Heart Rate Monitors

What is a heart rate monitor? 

A heart rate monitor is an electronic device that can be used to measure your heart rate.  They come in a wide variety of styles and with a wide variety of options.  HRM's can be used to do everything from a basic measure of BPM, to recording lap times, to calculating position changes via GPS to providing a detailed fitness report including calories burned.  I'm sure if you looked hard enough you would be able to find one that will cook you breakfast and drive you to work too.  It's amazing how much some of these things can do!

Do I need a heart rate monitor? 

Well no, not really.  An HRM can be a neat little tech gadget, or it can be a very useful tool.  That depends on who is using it and why.  People have been training and exercising since the beginning of time without monitoring their heart rate.  Understanding how your body feels - and reacting to that is very important.  You can certainly continue to work out without knowing your exact heart rate.  

 But Knowledge is power my friend!

So why all the fuss about Heart Rate?  Knowing your heart rate can really help you get the most out of your workout.  The instantaneous feedback allows you adjust intensity level up or down depending on your condition and workout goals.  How? - I discuss the importance of knowing your heart rate in more detail in this post: Is Heart Rate Important for the Triathlete.

So how do I use one?

There are two main types of heart rate monitors available, chest strap monitors and fingertip sensor monitors.  Chest strap monitors consist of a sensor that is worn across the chest and a wrist band that resembles a watch.  The sensor monitors your heart rate and transmits the data to the wrist unit via wireless signal.  Fingertip sensors require that you hold your fingertip on a sensor or the sensor clamps to your fingertip.  They only provide status while you are testing. 
Chest Strap 
Pros:
Accuracy.  Chest strap monitors tend to be more accurate due to the location of the sensors and the fact that they are always in contact with your skin.
Real time feedback - These monitors provide real time feedback so you can check you status without stopping your workout.
Cons:
You have to wear a chest strap.  This may be uncomfortable for some people, or difficult to find one that fits particularly if you are a large person.
The batteries are not replaceable in some models.
Having many settings can make use difficult for some people. 
Finger Sensor
Pros
Some of these models can be less expensive.
There is less gear that you need to carry or worry about breaking/losing.
They are good for doing quick status checks.
Cons
Lack of real time status (you have to stop to check).
It may be hard to get accurate data if you are sweating. 

What functionality do I need from my heart rate monitor?

At this point, (for me), all I need is a relatively basic model.  I came up with the list below in searching for a heart rate monitor that I think will suit my needs.  At this point I am not interested in GPS tracking or altitude monitoring or some of the other high end bells and whistles.  I put this list together in order of importance to help my searching
 
My Key Heart Rate Monitor requirements:
Comfort
Battery replacement capability
Back lit for night time use
Waterproof

Zone Tracking and limit indicator
Recovery timer
Calorie Tracker

For now, I think all I need are the basics.  I found several models that meet these requirements.  I have decided to go with a Timex IronMan Road Trainer model.  It is receiving good reviews and is selling for a reasonable cost. 

Ill provide an update after I use the monitor for a while and let you know what I think of it. 

Is heart rate important for the triathlete?

 Heart Rate (What is it?)

Heart Rate is defined as the number of times your heart beats in one minute (BPM).  Generally, in healthy individuals the lower the BPM the more efficiently your heart is working.  Your heat rate can be measured to help determine your workout efficiency and tailor your workout to meet your particular goals.

Where do you start?

First you need to determine your Max Heart Rate (MHR).  Your MHR is maximum BPM your heart can output when your are working your absolute hardest (for example: sprinting top speed up a hill).  MHR can only be sustained for a very short period of time before your body is overcome with exhaustion and you are required to slow down or stop.  The American heart Association defines your maximum heart rate using a very simple calculation. 220 - Your Age.  This is a good approximation for most people.

Example: I am 35, so my recommended maximum heart rate is (220-35) = 185. 

If you are and experienced athlete or under the care of a doctor there are are several ways to determine a more precise MHR.  But for most people, the calculation is a good place to start. Later on I will discuss how to tweak the numbers if you feel the need.

What do you do with this information?

Once your know your MHR you can use this to determine target training zones depending on your fitness goals.  Target heart rate zones are determined as a percentage of MHR.  These zones let you focus your workout on a particular level to establish a particular goal (Aerobic fitness, Fat burning, etc.)  When working out you can adjust your level of intensity based on your measured BPM and the target heart rate.
Broadly, your exercising target hart rate zone is between 60%-85% of MHR.  So for me, that means that I should set my target to be somewhere between 111 and 157 BPM.

Low Intensity Workouts 50%-60% (Beginners or warm up)
If you are new to fitness, overweight/obese or have other limiting health problems this is probably the zone that you should consider as your target.  Remember activities that get  you moving and elevate your heart rate even slightly can still be beneficial to your health.  Do not be discourage if you are not able to go beyond this level at first.  For more active people this will be the warm up zone - a brisk walk and some light stretching to get things started.

Moderate Intensity 60%-75% (Fat loss, fitness or Endurance)
This is the standard workout range.  In the lower ends of this range you will be able to maintain the sustained effort for longer.  This will allow you to burn more calories and increase your bodies fat burning capability.  As your workout becomes more intense and your heart rate moves to the higher end of this zone your start endurance capability. 


High Intensity to Max (75%-85%) (anaerobic workout)

High intensity workouts include things like heavy strength training, sprint interval training, intense full body workouts.  If you are going to attempt to train withing this zone on any kind of regularity, you will need to already have the basic fitness level required.  Intermittent training at this level of can be helpful in increasing your V02max and bringing up the level of intensity your are able to sustain at the moderate level.  It is not a good idea to focus your workouts at this high of a level all of the time. 

Max intensity (85-%100%)

Don't go here.  At least do not try to go here for extended periods of time.  Your body wont allow you to anyways.  Unless you are an experienced athlete under the watchful eye of trainers and medical staff, save this area for your emergency situation adrenaline rush mode. 

So how do I measure it?

Take your pulse
There are several ways to take your pulse.  Two of the most common ways to measure your pulse manually are on the inside of the wrist and the side of the neck.  Once you feel your heart beat in either location, measure how many times you feel the beats over a period of time.  The longer you can measure the more accurate your measurement will be.  The problems with this method are:
1. It is difficult to do while you are still exercising, so getting real time data is nearly impossible.
2. Holding your hands on your wrist or neck while exercising is awkward.
3. Once you heart begins beating faster it can be harder to count the number of beats accurately
4. It is possible to feel the heartbeat in your fingertips, as well as in your neck or wrist, thus providing a double count and leading you to incorrect data.
 
Get a heart rate monitor
A heart rate monitor is an electronic device that can be used to measure your heart rate.  They come in a wide variety of styles and with a wide variety of options. Heart rate monitors can be used to provide real time information to make quick changes if necessary.  They range in price and functionality from the most basic fingertip sensor to chest straps to units that include GPS tracking and Bluetooth synchronization to your smart phone.

Tweaking the numbers

Every person is different so measurements that rely on the reactions of the "Average" person may not be applicable in every case.  Heart rate is affected by everything from height, weight, age, gender, medication, health, weather, - you name it, it probably has an impact on heart rate.  None-the-less, the calculated targets are a good place to start, especially if you have never measured before and have no reference point.  Once you become experienced with measuring heart rate and how much your workouts affect it, you can begin to tweak or customize your zones.  Perhaps you discover that no matter how hard you work you never reach your calculated MHR.  Or Perhaps you realize that you are can consistently work out in your 60-70 zone for hours - maybe you need to adjust your levels up a bit to get more out of your workout.