Best Heart Rate Monitor

Best Heart Rate Monitors

Personal heart rate monitors are being used more and more by both casual and professional athletes to measure their heart beat in real time. The best heart rate monitors can also record the person’s heart rate for analysis at a later time. This allows athletes to study peak rates, recovery times, etc., and allows them to tailor their workouts to achieve greater aerobic capacity.

The very first wireless monitor was developed as a training aid for the Finnish cross country ski team. By 1983, personal heart rate monitors were available to the general public. How do you determine which are the best heart rate monitors? It depends on the requirements of the person using it. Modern heart rate monitors generally are made up of two devices that work together. First, a transmitter is strapped to the chest. The second element, the receiver, is usually strapped around the wrist and generally doubles as a watch. The best heart rate monitors use conductive smart fabric with microprocessors built into the material that analyse the EKG signal, thereby very accurately determining the user’s heart rate.

Nowadays, strapless heart rate monitors can be accessed merely by pressing two sensors on a wrist display. If the sensors are held for a few seconds, the heart rate can be viewed. While the convenience is appreciated, these devices wouldn’t be considered to be the best heart rate monitors, because they simply don’t give as much detail as the monitors which strap to the chest.

The very best heart rate monitors don’t just display heart rate. They give readings on other heart activity, rate variability and breathing rates as well. The best of the best heart rate monitors use sensor fusion algorithms to detect details like the user’s core temperature and level of dehydration. After the training session, the best heart rate monitors can give information regarding the average heart rate during the actual exercises performed, the number of calories burned and other details which can downloaded into a computer and analyzed even further. They can also include sensors which can accurately measure distances travelled, thereby eliminating the need for a separate device worn around the ankle.

Women have the advantage of being able to wear a chest strap-type monitor in sports bras. Bras with heart rate monitors have the necessary sensors built into the fabric.

For the beginner or casual athlete, the best heart rate monitor may be one they can use without having to fiddle with a lot of buttons. If they just want to know their heart rate during exercise, there are a huge range of models available, many of which are extremely reliable and accurate. These models, which have a starting price of about $30, give a continuous reading of the user’s heart rate and can be set to give off an alarm when the user reaches a pre-determined heart rate zone.

For more serious athletes, like tri-athletes, for example, it’s possible to spend up to $300 for a model that will give all the information they could require, including how their heart rate during their current workout compares to the previous one, allowing them to see if they’ve made any improvements.

So, depending on your requirements, the best heart rate monitors for others may not be what’s best for you. Do the research, make your comparisons, then decide.

Check it out:

1. Polar FT80 Heart Rate Monitor Watch (Black)