A heart rate and fitness monitor is used by general fitness enthusiasts and advanced endurance athletes alike. The intensity at which your heart is working when you're training makes a direct impact on the benefits that you receive from exercise. To maximize cardiovascular benefits and burn the most calories, you want to ensure that you're training at an appropriate intensity.
Heart Rate During Exercise
Exercising at the appropriate intensity is important for you to maximize the cardiovascular and calorie burning benefits that come from consistent cardiovascular exercise. The appropriate training intensity for basic cardiovascular development is called your target heart rate. Although it varies depending upon genetics and your fitness level, it's typically about 70 percent of your personal maximum heart rate. To calculate your target heart rate, first subtract your age from 220, which will give you your maximum heart rate. Find 70 percent of that value by multiplying it by 0.70. This will give you your target heart rate.
Heart Rate Fitness Monitors
A heart rate monitor helps you monitor your heart rate while you're exercising so that you know you're working out at an appropriate intensity to see health benefits. Heart rate monitors include two pieces. One piece is the chest strap transmitter, which straps around your torso at the level of your sternum. It's what records your heart rate. The second piece is the watch receiver, which you wear on your wrist. The data from the chest strap transmitter is sent to your watch receiver so that you can receive up-to-the-second heart rate information.
Features
Depending on the model, some heart rate monitors keep track of your average heart rate and the average time you kept your heart rate in the correct training zone. Some heart rate monitors also record lap and distance data, and some also connect to software so that you can keep track of your training sessions on your computer.
Strapless Model
Although not as common, there is another version of the heart rate and fitness monitor. Besides the chest strap unit, there is a strapless one available, which wraps around your hand and reads your pulse at your index finger. While this model is easier to put on, it typically doesn't provide as much information.
Considerations
The equation to calculate your target heart rate is just an estimation. Use it as a starting point, but make adjustments as you exercise more regularly and become comfortable with understanding and recognizing your true target heart rate. When you're exercising, you should be able to talk to someone next to you, but you should struggle at holding a constant conversation. If you're able to speak too easily at your estimated target heart rate, it's likely too low and you need to increase your intensity. If you're struggling at your estimated target heart rate, it may be too high and you should slow down. Keep track of your heart rate monitor readings as you discover your true target heart rate.
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