Learning how to use a heart rate monitor is the smartest way to fitness. Heart rate monitors are extremely easy to use as well. Read the following article and learn how you can use your heart rate monitor…
Whether you follow an intense weight management routine, or perform light aerobic exercises to stay fit, the rate of your heart is the best measure that certifies the true value of your efforts. Heart rate monitors are a sort of personal devices that allow you measure and analyze your heart rate in real time. They can also store heart rate data for a detailed study that you may do later on. As a result, a heart rate monitor is a useful device for professional athletes as well as other people who exercise regularly.
Heart rate monitors that are available today contain two major elements, namely, a chest strap and a wristband that shows and stores the heart rate data. You may also come across strapless heart rate monitors that only come with a wristband. These monitors come with sensors that you need touch to activate the monitoring process. It is advised that a layman should choose heart rate monitors that come with user-friendly settings, rather than the complicated ones. All in all, learning how to use a heart rate monitor is extremely important if you want to get the best results. If you want to learn more about using heart rate monitors, continue reading the following article.
How to Use a Heart Rate Monitor Watch on Your Own
Here are the tips on how to use your heart rate monitor more efficiently. A few things that you may need for that include the chest strap as well as the wristband of the heart rate monitor and a damp cloth.
- Determine the front of the chest strap and dampen its backside with help of the damp cloth. Then align it directly in the middle of your chest, slightly under the breast plate. The strap should be directly touching your skin.
- Secure the strap snugly at your back with help of the buckle or clasp of the chest strap. Then wear the wristband component of the monitor and bring it within the range of the chest strap so that it can store the heart rate data.
- Here, you may need to follow the instructions written on the user’s manual of the kind of heart rate monitor that you are using. Once the connection between the chest strap and the wristband is established, you can easily go ahead with your exercise routine.
How to Monitor Heart Rate Manually
There are a lot important things to consider while tracking the heart rate manually. Go through the following pointers for better understanding.
Establish the Maximum Heart Rate (MHR)
If you want to learn how to use heart rate monitor for running, then this is the most important step for you. It is claimed that establishing the maximum heart rate provides at least 80% accuracy of results. There are two individual formulas for men and women, which are:
- Men: 220 – age = MHR: For example, if you are 30 years of age then your maximum heart rate would be 220 – 30 = 190 beats per minute.
- Women: 230 – age = MHR: For example, if you are 30 years of age then your maximum heart rate would be 230 – 30 = 200 beats per minute.
Establish the Resting Heart Rate (RHR)
You can either calculate the resting heart rate manually or use the resting heart rate calculator, which is easily available in the market. If you want to calculate it manually, then first count your radial pulse (at the wrist) and then count your carotid pulse (at the neck). Measure both the pulse rates for about 10 seconds and then multiply them by 6. The end result is your resting heart rate (RHR). Resting heart rate is not fixed as it mainly depends upon your lifestyle and fitness level. Normally, people with higher fitness level have low resting heart rate and people who have a sedentary lifestyle have higher resting heart rate.
Establish the Individual Exercise Zone
If you are wondering about how to use a heart rate monitor to lose weight or want to set a new exercise routine as per the fitness standards of the upcoming marathon season, you need to determine exact percentage of your exercise zone, which also allows you to choose suitable exercises for the desired effects. You can determine your own exercise zone once you are aware of the maximum heart rate for various types of exercises. For instance:
- Moderately active routine: 50% to 60% MHR. This routine is ideal for strengthening the cardiovascular system.
- Weight management routine: 60% to 70% MHR. This routine is ideal for losing weight and strengthening the cardiovascular system
- Aerobic exercise: 70% to 80% MHR. This routine is ideal for increasing endurance and physical strength.
- Anaerobic exercise: 80% to 90% MHR. This routine is ideal for increasing power and speed of performance.
- Red-line zone: 90% to 100% MHR, which is the highest heart rate, lasts only for a few minutes.
Calculate the Individual Exercise Zone
Now that you know the percentage of exercise zone, you also need to know the formula to calculate the amount of strain which is ideal for your heart. This is an important step of learning how to use a heart rate monitor. In accordance with your exercise zone, you can easily calculate your individual heart rate. If you are a 30 year old male and want to lose weight, then you need to use a particular formula to determine the upper and lower limits of the heart rate for your age. Here is an example.
- Upper Heart Rate Limit: (220 – 30) x 70% = 133 beats per minute
- Lower Heart Rate Limit: (220 – 30) x 60% = 114 beats per minute
Similar to the above mentioned example, you can determine your own upper and lower heart rate limits and then monitor the same, with help of the best heart rate monitor. Get yourself one of those heart rate monitors that are easily available in the market as a smart investment for a healthy body!
