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JOIN NOWWhen the heart beats, an electrical signal is transmitted through the heart muscle in order for it to contract. The transmitter picks up this signal and sends it to the wrist receiver, which displays the data.
Heart Rate Monitors used to consist of a transmitter attached to a chest strap and a receiver in form of a watch. Nowadays there are models that have a built-in optical heart rate monitor, which means – as long as the watch fits correctly – there's no need to wear a chest strap. There are features that you won’t get from optical reading, but there is an option to use the chest strap monitor with these models too.
A heart rate monitor shows you how hard you are working and measures the intensity of your workout. Optimal intensity is when you are working hard enough to positively affect your health by burning fat and building muscle. It will help you to achieve optimised training in which you don't overwork yourself or work out too easily. Once you figure out your limits you will have clearer targets, be more focused, and you will achieve better results more easily.
What is your goal? Do you want to improve your aerobic fitness, lose weight, are you coming back from a long break or do you have specific race goals in mind?
The advanced monitors have the capacity to calculate most of this data for you. For those of you who don't have these features, the following formulas will guide you.
There are four main heart rate zones:
It's incredible how quickly technology changes nowadays. Almost all of the GPS running watches have a wrist-based heart rate monitor. How to choose the most suitable model?
A basic model of the GPS watch with HR is a great option if you need to track pace, distance, time and obviously the heart rate. Some of the models like Garmin Forerunner 35 and Polar M200 have wrist-based heart rate, which is really convenient to use. They have smart notifications – you will see the messages and phone calls on your watch screen. They will also track you daily steps, distance and calories. Not bad for entry level 'basic' GPS watches!
The more advanced the GPS watch, the more features you get, so consider this if you not only run, but also swim or cycle. The Polar M430 is a great watch with plenty of useful features – VO2 estimation, race finish predictor, it can even record your heart rate underwater! If you are going for a long distance runs consider the Garmin Forerunner 935 or Fenix 5. Battery life in these watches lasts up to 50 hours in GPS mode, so it's a great option for ultra running or multi days races.
Most of the Garmin watches can be purchased in a bundle – with a HR chest strap – even if they include wrist-based HR. Why would you need a strap if you have a heart rate measured from your wrist? The heart rate chest strap gives you running dynamics – cadence, stride length, vertical ratio, vertical oscillation, ground contact time and balance. It's very useful information if you are training for a race and you want to measure your running technique and performance!
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