Best Heart Rate Monitors

The best heart rate monitors are well worth your consideration. Just a few years ago they were quite expensive and used by only elite athletes. With the current focus on weight loss, more and more people want to know and reach their fat burning heart rate with their workouts.

In recent years even the best heart rate monitors have become quite affordable. They are now used by people at all fitness levels to monitor and improve their health and wellness.



A heart rate monitor is essential for those who desire to keep their workouts within an optimum heart rate zone. For example you can improve your aerobic capacity by working out in your aerobic heart rate zone. Also, losing weight would be enhanced by staying within your fat burning zone.

Heart rate monitors can help you meet your various fitness goals more quickly and more efficiently.

Each model has different features but with some of the best heart rate monitors you will have the potential to:

• Stay motivated to maintain your exercise program.
• Monitor whether or not you are working out intensely enough.
• Monitor when you exceed the best level of intensity.
• Track the effectiveness of various workout routines.
• Track the calories you burn for a workout.
• Maintain computer records of your workouts.

There are two components to a heart rate monitor:

1. chest strap with transmitter

2. wrist receiver

You should determine what type of chest strap/transmitter would work best for you. Most snap in the front but some are one-piece units.

Both the receiver and transmitter require batteries. Some of these can be changed by the user. Others require the manufacturer to change the battery ore the warranty will be voided.

Things to consider before purchasing one of the best heart rate monitors on the market:

√ Style. This is especially important if you plan to wear it as your watch.

√ Cost. This will determine what features you will be able to add to a basic monitor.

√ Features. There are many features from the most basic model to very sophisticated programmable models. Some of the available features include:

• Basic continuous-read monitors. These do one thing: display your heart rate with a large digital display. Easy to use. Inexpensive. Even some of these most basic models will now include one or two other features.

• Watch functions. Time of day and date display. Various styles to accommodate users who want to use their heart rate monitor as their daily watch. Options include 12 or 24 hour clock mode; split screen that simultaneously displays heart rate and time of day; alarm.

• Programmable heart rate zones. Allows you to set high low target heart rate zones. Audio alarm and blinking number indicates when outside of zone.

• Memory functions. Allows you to recall certain data from your workout such as time in a zone, calories burned, % maximum heart rate.

• Calories burned. Allows you to load your personal information such as height, weight, age, and determines total calories burned per workout. Your target fat burning heart rate becomes a very important number if weight loss is your goal.

• Mounts. Special mounts can be used for bicycles, elliptical machines, rowing machines, and other fitness equipment.

• GPS devices. Allow you to measure how far you have run or walked.

• Computer software. Some heart rate monitors allow you to download your workout information directly to your computer.

Be sure that you purchase a heart rate monitor with all of the functions you might want to use in the future. It is not uncommon for someone to purchase a more basic model only to discover in the first year they want other functions. Things to remember after purchasing one of the best heart rate monitors on the market:

1. You may need to moisten the transmitter for the receiver to pick up the signal. (check instructions.)

2. Do not push any buttons while the monitor is wet. Most monitors are water resistant but can be damaged in this manner.

3. Be aware that some nearby electrical equipment can cause a momentary malfunction.


To learn more click on one of the following topics:

Your Fat Burning Zone