Picking a Heart Rate Monitor for Running
Discover the key features and benefits of running with a heart rate monitor.
Published: September 1, 2021
The Basics
- Heart rate is an important measure of workout intensity
- The most accurate and portable method for obtaining heart rate is with a chest strap and wireless receiver (i.e. a watch or exercise equipment display)
- Electrodes in the chest strap capture the electrical signals produced by the heart
- A heart rate monitor watch displays heart rate and possibly other information depending on the model's features
- Obtaining your heart rate by feeling your pulse or through a finger-touch device is less accurate than using a chest strap and may disrupt your workout flow
- Get the most out of training with a heart rate monitor by obtaining your maximum heart rate measurement at a performance institute, university, or medical lab
- Although water-resistant, most heart rate monitors do not function correctly or accurately underwater
Key Features
- Continuous and accurate heart rate tracking
- Heart rate display in beats per minute or as a percent of maximum heart rate
- Target zone feature with alerts to keep you at the desired intensity
- Calorie counter to track the number of calories burned during your workout
- Post-workout summary of heart rate data like maximum heart rate during a workout, average heart rate, or time spent in the target zone
- Lap/split time function for interval training or racing with heart rate data stored for each lap
- Upload capability to a computer for charting progress and logging workouts
- Compatible with same-brand speed and distance monitor
Key Benefits
- Get the most out of your workout by training at the desired intensity and effort
- Lets you know if you are working too hard or not hard enough
- Helps prevent long-term overtraining or undertraining
- By using a heart rate monitor as a training guide, you can improve aerobic and anaerobic fitness
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