Heart Rate Monitor ?

[Niblet]

While doing cardio, do you find it beneficial to use a heart rate monitor? Being that I'll be 43 next month I think my heart rate should be somewhere between 133 - 156 ish. At first I found that a tough thing to do, but now I watch T.V. get on my eliptical or excercise bike and away I go.. My endurance is getting so much better which is likely why I need to change up my work-outs.. I do also do weights on a bowflex home gym..By the time 40 minutes is up I'm soaked. Do I know my body enough by now to not have to strap the monitor on or should I stick with it to keep my heart rate up... Maybe I would not be as diligent.. Thanks Guys !

[weemelonhead]

Heart Rate Monitor ?

Sorry Nib...I can't help, but know how frustrating it can be not to have an answer to a post.
You sound like I feel like I ought to...you're obviously going good guns on the exercise program...
I would recommend pming xtexan, as what that man doesn't seem to know about fitness could be written on an ants packed lunch box!!!!
Hope this helps a bit...if not, I'm sure somebody more physiologically inclined will be along with something a little more useful......

Keep working up that sweat!!!!!!!
Weelazymelon

[Niblet]

Heart Rate Monitor ?

Thanks for the suggestion and your compassion.

[Lorelei]

Heart Rate Monitor ?

I find the heart rate monitor a very useful motivator. I have a recumbant bike at home and found after monitoring my heart rate that I was not getting the true cardio workout I thought I was getting while watching TV. Once I started to exercise to music I was able to get my heart rate up to where it needed to be for cardio improvement.

I am a science geek and love to track numbers, so in addition to making sure you are working hard enough you can track how your cardio conditioning improves as you get fit.

Good luck to you in reaching your fitness goals!!

-Lorelei

[xtexan]

Heart Rate Monitor ?

Hi Niblet:

While I'm flattered by weemelonheads statement, I assure you that what I know about these things is not that extensive.

Been wearing a heart rate monitor every single time I do a cardo-vascular workout for a long time. I find my conditions change day to day, and it may be related to a lot of factors. I record my stats, like you on every single little thing to track my progress. In fact, I've been considering getting a pulse/ox meter to track that as well.

Precision aerobic zone workouts seem to be the best for increasing energy, and increasing metabolism. Over aerobic zone, or anaerobic workouts expand total capacity and endurance, but also leave me exhausted and fatigued for a couple of days after, so I go into that level sparingly.

Another gadget you may wish to consider, is a body analyzer.
I have the Tanita BC553, and use it to track muscle and bone mass, along with body fat%, and base metabolic rate. A great motivator, and I figure if you are the scientific type (I sure am), you would really like this data as well. Here is an Amazon link to check it out.

[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Tanita-BC553-Ironman-InnerScan-Composition/dp/B0007Y6BRU/ref=sr_1_1/002-0142642-8220861?ie=UTF8&s=hpc&qid=1178719784&sr=1-1]Amazon.com: Tanita BC553 Ironman InnerScan Body Composition Monitor PRO Series: Health & Personal Care[/ame]

I also record blood pressure at intervals, along with a few other things. A tape measure is an excellent tool as many know for the base measurements of body dimensions.

In short, every single time I do any sort of scheduled exercise, I wear the cardio-meter. Biking indoors or out, running, skip rope, I always record the stats. Like you, I've seen amazing improvements over the past several months. I'm 50, drank like a fish, and smoked 1 to 2 packs of Marlboro Reds a day for years and years before I quit it all. I sort of amazed my doctor the last physical I had, because previously he was sort of just watching me go down into oblivion. Now I can out run, and out-lift a lot of guys my age.

I saw a fellow about my age, carrying an oxygen tank just to go into a post office a few months ago. That could have been me, I thought, and it did not look like so much fun.

Hope that sort of gives you a little perspective.

Be well.

Neil

[AAthlete]

Heart Rate Monitor ?

Neil, great post and full of lots of useful information!

Niblet, I also use a heart rate monitor a lot of the time and find the information to be extremely beneficial to my workouts. One thing you will notice over time when using one is that you will actually get really good at judging your RPE, or Rate of Perceived Exertion.

One of the very few downfalls of using a heart rate monitor is that your workout can be significantly influenced by how tired you are, if you have a cold, if it is hot outside, if you are a little dehydrated, etc. This in turn can influence your heart rate and make you feel you are working harder or easier than you really are - which is where RPE can help.

Many times I have been out on a training ride, and my thighs are screaming for relief but my actual heart rate isn't that high. So, my RPE is high but my HR is low, indicating that I am probably over-training and need a day off.

Obviously, you can get as complex or as simple as you want from this time of stuff. But, overall I would say that a HR monitor is a GREAT investment that will help improve your workouts. Something that may be beneficial to you is to find out your Lactate Threshold (LT), or the point at which you switch over to burning carbs for fuel as opposed to fat. In general it is usually 85% of your maximum heart rate, but can vary from person to person. Training below that level helps teach your body to burn fat for fuel, and training at or near that level helps push your LT higher, meaning you can work out harder for longer periods of time.

Take care.

[Niblet]

Heart Rate Monitor ?

Wow folks thanks alot !!! XTEXAN You are a true inspiration for all of us !! Good on you !!!

[Arial]

Heart Rate Monitor ?

Great information XTex and AA - and thanks for inspiring the responses, Niblet! I'm afraid although I work out regularly I've never monitored anything. I know my heart rate increases rapidly when I excercise which concerned one trainer, but as it returned very quickly to its normal rate when I stopped he said it was fine. I generally push myself to increase/improve through longer times, harder programs, heavier weights and monitor my improvement that time. I also know from experience when it's time to train hard and time to take it a little easier - I also often switch activities to work on other parts of the body or aerobic excercises. I'm just starting to more seriously train for longer running races so I now may have to make more effort to start analysing performance etc. - so these recommendations may come in really handy!!

Happy training all - glad to talk to you all again - Niblet's right - it's been pretty quiet round here for a while!

[Java]

Heart Rate Monitor ?

I don't use a heart rate monitor, mainly because it gets in my way...I run, and anything other than general clothing tends to annoy me. I guage whether I am working hard enough to make a difference with how my body feels. If i am breathing hard, and feel like I am exerting myself, sweating, and can talk but not that well, I know I am pushing myself.