The Importance of Wearing a Heart Rate Monitor

In a recent tip of the day I mentioned the importance and effectiveness of wearing a heart rate monitor. Since I received so many emails regarding how to properly use a monitor I decided to discuss it here.

Think of a heart rate monitor as a gauge, a tachometer for your body so to speak. The speedometer in your vehicle tells you how fast you are moving but does not explain how hard the engine is running. On the flip side, a tachometer tells you exactly how fast the engine is turning at any given RPM (Revolutions Per Minute). Similarly, a heart rate monitor may not tell you how fast you are walking or running but it does indicate how hard or fast your heart is beating (BPM-Beats Per Minute).

Why is This Important?

In order for you to gain the most out of your training you should define your goals. Do you want to lose fat, increase aerobic capacity or improve your body’s ability to buffer lactic acid? For most snow sports enthusiasts it is a combination of all three. In order for fat to burn efficiently once it enters your muscles a constant and steady supply of oxygen must be present at all times. If your heart rate or level of exercise intensity is too high, your muscles will tend to rely more heavily on sugar instead of fat due to alack of oxygen. On the other hand, If your heart rate and corresponding level of exercise intensity is too low you will most likely make poor use of your time, slow your rate of fat loss and decrease the development of intra-muscular changes needed to reprogram your body to be fit and lean for the slopes.

How do I Figure Out How Hard My Heart Should be Working to Reach My Goals?

The easiest way (although not always the most accurate) to determine your recommended Target Heart Rate is to use the AGE Predicted Maximum Heart Rate Formula. Simply subtract your age from 220, and then multiply that number by a percentage depending on what your goals are. If you are just starting out, caution should be taken when going above 70% of your maximum heart rate. Below are some general guidelines for training sensitive zones:

• “Fat Burning Zone”: 60%-75% of maximum heart rate
• Building Aerobic Fitness: 75%-85% of maximum heart rate
• Anaerobic Threshold Training: 85%-100% of maximum heart rate

Try incoporating a month of working in the “fat burning zone” (60-75% of max HR) a month of improving your aerobic capacity (75-85% of of max HR) and a month of increasing your body’s ability to buffer lactate acid (85-100% of max HR) before you hit the slopes.

Always remember to consult your physician before beginning any new workout or nutrition program.

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