The heart rate monitor you choose depends on your goals. When buying a heart rate monitor, think about the features you will need to complete your workouts. Does it need to be waterproof? Do you need a lap function? Should it keep track of your heart rate throughout the session, or at intermittent periods? Using a heart rate monitor with a chest strap is recommended because it gives continuous heart rate feedback without interrupting your workout.
Getting Started
Step 1
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions on for setting your weight, age and gender. A heart rate monitor usually comes programmed with algorithms that calculate calories burned based on these three variables. If you skip this step, then your calorie expenditure readouts may be wildly inaccurate.
Step 2
Wear the strap in the fold below your breasts (for women) or directly below your pectoral muscles (for men). Since a strapless heart rate monitor requires that you hold the watch with your other hand, it prevents you from tracking your calorie expenditure through the whole session. The hand sensors on cardiovascular equipment also give inaccurate readouts.
Step 3
Moisten the strap so that the electrodes can pick up electrical impulses from your heart. Use a wet hand or lubricant cream to dampen the strap at the beginning of your session (some people even lick the strap!). After you have warmed up, sweat provides enough moisture for conductivity.
Heart Rate and Performance Training
Step 1
Determine your heart rate zones and program them into the heart rate monitor (if possible). In general, subtract your age from 220 (226 for women) to find out your maximum heart rate (MHR). Your recovery zone is under 60 percent MHR, endurance zone is between 60 and 75 percent MHR, your aerobic training zone is between 75 and 85 percent MHR, your threshold zone is between 85 and 92 percent MHR and your anaerobic zone is up to 100 percent MHR. A coach or personal trainer can help you set your individual zones with more accuracy.
Step 2
Spend at least six weeks building aerobic endurance (below 85 percent MHR) before incorporating anaerobic training (intervals of greater than 85 percent MHR) into your routine.
Step 3
Follow the heart-rate guidelines outlined in your fitness program. Every coach and training program defines the boundaries between zones differently, and each sport requires different training. Use a plan that is catered to you and your sport.
Tips and Warnings
- Always warm up for at least 10 minutes in your recovery zone before beginning intense exercise. Heart rate is highly variable and is not always perfectly correlated to your effort. Stress, diet, temperature and other factors affect your heart rate. Use heart rate as one of many tools (including how you feel) to evaluate your workout. If you can’t get your heart rate as high as usual, then it is because you’re body is fatigued. Take a few easy days to let your body recover and absorb your training.
- Consult with your doctor before beginning any exercise program. Individuals at risk for heart disease should not train at high heart rates. Your doctor can tell you what heart-rate ranges are safe for you.
Things You'll Need
- Comfortable, breathable clothing
- Water or sports drink
References
- ACSM's Resources for the Personal Trainer; American College of Sports Medicine; 2006
- Street Directory: Strapless heart rate monitor info
Member Comments