How to Choose a Heart Rate Monitor
Posted on January 6th, 2007 by garyPosted in Exercise, Fitness
A heart rate monitor or as they are sometimes called a pulse meter can be a valuable part of any serious exercise routine. There is however a difference between a heart rate monitor and pulse monitor. A heart rate monitor is worn around the chest and a sensor actually measures your heart beating inside of your chest. A pulse monitor is attached to your finger. Wearing a pulse monitor is usually less noticeable but not as accurate, so most people decide on a heart rate monitor instead.
Almost all heart rate monitors operate without wires transmitting the signal to measurement unit. The heart rate monitor is usually either an elastic or cloth band with a sensor in the middle. The sensor should be placed in the middle of the chest. For women there are sports bras with sensors embedded in them making it much more comfortable to wear. If you exercise in gym or health spa you should take into account that the signals from other people’s monitors may interfere or mix with yours. Companies such a Polar have implemented a personal code technology to isolate your signal from the person exercising next to you.
When evaluating different heart rate monitors try to decide which features you need. Almost every unit can tell you hat your heart rate currently is and what your average heart rate was during the duration of your exercise session. More advanced units can upload this data directly to your computer through an infrared port or data cable. Top of the line units can store multiple exercise session without needing to upload after every session. They also give you time in your target heart zone, hi and low target alarms, calories burned and more. These extra features can raise the price of your unit dramatically. You also want to look at the display to make sure it clear and large enough for you to read. Lastly look at the buttons. Make sure they are large enough for you to operate easily.
If you are interested in a basic hart rate monitor with no extra features, we recommend the Polar FS1. Most people will want a few extra features and the Polar F6 gives you a wide array of features at an extremely reasonable price. For people looking for more high end features and data storage capabilities the Ultima CardioSport is our top recommendation.
For more information see Getting the Most Out of Your Heart Rate Monitor
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