Heart rate monitoring and exercise

Exercise and heart rate monitoring

 

Why monitor your heart rate?

One of the goals of your aerobic workout is to improve your cardiovascular fitness. Heart rates taken during exercise indicate how hard your heart is working. Your heart rate is actually a motivating friend when you learn to monitor it properly, for this allows you to objectively detect beneficial changes which you can’t otherwise see.

The benefits of monitoring your heart rate are:

Safety - the heart rate is a gauge by which to assess the intensity of your workout to make sure you’re not overexerting or overextending yourself. For example, if your heart rate is above your working heart rate range, it’s telling you to slow down a little and use fewer arm movements.

Effectiveness - if your heart rate indicates you’re not working hard enough, then you can work out a little more vigorously to maximize the effectiveness of your workout. To maximize your aerobic workout, you need to stay in your working heart rate range for at least 20 to 30 minutes continuously.

Incentive - by monitoring your heart rate from week to week as you participate in an aerobic activity, you’ll discover that you will be able to exercise at a higher level of intensity, but at the same or lower heart rate. This is the way the heart tells you it is becoming stronger and more efficient. When you see positive results, it will motivate you to strive for even better results.

What are the three different heart rates?

Resting Heart Rate – is your hear t rate (in beats per minute) when you have been sitting or resting. The normal resting heart rate is 15 to 20 beats per minute slower than your “usual” heart rate.

Target heart rate (THR) - is your heart rate (in beats per minute) that allows you to safely get the maximum benefits from your workout. The THR is 50% to 85% of your maximum heart rate.

Recovery Heart Rate – is your heart rate taken 2 minutes after your exercise session. To evaluate your fitness level, compare your resting heart rate between exercise sessions.

 

How do I calculate my THR?

Take your pulse – taking your pulse through your workout is a good way to see how hard you are working. To take your pulse, place your index and middle finger on the palm side of your other wrist, below the base of the thumb and press lightly. Count the beats you feel for 10 seconds and multiply this number by six to get your heart rate (pulse) per minute. To ensure you are within your target heart rate zone, check your pulse frequently throughout your workout.

A heart rate monitor - will show a continuous reading of your heart rate throughout your workout and will make it easy for you to keep on track with the intensity of your exercise.

• Cost – Price range from $50 to $300.

• Features – Most offer a chest strap to calories burned.