Heart Rate Monitor

Get the most out of your workouts

The reason women use heart rate monitors is so they can tell when they’re working out hard enough to benefit from it.

It’s recommended that women work out within a 60 to 80 percent range of their maximum heart rate. Maximum heart rate is the highest number of times per minute the heart can safely beat. Staying in this range will ensure greatest health and fat-burning benefits. The average woman’s max heart rate is 220 minus her age.

Age    Target heart rate zone 60 - 85%          Avg. Maximum heart rate
20        120 - 170 bpm (beats per minute)                 200 bpm
25        117 - 166 bpm                                               195 bpm
30        114 - 162 bpm                                               190 bpm
35        111 - 157 bpm                                               185 bpm
40        108 - 153 bpm                                               180 bpm
45        105 - 149 bpm                                               175 bpm
50        102 - 145 bpm                                               170 bpm
55        99 - 140 bpm                                                 165 bpm
60        96 - 136 bpm                                                 160 bpm
65        93 - 132 bpm                                                 155 bpm
70        90 - 128 bpm                                                 150 bpm

Types of heart rate monitors

• Chest strap - This type of monitor has a transmitter strap that wraps around the user’s chest and sends info to a wrist receiver, which often comes in the form of a watch. Transmitter/watch combinations can cost anywhere from $100 to $500 depending on features and brand.
• Integrated chest strap - Some heart rate straps come integrated into products such as sports bras. NuMetrex makes bras and fitness tops with heart rate sensors built in and at $50 to $60 a pop they don’t cost much more than any other piece of high-end sports apparel.
• Hand strap - This type of heart rate monitor doesn’t require a chest strap at all. The wrist watch/monitor attaches via a wire to the wearer’s index finger where it determines heart rate. At under $100 this product costs less than most strap and watch combos. It would be a good choice for women who can’t or prefer not to wear chest straps.
• Non-continuous - This type of heart rate monitor is often a watch with a sensor that the wearer touches to check her heart rate. It’s good if you don’t want to keep track continuously. They can cost as little as $60.

What you need to consider

• Is it easy to use? - Some heart rate monitors, particularly the ones that offer more features, can be hard to figure out. If you’re technophobic it’s probably best to choose a simple one that won’t cause you a headache.
• What info does it provide - Other than just displaying target heart rate, it’s nice to have features such as calories burned, time in target zone and an alarm to alert you when you’re out of the zone. Check out all the features available in comparable models before buying.
• Where will you be wearing it? - If you’ll be sporting your heart rate monitor in an area where other people may also be wearing one, it’s important to get a transmitter strap with a coded signal so you can avoid interference.

The bottom line

You don’t have to spend a bundle to get an accurate heart rate monitor. But if you think a monitor with more features will help keep you interested and more motivated than go for it. It’s all about what works for you.