athletes were used to extreme exercise, pushing themselves to the limit, and eventually suffer from exhaustion, injuries, and medical disorders. But with the arrival of heart rate monitors, improving athletic performance can now be done safely.

Heart Rate Monitoring Devices

When working out, you don’t know how fast or slow you already are. Oftentimes, you just want to exercise hard and see the results immediately. As a result, you are actually doing more harm than good. A heart rate monitor is an exercise tool that determines whether your efforts are matched to your target training level. Typically, it consists of two devices—a chest strap transmitter and a wristwatch receiver.

There are various models of heart rate monitors that cater to the different needs of the user. Each year, newer generations are developed allowing for comfort, style, while maintaining the accuracy of their readings.

Chest Strap

The heart rate can be measured at any part of the body where there is arterial pulsation. The most common areas where we can manually elicit a pulse is on the wrist and at the side of the neck. But the most accurate point is at the apical pulse of the heart. For this reason, a chest strap made from plastic or fabric is fastened around the chest to detect electric signals coming from each heart beat. Sensors in the chest strap analyze these signals, and send them to the receiver.

Receivers

The transmitter sends the signals to the receiver wirelessly with a unique code to prevent interference with similar gadgets. The receiver counts these signals and displays the data on the screen. Newer styles can be set to record the time, estimate the calories burned with the activity, and audible and visual alarms if the user is exceeding or lower intensity than the target heart rate zones he/she has determined from the beginning.

Receivers are usually in the form of wristwatches.

Strapless Heart Rate Monitors

Some models do not require a chest strap to detect the heart rate. Instead, it uses a different technology where the user only needs to wear a wrist receiver.

Normally, it takes only a few seconds to take the heart rate with a strapless heart rate monitor. The person has to complete or “close” the electric circuit that passes through the watch (receiver). For example, two fingers from one hand must touch the sensors located on the surface of the watch. Also, make sure that it is properly attached to the wrist. Hand-held heart rate monitors may need to be held by both hands to create an electrical loop across the body. The device then reads the heart rate and puts them on the display. However, some features are not as detailed as heart rate monitors with chest straps. Usually, strapless types are waterproof and can be used while swimming.