Would I be able to use a HRM to track my 'fitness progress'? If so, how? I'm starting back with swimming/running etc. after 6 months off. I'd like to see how much my fitness improves over time (I think this would give me some motivation to keep it up!) but I've no idea how to 'track' it. Any thoughts/ideas and general info on this would be gratefully recieved Thanks
There are lots of different varieties and they do all sorts of different things, the main factor being cost of course A basic one will let you exercise in different HR zones. So for doing things like tabata where you need to be operating at particular %s of HRM a heart rate monitor is essential. Some even have GPS and will log your runs, so you can actually race against your previous performances, trying to beat a "ghost" you around a set course. I like using mine (an old model of Polar), but tend to use it in conjunction with a Gymboss interval timer these days to give me work intervals and rest/recovery intervals. Mitch
So how will knowing what my heart rate is (or more acurately keeping track of it) tell me my fitness level? I really don;t understand the whole 'heart rate' thing. Is it the 'fitter i am the less beats per minutes (during excersise)'? Any chance of Layman's Terms please
Depending on your goals youre going to want to work within a certain Heart rate range. It's up to you to raise or lower your intensity to match those levels. Any improvement made will be shown through more distance Traveled and a quicker recovery. Atleast that's how I think it works, I've been thinking about getting a monitor As well so I'll be keeping an eye on this thread.
interesting thread. I'm thinking of getting back to fitness via mountain bike & running, and have been thinking about HRMs in order to monitor simple progress. Does anyone know whether you can you get them without the chest band? I would have thought that the 'watch' gizmo would have been sufficient,
I have the watch gizmo on my watch. Problem is and it may be from my cheaper type ekg sensor on my watch is that a correct reading is more likely and recommended if you sit down and then index finger your watch for your pulse rate.From what I have been reading about this subject a true pulse rate indication is hard to get from a watch while you are moving. But there is probably a very expensive type you can buy that is way more accurate for you to use while you are in motion.I think..
The monitor shows you what your heart rate is whilst you're exercising. Depending on your goals you will want to exercise at different percentages of your heart rate maximum (HRM which is 220-your age). So for old blokes like me my HRM is 178. If I'm working at a high intensity my HR should be somewhere around 80-90% of my HRM. If I want to work on edurance then I should do longer at lower intensities. Does that make sense? Mitch
Thanks Mitch, so far I think I'm understanding all this. So let's say i'm building up endurance. How would I know if I were actually getting 'fitter'? I know the workout would be easier so Over time would I have to work harder to reach 'target HR' during a workout? Or is it just a case of 'you can go for longer? Sorry if these sound daft but, as I have no definite 'goal' I want to achieve (run a marathon/swim the channel lol), I have no 'focus' other than to get, and stay, fit! EDIT:Just as an after thought question......... I guess what I'm asking is 'Would HR Monitor show me whether or not my fitness is improving'? and 'if so, how?'
You'll find you have to work harder to reach your target heart rate, can stay there longer and more easily and recover from high intensity intervals more quickly (HR decreasing more raidly). So you might go for a run, complete it at a particular HR, but find you've done it faster. If you have one of the fancy ones you'll be able to see exactly where you were at a particular time on a previous run for example, and race against yourself. I use mine in conjunction with a log of my times when I'm running. You can set up logs at websites like Mapometer for example, where you can measure out a run using Google maps, then record all your times for it. Mine then also has a Fitness Trend function. Every couple of weeks you can do a test of your resting HR and it plots a graph of how "fit" you are. I don't think all models do this, and it's not the main purpose of them, but it might be what you're after? Mitch
you can use HR monitors in a variety of ways as feedback and motivation: For example if you are exercising in a given zone 130-150bpm for example and when you start simple fast walking keeps you in the zone, and as you progress you need to jog then run to keep in that zone you have instant feedback and motivation. If you have a specific goal in mind, improve cardiac out put, power out put at anaerobic threshold, etc a monitor is a great tool to keep you in the right zone and there is lots of info out there about how to use monitors (most of the best info is from endurance sports) Other ways you can use a monitor are: 1) to test resting HR, as your resting heart rate drops this means aerobically you are becoming fitter, can pump more blood and oxygen around the body with each beat of your heart, this in term means you will generally be able to work harder longer before exhausting yourself 2) Measuring heart rate recovery between rounds on pads, cardio machinery sparring etc, the quicker your heart rate falls between rounds generally the fitter you are and the better you can recover 3) power output at a given heart rate: if you know what your anaerobic threshold is and are using your heart rate monitor whilst on a piece of cardio machinery you can see how your conditioning improves, for instance say you are on a exercise bike and your threshold is 170bpm and when you are exercising around that zone you can produce 200 watt of power at the start of your training..........two months later when you are on the same piece of machinery at a heart rate of 170bpm you are now producing 250watts of power, this shows how your power output has increased and that you can produce a lot more power at a given HR rate
Great thread btw.....Also if you decide to buy a wrist heart rate monitor give the thing a once over. Looking at the settings and the options it has.See if you like how they are set up for that model and if it seems like you will understand the device so you will really use it. Make sure you feel it is something that will help you train. Like having a second brain giving you instruction and one that you will fully understand what you want it to do with it before you walk out of the store with it.Not one that is so complicated it turns into just eye candy
I swear by them. As already mentioned there are a lot of ways to use them to discern your fitness level. Some HRMs come with built in tests such as my Polar RS800 which has OwnIndex - based on your resting heart rate. HRM's really shine in the feedback they give you during training. I used to hate running but then I went out with a HRM and realised just how hard my body was working. It taught me so much. I now know the difference between being 'out of breath' and being 'about to die out of breath'. There were a few times I'd feel like I was going to die but look at my HRM and realise my heart was barely hitting 50 or 60% max heart rate. So you realise a lot of it is perception. Works the other way too and is a good guide to stop from pushing too hard.
