| What is a Heart Rate Monitor? | | | | electrical activity of your heart and transmit that to the |
| Sometimes called a cardiac monitor, a heart monitor is | | | | display - the same process as your physician uses |
| an electronic device that is used to continuously track | | | | when you are hooked up to an ECG machine. While, |
| your heart rate. Using this information you can | | | | for most people, the simplest form of display straps to |
| determine the target heart rate at which you will | | | | your wrist like a watch. There are some heart rate |
| maximize the cardiac benefits from your exercise. | | | | monitors which provide their results as an audio |
| There are more complex versions of heart monitors | | | | message through earphones; |
| which physicians use to detect any signs of | | | | Finger tip monitors: |
| deterioration in your heart functioning and make the | | | | An alternative are those heart rate monitors which fit |
| necessary adjustments immediately. | | | | over your finger tip, and are usually connected by a |
| Types of Heart Monitors | | | | wire to a display screen. These are not only generally |
| Today a wide range of heart monitors are produced - | | | | less accurate than the chest strap type, but are in no |
| designed to cater for the specific requirements of | | | | way as convenient in terms of their portability. |
| different types of individuals. | | | | Advanced Features of Heart Monitor |
| Some heart monitors are primarily designed for weight | | | | The basic, lower-end heart rate monitors usually |
| loss programs - allowing the person to keep close | | | | display only your heart rate and some show your |
| monitoring of their heart rate during exercise and | | | | elapsed exercise time as well. This does not provide |
| dieting to ensure they are not pushing their weight loss | | | | you with sufficient information you will need if you are |
| regime too hard. | | | | trying to maximize the benefits of your exercise. The |
| Other kinds of heart rate monitors are designed for | | | | models in the higher end range provide a range of |
| use by athletes in training and for people regularly | | | | additional features but these come at a price. |
| involved in fitness programs. | | | | Some of the additional features available are: |
| Most heart rate monitors operate with a battery and | | | | heart rate zone alarms - which sound a buzzer |
| emit wireless/electromagnetic waves. | | | | alert if your heart rate begins to fall outside the target |
| Most personal use heart rate monitors can be portable | | | | zone rate you have set; |
| - such as having the monitor fixed to your body by a | | | | timers - which act like stop watches and alarm |
| strap and the display on your wrist - and not interfere | | | | clocks; |
| with your movements, particularly if you are exercising. | | | | some monitors even calculate the number of |
| Other types are built into standard exercise equipment | | | | calories you have burned - calculated on your heart |
| like treadmills and exercise bicycles. In these situations | | | | rate and the time you have been exercising. |
| you can read your heart rate by holding on to the | | | | Should You Buy a Heart Monitor? |
| handle of the equipment and checking the displayed | | | | Heart rate monitors can be expensive, particularly if |
| result. | | | | you want to buy one of the high-end models with all |
| Selecting Your Suitable Heart Rate Monitor | | | | those advanced features. If you decide to buy one of |
| Monitors with Chest Straps: | | | | the cheaper, basic heart rate monitors you should be |
| Heart monitors that come with chest straps are usually | | | | aware that, like any cheaper electronic equipment, |
| the most accurate. You fix the chest strap around | | | | some of those cheaper models may be of such poor |
| your chest, a few centimeters below your breast. | | | | quality that they are only providing you with inaccurate |
| Fixed into the strap is the device which can detect the | | | | information about your heart rate. |