The internet has made us all data specialists, especially when it is about exercising. Wearable devices allow us to see the information we need, whether it be how many steps per day, distance walked or pace.
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Your heart rate is one piece of information that really stands out. This number can tell you a lot more about your fitness, recovery, and overall health. Chris Travers MS, Exercise Physiologist, shared his top tips for anyone considering purchasing a heart rate monitor.
Do I really need a heart rate monitor to keep my pulse steady?
It’s not necessary to include a heart rate monitor in your exercise routine. It’s possible to live an active and healthy life that includes exercise without one. It all boils down to what information you value, especially when it comes to your workouts.
Your heart rate is an indicator of intensity during exercise. Travers states that maintaining a steady heartbeat for a long time can help you lose more calories and fat, as well as improve your cardiovascular health.
It is possible to overexert oneself, and a heart monitor can alert you to this danger.
How heart rate monitors function
The heart rate monitors measure electrical signals from the heart. These signals are sent to a data center or wristwatch. Many models allow you to analyze data using a computer. This allows you to better understand your workouts and the benefits of your exercise.
Although you can still get an estimate of your pulse by feeling it in your wrists or neck, this can cause disruption to your workout. An electronic heart rate monitor will give you precise, real-time information.
Benefits of using a heart rate monitor
A heart rate monitor can be used to track important information, such as how fast your heart beats and other key data. Travers explains, “When you exercise you’re using energy.” “When you measure your heart rate, it’s possible to determine what energy source is being used,” Travers says.
Your heart rate will determine how many calories you burn. Travers says that the higher your heart beat, the more calories you burn.
Travers points out that “developing the best cardiovascular exercise program not only involves the time you exercise but also the intensity.” You can monitor your intensity to ensure you get the best caloric expenditure and fat loss. You can monitor your heart rate with a good heart rate monitor.
Heart rate zones
You can determine your heart rate zone by using a heart monitor. You will first need to know your maximum heart rate. This can be calculated by subtracting 220 from your age. If you are 35 years old, your maximum heart rate would be 185. This will allow you to determine the best heart rate zone for fat burning.
You’re burning 85% fat at 50-60% of maximum heart rate. That drops to 65% when your maximum heart rate is 60-70%. At 70-80%, you only need 45% to burn calories.
Different models of heart rate monitors
A heart rate monitor can be used to track your progress and provide more information. There are many heart rate monitors on the market today, such as rings and biceps straps. However, two main types of heart rate monitors have emerged in the last decade: chest strap monitors and fitness trackers.
Fitness trackers
These fitness trackers have been very popular in the past decade because they make it easy to track specific goals such as steps taken, distance run, and more detailed data like calories burned, heart rate, and calories.
Travers says that technology for fitness trackers has improved tremendously over the years. This means that accuracy issues from the past are mostly gone. These devices are becoming more popular as the prices have fallen.
Travers says that 8-10 years ago, serious runners were the only ones who were using anything similar. They were heavy, bulky, and unwieldy. You can see that everyone is wearing a fitness watch, be it an Apple Watch, Garmin, Fitbit, or some other type of tracker.
Every fitness tracker has its own unique features and may offer different benefits. Travers points out that most fitness trackers now offer real-time heart rate monitoring, which can prove to be extremely useful. It can not only tell you where your heart rate is during exercise, but it can also provide information about your resting heart beat.
He says, “It’s letting your cardiovascular system know where it is health-wise.” The lower your resting heart beat, the more work your heart does to perform its daily functions. This is crucial. We are better off if we don’t put too much stress on our hearts.
He explains that chest strap models use electrodes in the padding to measure heart activity. Fitness trackers, however, use optical sensors to measure blood flow. It is possible for a fitness tracker to move out of its position and affect the accuracy of the data.
However, this technology has improved so your readings will be more accurate than ever before.
Chest strap models
Two components are the most common: a wristwatch receiver and a chest strap. Travers states that basic models provide time and heart rate, and are an open signal.
Advanced models can use a coded signal to communicate with a foot pod that allows for speed, distance, cadence and cadence. Many models are equipped with GPS for storing previous courses and marking locations.
Pros
* They provide continuous heart rate information, without the need to stop or look at it.
* The strapless models tend to have better accuracy.
* There are many models to choose from
Cons
* Usually, more expensive
* Basic models can interfere with other monitors by having open signals.
* Some people may find chest straps uncomfortable.
