HoodiaPharm HungerAway
Friday, December 7, 2007 Using A Heart Monitor

If you are a beginner with the goal of improving overall fitness, losing weight or reducing stress, you should be using a heart monitor to figure out exactly what your heart rate is when you are exercising. With a treatmill, they usually have the heart rate monitor built in, but if you are exercising outside or with an apparatus that doesn't have one, you should invest in a quality heart monitor.

The rule of thumb when you first start exercising is that you should exercise in what is called the healthy heart zone which is 50-60 percent of your maximum heart rate.If you already exercise regularly but are aiming to lose body fat, exercise in the weight management zone which is 60-70 percent of maximum heart rate. Build up to a work out of 60 minutes of continuous exercise.

If your goal is to improve aerobic capacity or athletic performance, exercise in the aerobic zone which is 70-80 percent of maximum heart rate. Competitive athletes may need to add interval training sessions during the week in the anaerobic threshold heart rate zone, which is 80-90 percent of maximum. This high intensity exercise helps train muscles to handle lactic acid.

However, you should train sparingly at these upper limits. Exercising regularly at a heart rate intensity that is too high does not produce additional aerobic benefits and increases the possibility of an athletic injury. Interval training and anaerobic threshold workouts require a high degree of fitness, and is not necessary for general fitness training.

Once you determine your individual training zones, you can easily program them into your heart monitor. Your monitor will notify you with a beep if you are exercising above or below the pre-programmed zones. Many models record heart rate at selectable intervals. You can then evaluate your exercise after each session and adjust your intensity if needed. Recording heart rate also allows you to monitor your fitness improvements over time.

Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway :: 7:43 AM :: 0 comments

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