Do you find yourself sweating away, day-in and day-out, but feel your results have reached a plateau? Introducing a Heart Rate Monitor (HRM) may be just the ticket to help you maximize your workout.
Exercising at a certain intensity has many benefits: it increases fat burning and improves your aerobic endurance, just to name a few. The harder you train, the harder your heart works to pump blood, but as you become more fit, your heart works less thus lowering your heart rate. By determining what your ideal heart rate is for your fitness goal and then maintaining it throughout your workout, you are able to gauge the effectiveness of the workout.
Before strapping on your HRM, it's integral you do a little homework. You need to determine your maximum heart rate (MHR) and there are 2 ways to do so. The HRM manual will explain executing the physical test or you can use this formula: Basically, your age, less 220, equals your predicted MHR in beats per minute. Next you need to decide what your fitness goal is going to be. For example, if you want to improve your overall fitness, then you should aim for 50-59% of your MHR. If you’re looking to lose weight, set your sights on 60-69% MHR and if you’re training at a competitive level, reach for 70% or more MHR.
Once you program this information into your HRM, all it takes is a quick peek at your wrist to find out if you are in your target zone. You can now establish a training program that includes frequency, length and, the key factor, intensity. Some HRMs come with software that allows you to monitor your progress, which makes it easy to increase training at a healthy pace. And, as with any new fitness regimen, you should always get your physician’s approval before you begin testing your maximum heart rate.
** Check out www.polar.com for more information and the variety of HRMs available.
