At the gym recently I have seen more and more people wearing heart rate monitors during their workout. Is this just hype or is it really beneficial? I decided to look into it, as I was starting to wonder if I should get one to help gauge my workouts. As I investigated, I found different sorts of monitors – chest straps, watches and even rings, there’s a lot of variation out there! Here is a summary of what I learned.
What does a heart rate monitor do?
While you exercise, monitoring your heart rate can let you know if you're working hard enough or if you are working too hard, which can be ineffective and lead to injuries. The most basic functions of these devices are to track heart rate only, but some also track calories burned, target heart rate and can even provide personalized workouts. It’s amazing what some of the models can be programmed to do!
How does it work?
The most common heart rate monitors used for fitness are the chest strap and the wristwatch monitor. A chest strap monitor is worn around the chest where it records your heart rate and transmits the data to a wristwatch display. The wristwatch monitor is worn like a normal watch but has a sensor on the back that records your pulse from your wrist while you work out. Chest strap monitors are more accurate but are also more expensive. For those that are not comfortable wearing a chest strap or watch, there is also a ring-type monitor available. Ring monitors are designed to be worn on your index finger. This device takes more than 20 seconds to get a reading and is not as accurate when compared to conventional monitors. Therefore, this option is not as attractive to fitness fanatics.
To summarize, heart rate monitors come with many variations and functions available. Strapless heart rate monitors show limited use and accuracy, leaving the traditional chest strap device a better option. Check out Consumeresearch.com to review the different types of heart rate monitors and see which one may be right for you. Do you use a heart rate monitor? Has it made a difference in your workouts? Please let me know what you think!
Resources
consumereasearch.com
http://www.consumersearch.com/heart-rate-monitors
LiveStrong.com
http://www.livestrong.com/article/390676-heart-rate-monitor-for-exercising/
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