Strapless heart rate monitors – The Way Forward?
The most common heart rate monitors use a chest strap to pick up impulses and transmit them to the heart rate monitor. The computer chip inside the heart rate monitor watch will process the information received so that it can be displayed to the user. This type of heart rate monitor relies on the chest strap having a good connection to the skin to pick up the impulses, usually you have to wet the electrodes on the strap.
Any static electricity built up by synthetic fabrics can interfere with the signal, as can microwaves and other electronic devices. These heart rate monitors are the most accurate and have the most functionality, so depending on your type of exercise and your objectives you should carefully consider the type and style of your heart rate monitor.
Some functions to consider
Of course all heart rate monitors, strapless or otherwise measure your heart beat. This will be displayed on the receiver, which is usually worn in the form of a watch, but there are specialist monitors designed for cyclists and for triathletes that are multi-purpose and can fit on a bike or on your wrist. These can also have specialist functions such as cadence and wattage output, very useful if you ride a bike! Of course a specialist cycling heart rate monitor will cost more than a regular one.
After entering your age, weight and a few other factors the heart rate monitor can show you stats for your workout. The majority will measure the overall time of the session, the average, max and min heart rate and calories burned. They monitor you ideal heart rate range and beep when you fall outside of your target heart rate. Your target heart rate minimum will be 40% of your maximum heart rate and the maximum will be 80% of your maximum heart rate. What is your maximum heart rate? The simple calculation (used by the majority of the monitors) is 220 – your age.
You may also find that some monitors can work out your V02 maximum, some have GPS built in that can calculate altitude and ascent, great when you’re on the bike. These higher end heart rate monitors can also download your workout statistics to your computer so that you can record all of your workouts and see how well you’re doing.
How does it help me to improve?
If you’re a competitive athlete or just looking to improve your fitness this data can be invaluable. It will help you establish your optimum training schedule and avoid over training. You can use the information downloaded from your heart rate monitor to develop up a workout plan to target your minimum and maximum heart rate zones. By planning an exercise and workout schedule that varies in duration and intensity you can maximize the benefits of each training session. You’ll quickly know if you’re over doing it, or not working hard enough! Use your heart rate monitor and the data it provides to customize your exercise schedule to complement your heart rate and your current fitness levels.
The Strapless heart rate monitor
A strapless heart rate monitor measures your heart beat without the chest strap. These are usually in the form of a watch and work in a couple of ways to track your heart beat. There are either sensors on the watch, or there’s a ring sensor that goes around your finger and sends the information back to the watch. There are also strapless heart rate monitors that can be carried in the hand, designed for walking and jogging, armband style heart rate monitors and finally the ring style that can be worn as a ring on your finger.
Some of these heart rate monitors will show your heart rate continuously and others will monitor your heart rate by using a finger touch sensor. The non-continuous models are cheaper but having to use one or two fingers to take a reading may be inconvenient. So you can see that there’s a heart rate monitor to suit every walk of life and fit every budget. They are no longer just for elite athletes but can be used by people recovering from cardiac diseases or some form surgery. Or perhaps you just want to see how many calories you burn in a day. With the models and styles available you should be able to find a heart rate monitor that suits your budget and your needs.