Biking is performed outdoors with a road or mountain bike, or indoors on an exercise bike. Both forms of cycling are low-impact and can bring health benefits to the body. Heart rate monitors are used to track your heart rate while you work out. These come equipped with a chest strap, transmitter and digital wrist watch.
Function
When you ride a bike, your heart rate becomes elevated and you end up breaking a sweat. This makes biking a type of cardiovascular exercise. To maximize your workouts, you need to exercise at a high intensity. A heart rate monitor is used as a quick reference to know how hard you are exercising.
Features
When you put the heart rate monitor on, the transmitter picks up your heart rate and sends a signal directly to the watch, where it can easily be seen. The only other way to check your heart rate is by holding your fingers against the inside of your wrist or the side of your neck and counting beats. Using a heart rate monitor is a lot easier than this method. All you have to do is look at your watch quickly instead of taking your hands off the handlebars for an extended period of time.
MHR
Your maximum heart rate, or MHR, is the highest intensity you can achieve when you exercise. This information is vital when using a heart rate monitor. To determine your maximum heart rate, subtract your age from 220. For example, if you are 36, your maximum heart rate will be 184.
Aerobic Training Zone
The aerobic training zone, or target heart rate, is the intensity you need to exercise at to achieve health and weight-loss benefits from exercise. Your goal while biking is to get into this zone and stay in it. According to the American Heart Association, the target heart rate is 50 to 85 percent of your maximum heart rate.
Equation
To determine your target heart rate, use an equation that involves your maximum heart rate. Use the example of 36 years old and 184 for a maximum heart rate. Multiply 184 by .5 and .85 to get your target heart rate range. This would come out to 92 to 156. Your goal while biking is to keep your heart rate in this training zone.
Effects
When you are biking, there are times when you may drift out of your training zone. You can easily get back into it by pedaling faster or slower. Most heart rate monitors come with an alarm feature to make this even easier. If you were to go past your upper target heart rate or below your lower target heart rate, the alarm will sound and you can adjust your speed accordingly.
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