Do you want to start training with a heart rate monitor? It is one of the best options that every runner can start to do. The reason why you can use a heart rate monitor to train is that it is an ideal way to better control your heart rate and improve your training in relation to the real situation of your body.
But not everyone knows how to use a heart rate monitor and, therefore, we are going to discover everything you need to know to train with a heart rate monitor and make your exercise healthy and beneficial for you and your body.
How the heart rate monitor works for training
If you want to start training with a heart rate monitor, you have to learn to use this tool, which is ideal for controlling the exercise you do and your heart rate. Heart rate monitors are usually made up of:
- A strap (to hold the device and be able to wear it on the body)
- Receiver (usually a watch)
The tape is in charge of controlling the pulsations or the heart rate per minute that we have during training and, this information, is what we will see reflected in the watch that we will wear on the wrist. It is important that the tape is placed at the level of the sternum so that the pulsations are measured correctly. It is also essential that you take into account that, before applying the tape, you should moisten it slightly to avoid that the electrodes can give you a small cramp.
Effective workouts with a heart rate monitor
One of the great advantages that the heart rate monitor gives you compared to other types of training is that you can control, at all times, the real intensity of the exercise in your body. Keep in mind that when you train with a treadmill, the data that appears on the screen is not calculated in a real way but rather roughly. With the heart rate monitor, all the readings you will take will be fully personalized.
This allows us to improve our brands and achieve a much more effective type of training and where performance can increase. Our advice for training with the heart rate monitor is that, when you go out for a run, always intersperse different types of intensities because, in this way, it will help your body to be working at the highest level at all times.
Different types of heart rate monitor training zones
When you train with a heart rate monitor, you will see that the vast majority have 5 training zones that start from the percentage of the maximum heart rate. Here we break them all down so that you can take advantage of your heart rate monitor and better understand how this tool works:
- Zone 0: is the zone that is below 50% and that would be our heart rate at rest.
- Zone 1: it is between 50% and 60% and it is when we are actively resting from exercise.
- Zone 2: between 60% and 70% of the maximum heart rate and trains the aerobic part.
- Zone 3: it is located at 70 and 80% and serves to improve our cardiovascular performance.
- Zone 4: between 80% and 90% of our maximum frequency and helps we improve aerobic power and exercise muscles.
- Zone 5: it is between 90% and 100% of our FCM and is focused on improving our cardiovascular capacity and power.
Basics of training with a heart rate monitor
In any case, it is important that you know some terms that the heart rate monitor will analyze and that it is essential that you know what they refer to. Here we list the basic concepts to learn how to use a heart rate monitor and get the most out of your workouts:
- Maximum heart rate: this is the maximum number of contractions that our heart can reach in one minute.
- Resting heart rate: this is the rate our heart has when we are at rest, that is, without doing physical activity.
- Reserve heart rate: this is the difference between the maximum and the rest and will allow us to adapt the exercise to the average intensity that our body supports.
