Heart rate monitors

Heart rate monitors are very useful when wanting to improve your fitness workouts.  

They help you know how hard you are truly working out.  Most also calculate the calories brunt - which is very useful in weight lose.

There are only two types of heart rate monitors I would recommened - Polar or Garmin

http://www.polarusa.com/us-en/

http://www.garmin.com/garmin/cms/site/us

To figure out your Target Heart Rate Zone follow this equation

220 - your age = A#

A# - your resting heart rate* = B#

B# x .65 = C#

C# + your resting heart rate = your low end of you target heart rate

B# x .80 = D#

D# + your resting heart rate = your high end of you target heart rate

*see the "Find your pulse" post

As you do you cardio workouts try to maintain your heart rate between you Low and High number for at least 30 minutes most days of the week.

An example:

A 26 year old with a resting heart rate of 67

220 - 26 = 194

194 - 67 = 127

127 x .65 = 83

83 + 67 = 150

127 x .80 = 102

102 + 67 = 168

So the target exercising hear rate zone is 150-168 bpm

(If you are very de-conditioned you may need to times is by .55 & .75)

Find your pulse..

To find your pulse/resting hear rate

First thing in the morning, when you have not been alarmed and awoken from the alarm clock.  Take the following steps.

1.  Place the tips of your index and second fingers on your lower neck, on either side of your windpipe.

2.  Press lightly with your fingers until you feel the blood pulsing beneath your fingers. You might need to move your fingers around slightly up or down until you feel the pulsing.

3. Use a watch with a second hand, or look at a clock with a second hand.

4. Count the beats you feel for 60 seconds. 

Do this for 3 mornings and then average (add together the 3 numbers then divide them by 3) them out and the number you get is your Average Resting Hear Rate.