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.
While there are many heart rate monitor choices, it's not as overwhelming as it may appear. Not to overly simplify, but the price increases with the number of performance features. Think "basic, better, best." In many cases, you simply do not need tons of features. On the other hand, an heart rate monitor is an investment that lasts years, and we would advise that you select the highest level heart rate monitor that you think you'll need so you're not "penny wise and pound foolish."
A new breed of devices began debuting in 2012 and 2013. Worn as a wristwatch or armband, they use optical sensors on the back of the device to continuously read your pulse through the skin. You get a real-time readout of your heart rate, just as with the chest strap monitors. Although make sure you do your homework as sometimes the readouts, especially on the cheaper Timex models, don't always work to plan.
A heart rate monitor is an electronic device that allows you to continuously monitor your heart rate while exercising. Typically it consists of two elements, a comfortable chest strap and a wrist receiver. The chest strap is adjustable to accommodate a variety of sizes. You strap it around the chest, and it picks up your heartbeat and transmits it to the receiver, which usually doubles as a digital watch. The receiver then displays your heart rate (among other things) during your exercise session.
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.
Once you have chosen which features you want, it comes down to price. Sales are common and you can find a wide variation in the price of the same model. Shop around and you may be pleased to find your dream monitor for much less than suggested retail price. But the most important thing is to enjoy your workout!
While there are many heart rate monitor choices, it's not as overwhelming as it may appear. Not to overly simplify, but the price increases with the number of performance features. Think "basic, better, best." In many cases, you simply do not need tons of features. On the other hand, an heart rate monitor is an investment that lasts years, and we would advise that you select the highest level heart rate monitor that you think you'll need so you're not "penny wise and pound foolish."
A new breed of devices began debuting in 2012 and 2013. Worn as a wristwatch or armband, they use optical sensors on the back of the device to continuously read your pulse through the skin. You get a real-time readout of your heart rate, just as with the chest strap monitors. Although make sure you do your homework as sometimes the readouts, especially on the cheaper Timex models, don't always work to plan.
A heart rate monitor is an electronic device that allows you to continuously monitor your heart rate while exercising. Typically it consists of two elements, a comfortable chest strap and a wrist receiver. The chest strap is adjustable to accommodate a variety of sizes. You strap it around the chest, and it picks up your heartbeat and transmits it to the receiver, which usually doubles as a digital watch. The receiver then displays your heart rate (among other things) during your exercise session.
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.
Once you have chosen which features you want, it comes down to price. Sales are common and you can find a wide variation in the price of the same model. Shop around and you may be pleased to find your dream monitor for much less than suggested retail price. But the most important thing is to enjoy your workout!
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How to Buy a Heart Rate Monitor