Heart rate monitors are helpful tools for almost any level of training, providing a variety of useful data, such as calories burned or average heart rate during a workout. More complex heart rate monitors have more functionality, allowing you to input personal data, such as your age, weight, resting heart rate and maximum heart rate. High-end models offer features like time splits, data storage and computer compatibility.
Heart Rates Monitored
Heart rate monitors provide different heart rate measurements. Most will show your heart rate during physical activity. Others provide post-workout information, such as average heart rate during your training session, your high and low heart rates, and length of time you were in your target heart rate.
Programmability
Different models allow you to program personal information into the monitor to help create more accurate calculations. For example, if all your monitor knows is that your heart rate was an average of 140 beats per minute for 30 minutes, all it can give you is a generic estimate of calories burned, based on the fact that it knows nothing about your age, gender, weight or what shape you are in.
Inputting your age, weight, resting heart rate and maximum heart rate will give the monitor some idea of how hard a person with your physical characteristics would have to work to achieve an average heart rate of 140 beats per minute for 30 minutes, providing you a more accurate reading of calories burned.
Unique Signal
If you are training with someone else who is using a heart rate monitor, or on an exercise machine that sends an electronic signal, the two signals can interference with each other, giving you inaccurate data. Some heart rate monitors use a coded signal, which ensures that your wrist monitor collects data coming from your chest strap only.
Data Storage
If you wish to compare workouts without writing down the data on your monitor after each workout, you'll want a monitor that can archive workouts, or let you plug the monitor into your computer to transfer and save the data. Less expensive heart rate monitors do not have these data storage capabilities.
Batteries
Some heart rate monitors require that you send the monitor to the manufacturer to replace the battery, while others let you purchase and install your own battery. Make sure you know how battery replacement works before you purchase any heart rate monitor.
Cycling Data
You can purchase heart rate monitors made specifically for cycling training, providing a variety of data based on distance traveled, wheel size, segment splits and other information.
Additional Features
Some heart rate monitors offer lit screens, large numbers, water resistance and audio alerts or alarms, which let you know when your heart rate is above or below your desired target heart rate.
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