Benefits of using heart rate monitor

Whether you're a triathlete in training or someone who's new to the exercise scene, a little individualized feedback can go a long way toward achieving your fitness goals.

And now, thanks to modern technology, you can strap on your own personal "coach," a.k.a. a heart rate monitor, and hit the road, stair climber or aerobics floor, confident that you'll be working your body not too easily, not too hard, but just right.

A lightweight strap that's worn around your ribs, a heart rate monitor measures your pulse by picking up on the electronic changes in your heart that occur as you exercise. The result is transmitted to a small display unit worn like a wristwatch or clipped to your bike's handlebars.

Assuming you already know your target training zone (typically 60 to 85% of your maximum heart rate), "You can simply look down and see how you're doing," said John Krzyston, a tester for the American College of Sports Medicine and manager of the Fox Athletic Club in Geneva. "So they can be very helpful in training."

Judy Kieres-McCormick, a certified strength and conditioning specialist and fitness center coordinator for the Dundee Township Park District, said she's been using a heart rate monitor to help her triathlon training for about four years.

"It's a great way to control a workout and to individualize it," she said, "and it's much more accurate than taking your pulse with your fingers."

While your heart rate can drop significantly within 15 seconds after you stop exercising to find your pulse, a monitor gives you constant feedback, Kieres McCormick said, "And because you have that constant feedback, you can adjust [your intensity]. If it's hot or more humid or you're dehydrated, your heart rate is very sensitive to that (and will be higher)."

Kieres-McCormick noted that for recreational runners or bicyclists, one of the biggest benefits of a heart rate monitor is that it can help prevent overtraining and, consequently burnout and injury. "Some people buy them and use them as a speedometer, but...the point is not to get [your heart rate] as high as you can, but to keep it in a safe zone or an area that's going to help you reach a goal," she said.

"Research has proven that the difference in the physiological improvements in people who work at a high intensity versus people who work at a moderate intensity over a sustained period of time are not significant," Krzyston agreed.

For a complete lowdown, from the basics of heart rate monitoring to high performance training, Kieres-McCormick recommends The Heart Rate Monitor Book by Sally Edwards (Fleet Feet Press, 1993).

Available at many high end bike stores or through catalogues such as Bike Nashbar (1-800-NASHBAR), a good heart rate monitor can cost anywhere from $100 to $500 for models that connect to your PC. Cheaper models that clip to an earlobe or finger are OK for treadmill or stationary bike workouts, but they're not as accurate as the chest strap.

For a free buyer's guide comparing various models, call Creative Health Products, 1-800-742-4478.

� Copyright 1994 Paula Lauer