Why Use A Heart Rate Monitor Anyway?

Regardless of the mode you choose for cardiovascular exercise, whether it is walking, swimming, cycling, running, or an Elliptical trainer, you may be wasting time and not reaching your goals for weight loss if you do not know what your training zone is.

Nowadays, it is both common and wise to use a heart rate monitor to learn about how hard your heart is beating during different types of exercise.

Why, you ask, is Heart Rate Training important? Even if it’s just walking in the neighborhood? There are a few good reasons:

1. The first reason that one should know their training zone is simply to know how hard their heart is beating while engaging in cardiovascular exercise. Many individuals plunge into tough cardiovascular exercise thinking that if they are sweating and panting then they are really doing a great workout. However, they may in fact be working their heart too hard to achieve the best benefit for their body. With the use of a heart rate monitor, one knows exactly what number they need to achieve, and for how many minutes they need to exercise. No time is wasted. This is not a ‘shot in the dark,’ but a calculated workout. Too often people start working out on their own, do not achieve their desired results, then get frustrated and quit!

2. The second reason that using a heart rate monitor is a good thing to do is because working out in the correct zone will help one realize their goals for certain, not just maybe. Different exercise goals require different heart rate workouts. For example, a runner who is training for a marathon has different goals from a person who wants to see weight loss. Furthermore, doing a workout on an Elliptical trainer is going to be different from performing interval training in a group exercise class. In order to be successful, one needs to know what their training zone should be in each type of workout, instead of guessing.

3. A heart rate monitor tells one exactly what their heart rate is each minute, and, many heart rate monitors now calculate calories burned. This is valuable information- not just for the exerciser who wants to achieve their goals, but also for anyone who may be predisposed to heart disease. Some individuals who may take heart medications need to make sure they do not work out too hard, or too fast. Other persons may have a rapid heart rate, or arrhythmia, and need to monitor that.

4. Another reason to know your heart rate training is that it does change over time. Age is a factor in determining our training zone, as is our fitness level. Simply stated, one’s heart rate training zone may be different than it was five years ago, depending upon what you have been doing. This means that you can improve or get weaker; it can go either way.

5. Finally, without belaboring the point, knowing more about heart rates and how hard and fast one’s heart should be beating is added self-knowledge that is now required to continue on this wonderful journey called life. By learning more, one is practicing preventative maintenance, and wellness.

6. Start to monitor your heart rate by simply taking your pulse after you walk. Write down the number that you get and keep track in a log for at least a week. Consult with your physician about your exercise goals and whether or not using a heart rate monitor would be a help to you.

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