Measuring your normal resting heart rate is simple enough: Wake up, take your pulse, and you’re done. But, what about tracking your active heart rate while you’re exercising. Depending on what type of movements you’re performing and how many hands you have, it may not be as easy to simply track your pulse while watching a clock.radio strap
That’s where heart rate monitors come in, and below are 10 reasons you should use one.
10 Reasons for Heart Rate Monitor Training
- Though no method or device is 100 percent accurate all the time, a good heart rate monitor will provide consistent and reliable results.
- You don’t have to stop mid-workout to use the traditional “count the pulses” method. Just glance at your monitor and the information is right there.
- You can train in different “zones” and intensities, without having to estimate if you’re staying on track.
- Seeing your heart rate can provide motivation and make you feel like you are really working hard.
- It will alert you if your mind wanders to the nearby TV or radio and remind you to pick it back up!
- By keeping you “in the know,” a monitor will allow you to get in and out of the gym with more efficient, well-defined workouts.
- If you see your BPM’s (beats per minute) are higher than they should be for too long, you can slow down to prevent over-working yourself and causing any damage.
- The results allow you to increase or decrease your performance with each workout by accurate and tangible increments.
- At the end of your workout, most monitors show you your stats for the day: average heart rate, elapsed time, calories burned, etc.
- Using a heart rate monitor makes your workouts more fun!
If you’re not completely sold on the idea just yet, at least borrow one from a friend to try out. Then, if you do decide to buy one, be sure to get a quality product, because many of the cheaper brands and models are virtually useless.