The heart rate monitor is an electronic device that can be used continuously to monitor our heart rate. It sometimes called as a cardiac monitor. There are two basic components of a heart rate monitor, chest strap and wrist receiver/watch. Using this information, we can determine the target heart rate that we will maximize the cardiac benefits from our exercise. We can prevent the occurrence of injuries and/or stress, while maintaining a balance between our health and exercise routine.
Heart rate monitors can improve our fitness level by recording and monitoring our heart rate during exercise. With a heart rate monitor, we can show our heart rate at any time and determine the intensity level of our training. But be careful, keeping our heart rate too high for too long could cause medical complications. Please make sure that we have consulted our doctor before starting any new exercise routine. Our doctor will help determine our heart rate zones and help us determine the length of time we should do our exercise in this zone.
Heart rate monitors can improve our fitness level by recording and monitoring our heart rate during exercise. With a heart rate monitor, we can show our heart rate at any time and determine the intensity level of our training. But be careful, keeping our heart rate too high for too long could cause medical complications. Please make sure that we have consulted our doctor before starting any new exercise routine. Our doctor will help determine our heart rate zones and help us determine the length of time we should do our exercise in this zone.
Types of Heart Rate Monitors
Today a wide range of heart rate monitors are designed to meet the specific requirements of different types of users. Some heart monitors are primarily designed for programs of weight loss enables the user to keep a tight control their heart rate during exercise and dieting to ensure they do not push their weight loss regime too hard. Other types of heart rate monitors are designed for use by athletes in training and people regularly participate in fitness programs.
Most heart rate monitors can be portable, like having the screen fixed to the body by a strap and display on our wrist and not interfere with our movements, especially when we exercise.
Other types are integrated in exercise equipment such as treadmills and exercise bikes. In these situations, we can read our heart rate by holding on to the handle of the equipment and check the output.
Selecting a Suitable Heart Rate Monitor
Heart monitors that come with chest straps are usually more accurate. Attach the chest strap around our chests, a few centimeters below our breast. Fixed in the strap is the device that detects the electrical activity of the heart and transmits to the display, the same process that our doctor uses when it is connected to an ECG machine. While for most users, the simplest form of display straps to our wrist like a watch. There are some heart rate monitors which provide results in audio message through earphones.
Finger tip monitors. An alternative is the heart rate monitor that fit our finger tip and is usually connected by wire to a display monitor. These are not only generally less precise than the type of chest strap, but are in no way convenient in terms of portability.
Heart monitors that come with chest straps are usually more accurate. Attach the chest strap around our chests, a few centimeters below our breast. Fixed in the strap is the device that detects the electrical activity of the heart and transmits to the display, the same process that our doctor uses when it is connected to an ECG machine. While for most users, the simplest form of display straps to our wrist like a watch. There are some heart rate monitors which provide results in audio message through earphones.
Finger tip monitors. An alternative is the heart rate monitor that fit our finger tip and is usually connected by wire to a display monitor. These are not only generally less precise than the type of chest strap, but are in no way convenient in terms of portability.
Some additional features
There are some additional features available we can find on a heart rate monitor as follows:
- Heart rate zone alarms, which sound a buzzer alert if our heart rate starts to fall outside the target zone rate we set.
- Timers, which act such as stop watches and alarm clocks.
- Some monitors even calculate how many calories we burned , calculated on our heart rate and time we have been exercising.
Benefits of Using Heart Rate Monitor
There are many benefits we can get to wear heart rate monitors when exercise:
There are many benefits we can get to wear heart rate monitors when exercise:
- They are more convenient than stopping the exercise program and manually count the heart rate.
- They are more accurate than manually count our heart rate.
- This allows us to easily monitor our level of exercise and increase the level and intensity accordingly until we have reached our target heart rate.
- This will give a signal if we are overexerting ourselves and needs to slow down a little.
Tips for Buying a Heart Rate Monitor
Here are some tips if you want to buy a heart rate monitor:
- Knowing our purpose. If we only use it at home for aerobic exercise, then the low-end heart rate monitors are for us. But if you are an athlete and need for training, then it is much wiser to get this with extra features.
- There are so many brands out there to choose from, and how best to choose among them is to read forums and reviews on heart rate monitors. We will get the best review of these from who have tried a brand and found them useful or not.
- The best way to buy heart rate monitors is to shop online where we will be given a variety of designs and brands as well as functions.
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Teddy Hariadi has written many articles about Heart Rate Monitor . He comes from Indonesia. We suggest you check out his other guide on Heart Rate Monitor Strapless review, Polar F6 Heart Rate Monitor tips, and Timex Heart Rate Monitor guide!
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Word Count Appx. : 795 | Article Views 721 Published 03-01-2010