Heart rate monitoring
26/07/09 11:36 Filed in: HRM
During exercise, a heart rate (HR) monitor gives objective information to you or your trainer. Your age and resting HR can be used to estimate HR targets for effective conditioning during exercise.
Those experienced in fitness training and in good health might have a good idea of their “maximum” heart rate from heart rate monitoring during some high intensity training, but beginners should not exercise above about 80% of their heart rate reserve.
The examples below are from two of my sessions. In circuit training my HR peaks at a little over 180 bpm. In high intensity cycling at 200W load, it peaks in the 170’s. This is not unexpected, as more muscle groups are working in circuit training whereas my body weight is supported during cycling and fewer muscles are being used.
During circuit training, my HR is above 130 bpm for an hour, but I’m having a lot more fun than I would at the same level cycling. And I’m getting more of a whole-body workout. Also notable is the fairly rapid recovery when exercising stops. It took quite a few months to get this fit though. HR monitoring helped to motivate me and show progress.
During weight training, HR monitoring can still be useful, and for example can be used to check recovery between sets.
In both sessions, it also gives a reliable estimate of the number of calories I used, and the oxygen consumption. The HR monitor is also invaluable when doing a test to assess cardiovascular fitness. More about this another time.
In summary, a good HR monitor helps me or my trainer to monitor my exertion during exercise. It helps ensure I work out in the most efficient way to make progress and allow my body to adapt. Training longer or harder is not always the best way! I sometimes finish weight training sessions with 20 minutes HIIT: in the example above this was cycling.
The examples below are from two of my sessions. In circuit training my HR peaks at a little over 180 bpm. In high intensity cycling at 200W load, it peaks in the 170’s. This is not unexpected, as more muscle groups are working in circuit training whereas my body weight is supported during cycling and fewer muscles are being used.
During circuit training, my HR is above 130 bpm for an hour, but I’m having a lot more fun than I would at the same level cycling. And I’m getting more of a whole-body workout. Also notable is the fairly rapid recovery when exercising stops. It took quite a few months to get this fit though. HR monitoring helped to motivate me and show progress.
During weight training, HR monitoring can still be useful, and for example can be used to check recovery between sets.
In both sessions, it also gives a reliable estimate of the number of calories I used, and the oxygen consumption. The HR monitor is also invaluable when doing a test to assess cardiovascular fitness. More about this another time.
In summary, a good HR monitor helps me or my trainer to monitor my exertion during exercise. It helps ensure I work out in the most efficient way to make progress and allow my body to adapt. Training longer or harder is not always the best way! I sometimes finish weight training sessions with 20 minutes HIIT: in the example above this was cycling.
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