Guide to Buying & Using the Heart Monitor

One of the secrets to getting the full benefit from your exercise regime is to make sure you are training at the right heart rate for the right time interval. Before using my first heart rate monitor, I was always getting distracted from my physical activity to place two finger on my neck to try to estimate my heart rate.

If you are serious about getting losing weight, getting fit and staying healthy then you really must get a heart rate monitor that is suited to your particular needs.

Judging from the user feedbacks on Amazon.com, I think I'll still to my reliable chest strap and heart rate monitor watch. I find that it work well as long I wet the contact area of the chest strap.

I started long ago out with a basic heart monitor model that displays only the heart rate and have since upgraded over time to the Garmin Forerunner 305 GPS Heart Rate Monitor, that has all the bells and whistles and more. Maybe I'll upgrade to the 405 that is noticeably smaller and lighter. If you are looking at buying a heart rate monitor watch then I would recommend to get the HRM type that pairs with a chest strap.

In my opinion if you have not tried a HRM watch before then it is best to start with a simple and cheap model to see if it is suited for you.

If on the other hand you are a sports enthusiast then a full featured will help you stay on track and safe in your physical training.

Like in all things, working smart can be more important than working hard.

I used to "Work Hard" at my exercise routines. Making many mistakes like rushing through my warmups, going way over my target training heartrate and then cutting short or conveniently forgetting my cooling down sessions.

After experiencing the costly effects of over training like strained muscles and falling short on my body fat reduction target, I knew I had to try a different approach. Between my online research and visits to the public library, I realized that knowing my heartrate during my exercise activities is the key to getting the most benefits from exercise.

Fast forward to 6 months later, I've now been using my heart rate monitor (HRM) watch (the type with a chest strap) for nearly 5 months and its great. The HRM watch enables me to focus on executing my exercise routines instead of trying to manually count my heart rate with 2 fingers on my pulse. This handy sport gadget is my trusty training buddy that reminds me when I'm overexerting myself, and also make sure I spend sufficient time in my warm up and cool down sessions.

My HRM watch is now my number 1 essential training device. If you are into getting fit then this is something you should consider getting.