Monday, August 24, 2009

What is a heart rate monitor?

At this point I probably should explain some basics about what a heart rate monitor actually is, plus a little about how it works.

A heart rate monitor is really two devices. One is the transmitter, which is generally (though not always – as we shall later discuss) worn around the chest. Commonly, the actual transmitter area is made of flexible plastic, to which is attached an elasticated strap that passes around your back to hold the device in place just below the bust. When putting on the chest strap, it is often a good idea to wet the electrode areas that are in contact with the chest. This ensures that the best signal is picked-up from the outset. As you workout, the sweat will do the job nicely for you The chest strap feels a little uncomfortable to start with, though it becomes less noticeable in time. There are a couple of accessories that can help women in this respect.

The second device is the receiver which is built into specialist wrist watches, or into some gym cardio machines – such as treadmills, cross-trainers and stationary cycles.

The advantage on the cardio machines is that it is easy to keep an eye on the current heart rate reading on the machines LED display. Some cardio machines cycle the displayed information with other data such as calorie count, unless you “lock” the display.

My experience is that people who have a magazine sitting on their display panel are

a) not measuring their heart rate, and

b) probably not working hard enough!

Though I do have a sneaking admiration for anybody who’s eyesight is good enough to be able to focus on a magazine article while running, it’s probably no coincidence that they are nowhere to be seen in the gym within a few months of starting their program.

There are a good number of heart rate monitor watches to choose from. I was not aware of any at the time I began training, but I am certainly now aware that there are an increasing number of women’s heart rate monitor watches available.

One thing to be aware of is that heart rate monitor’s are subject to interference, which can lead to occasionally inaccurate readings. If you see your heart rate jump fifty beats a minute while running through a field of microwave towers, this is probably not cause for concern (though I would question your choice of running route). On a cardio machine, a more likely source of interference may be the person on the machine next to yours. They may also be wearing a transmitter and may be within range of your equipments receiver.

Some watches may be “paired” with your transmitter, which prevents interference from others using transmitters near to you. The “pairing” is only usually necessary when you use the watch and monitor strap combination for the first time, and it is a trivial task.

The more expensive watches are mini-computers that can keep a whole raft of data during and after your workout. More on this in a future article.

In my next articles I’ll describe how my mentor found my “resting heart rate” and how he used this information to calculate my initial workout plan.

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Heart Rate Monitor Training - Running Slower For Faster Results

By Emily Jarvis

In the days before I had even heard of a Heart Rate Monitor (never mind a women's heart rate monitor), I used to hate running. The only reason I ran was because I was bombarded with messages telling me that I needed to lose weight and get fit (all true, sadly). So I forced myself to include ten minutes of running in my gym program. At least, until I soon gave it up through boredom.

Then I met someone who showed me a way that completely turned my hatred of running on its head! He showed me, with the aid of a heart rate monitor, that I had actually been running too fast too often. On top of that I was not running with a plan, and had no idea whether the training I was doing was providing any benefit.

I believed that going to the gym with the intention of running for ten minutes each day was a plan.

"That's not a plan", I was told. "How do you measure your current fitness? How do you set your goals for improvement? How do you ensure that you are not over-training? Conversely, how do you ensure that you are training hard enough?"

I didn't have the answers.

"Well, if you want to transform the way you train. To enjoy your training and be motivated to improve - I can show you how. All you need is a simple and relatively inexpensive piece of equipment to start with. That is a heart rate monitor."

After initial reluctance, I listened and learned from my mentor. He taught me how to measure my maximum and resting heart rates and how to use these to calculate the appropriate training intensity to meet my goals. I was shocked at how slowly I had to run at the start of my training program, yet the results came quickly.

I cannot emphasize enough how slowing down my training, but training to a plan, completely changed my results. It was only a matter of weeks before I was running faster than ever before, but with far less effort! It was almost too easy.

I have progressed to running more distance over time, from 10KM to a half-marathon and ultimately a full marathon! I would never have thought this possible, and am convinced that it would never have been possible for me had I not discovered how to train with a heart rate monitor.

Nowadays there are even more stylish women's heart rate monitor models available to feel good wearing too!

So my top tips for someone starting out in running, or someone who has not found a passion for the activity are:

  • Investigate how to properly use a heart rate monitor
  • Take measurements of your current readings for planning and future motivation
  • Make a plan for your training
  • Record how your fitness improves once you start taking it easier!