Best Advanced Features Of The Heart Rate Monitor

It almost goes without saying that anyone who is involved in fitness activities is very aware of how cardio helps strengthen the heart. As the heart gets stronger, it becomes a lot more efficient at pumping blood through the whole body. By using a heart rate monitor during your workouts, you ensure that you are really training properly.

The main purpose of a heart rate monitor is to track heart beats per minute, but a monitor does more than that. When you monitor your heart rate you are able to quickly tell whether you’re working out hard enough or if you need to be more intense.

Heart monitor watches are designed for that purpose.

If you’re into a basic fitness program, you don’t need many more features. It’s when you decide to bump your program to the next level, or to begin training for a specific sport that you do need more features.

When you go about selecting the right heart rate monitor, you’ll need to look at exactly which features you need as well as how much money you plan to spend.

There’s not going to be a one size fits all in these heart monitor watches. But here are some advanced features that are available for you.

Most monitors, despite how complex or basic they are will have a few standard features. These might include a chest strap for measuring the heart rate and then transmitting that information to the wrist watch. There will likely also be a timer and an alarm. The alarm can be set to sound off when you go either above or below your targeted heart rate.

Many advanced monitors keep track of workouts and can be set to monitor progress over a set period of time. This lets you compare results and then fine tune your workouts. It’s a wonderful motivator because you can see how much progress you’ve made from month to month.

A feature popular with many athletes is the personalized training program. With this program, you can login to the company website, upload your training records and then get suggestions to further improve your workouts.

Certain monitors are designed for use with certain types of exercise equipment like treadmills, or exercise bikes. You may want to get a coded monitor if you work out mostly in a gym. That way you can avoid interference from other monitors that are nearby.

For cyclists or runners, the GPS is a must feature. When you use a Global Positioning System, you can track the distance you travel and the speed you’re going. You can even take an alternate route and not worry about figuring out how to get home without having to retrace your steps.

Elite athletes often require more detailed data. Advanced monitors have features to give you all the information you need to track.

For example, you can get a monitor that has an altimeter, a barometer, and a temperature gauge. These features are particularly useful for a distance runner. Monitors to calculate respiratory rate as well as oxygen consumption are also available. These are important endurance metrics.

Choosing to use a heart rate monitor is certainly a very smart decision. It’s such an important yet often overlooked piece of fitness equipment. But if you have one, it will enhance a workout and help you get fit faster. Just be sure that you choose a monitor that has all the features you need.

Specialty heart monitor watches are designed for many different sports and activities. If you are a cyclist you may want to have a look at a cycling heart rate monitor.

Tags: athletics, cycling, exercise equipment, fitness equipment, health and fitness, heart health, heart monitor watches, heart rate monitor, heart rate monitors, recreation and sports, Running, sports, watches, weight loss

March 31 2011 | cycling | No Comments »

The Best Heart Rate Monitors For Women- Find Out What The Experts Say

If you’re serious about fitness, a heart rate monitor has as much importance as the right pair of shoes. Like shoes, a heart monitor is not a piece of equipment where one size fits all. Women need different monitors than men. The best heart rate monitors for women are different from the best heart rate monitors for men.

Face up to it. Most men are able to comfortably wear a heart monitor watch with chest strap. And they can get accurate readings while wearing it. For a lot of women though, this is challenging.

Chest straps transmit data to the heart monitor watch. They do that when they pick up impulses sent from the heart. They then transmit this information to the watch. A problem can occur when there is not good enough contact with the skin.

Now if you are a relatively flat chested woman, you can probably get that good solid contact between skin and strap. So you will be able to use a monitor with a chest strap.

But for women who have bigger cup sizes, wearing a strap can present problems. To get solid contact with the skin, the strap has to be worn very tightly which can be quite uncomfortable.

If you find yourself in this group, there is another option to the traditional type of heart rate monitor. Strapless heart rate monitors have become increasingly popular, particularly among women. These monitors measure heart rate without having to wear a chest strap.

Reviews on strapless heart rate monitors are mixed. Some experts in the field of fitness feel that they don’t provide as accurate a reading as a traditional monitor. Others feel that the technology is approaching the traditional monitor. They do agree that today’s models are much better than earlier ones.

So if you are unable to wear a traditional heart rate monitor, take a look for a strapless model that has high recommendations and is made by a company specializing in heart monitors. You’ll find there are quite a few different designs in strapless heart monitors.

Many strapless monitors are worn on the wrist. Others may have a ring sensor that you wear on your finger. Still other models have a strap that is worn around the upper arm. Finally there are strapless monitors that can be held in the hand.

With a wrist heart rate monitor, for example, there are generally one or two sensors on the watch. Putting your finger on a sensor allows it to collect and display the data on the watch.

It’s hard to say what the best heart rate monitors for women are. Two of the most important factors are accuracy and comfort. Without these you may not use it anyway.

Whether you are a serious athlete or a casual exerciser, heart monitor watches can help you boost performance and improve fitness levels. Although monitors are designed to be worn by anyone, women may be more comfortable wearing a wrist heart rate monitor.

Tags: athletics, cycling, exercise equipment, fitness equipment, health and fitness, heart health, heart monitor watches, heart monitors, heart rate monitors, recreation and sports, Running, sports, watches, weight loss

August 07 2010 | cycling | No Comments »