Gear Check
What are heart monitors?
Regardless of what shape you are in, one device you might find useful is a heart-rate monitor.
The key to cardiovascular fitness is getting a good but safe aerobic workout. Heart-rate monitors, which monitor your heart rate while you exercise, can help you do that with ease. They range from relatively simple devices that show how many times per minute your heart is beating to devices that record such information as how long you were exercising at your target heart rate.
Although target heart rates might seem too esoteric for beginners, it’s important information to know no matter what your fitness level, according to the American Council on Exercise.
Here’s a simple way to determine your maximum and target heart rates: Subtract your age from 220 to figure out your maximum heart rate. For instance, if you are 35, your maximum heart rate is 185. Your target heart rate is 60 to 85 percent of that number, or 111 to 157. These numbers are based on a healthy adult.
Feel the pulse
Now that you know what your target heart rate should be, you can find your heart or pulse rate with just a watch. Gently press a finger against the pulse at the side of your neck. Count the beats for 10 seconds, then multiply this number by six to give you the number of beats per minute.
Heart-rate monitors range in price from $50 to more than $100. The most economical models have two parts: a small transmitter mounted on a belt that wraps around your chest and a wristwatch-like device that displays the numbers. There are no wires; the watch-like monitor picks up electromagnetic signals from the transmitter.
Getting feedback
Whether you walk, jog, run, bike, row, or ski, you can see some real benefits from using a heart-rate monitor. Concrete feedback on your progress is important reinforcement when you exercise. You’ll find, for example, that over time you’ll be able to perform longer within your target heart rate range. You’ll also notice that as you become more fit, you can perform some tasks at a lower heart rate, or run even further or faster at the same heart rate.
Perhaps the best thing about a monitor is that it can help you learn your limits. Too many beginners push too hard. They think exercise has to hurt, and they’ll work out at a pace that’s impossible to maintain. A monitor enables them to establish limits so they don’t overdo it.
Run up your pulse
Your heart rate will vary depending on what exercise you are performing. For instance, weight training can get your heart rate up to about 70 percent of maximum. It won’t stay that high for long, because lifting weights isn’t a constant effort.
On the other hand, people who ride stationary bikes can maintain a 75 percent heart rate for about 30 minutes out of a 40-minute workout.
Well-conditioned runners also will typically maintain a high heart rate for extended periods, approaching 80 to 85 percent for miles at a time.
If you are a newcomer to exercise, check with your health care provider before starting a fitness program. Your provider also can help you determine what target heart range is best for you, based on your health.
