12:57 11 October 2010
Heart Rate Monitors (HRM)
Whether you’re a runner, cyclist, hiker, climber or triathlete, a heart rate monitor is a very useful tool.
Most fitness trainers recommend working out for a sustained period withint your proper heart rate range for peak aerobic benefit. Heart rate monitors (or HRMs) help you stay within your heart rate target range and keep track of the effectiveness of your workouts. It is a wrist-mounted data station that puts information at your fingertips which will guide you to your specific fitness goals.
They use personal information such as your age, weight, gender and resting heart rate to calculate aerobic heart rate target range and to help you to keep your optimum training level during your workout. Exercising withint that personal target range maximizes cardio conditioning and safety.
HRMs also offer instant feedback so that you can evaluate your performance, aiding you to readjust your exercise program
to receive the most benefits.
to receive the most benefits.HRMs equipped with chest straps will give you the most accurate information as they gauge your heart’s impulses continuously. They require a separate, wireless chest strap to monitor the heart rate. Finger sensor models on the other hand, offer touch pads on the monitors to measure heart rate. You must pause during your workout to take a measurement and it’s estimated to be 95% accurate.
Some other beneficial add-ons of many HRMs is that they offer sport-watch features like a stopwatch, countdown timer, calendar and clock. Most heart rate monitors are water resistant too.
Additional features to consider before purchasing a HRM are: recovery heart rate, time in target zone, calorie counter, PC interface, fitness trainer, number of stopwatch split times and mounting. Determine your needs and fit a HRM to them.
Timex offers some of the best GPS watch and HRM combinations. Their Timex Global Trainer GPS w/Digital Heart Rate Monitor is a total package piece of equipment that will enhance any workout.