There are a number of fitness bands on the market today, each one professing to be the best when it comes to helping you get and stay in shape. However, if you’re looking for the one that will work best, you’ll want to go with a heart rate monitor. Why?
For starters, being aware of your heart rate during the course of your exercise session allows you to work out in the safest manner possible. By realizing when your heart is beating too fast, for instance, you’ll be able to tone your effort down and reduce the risk of overdoing it, thus potentially saving you from negative health consequences such as a heart attack.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, wearing a heart rate monitor also lets you know if you aren’t working out hard enough, thereby limiting your results. This keeps you from wasting your time participating in an exercise program that isn’t giving you the body that you are working toward.
Ideally, you want to be exercising at 65 to 85 percent of your maximum heart rate. To figure out that range, just take your age and subtract it from 220. From there, you’ll want to multiply that number by .65 and .85. Those numbers are the range you want your heart rate to be in for the best possible results.
Example: 220 – 40 years of age = 180
180 x .65 = 117
180 x .85 = 153
If you are 40 years old, your target heart rate is between 117 and 153 beats per minute.
Essentially, heart rate monitors are superior to every other fitness band because they provide feedback that can help you improve your particular fitness level at a safe yet efficient rate.
What is your favorite heart rate monitor? Any specific model or brand?
