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There are two common reactions to heart rate monitors (HRMs), the portable EKG devices that tell
you how fast your heart is beating during exercise. The first is amazement. The HRM, which consists
of a chest-strap transmitter and a wireless wristwatch readout, is so advanced that some can
calculate your calories burned during exercise, let you program up to 99 different interval
settings, and can be attached to a computer to print out multicolored graphs of your heart rate
and stress levels during exercise.
The second common reaction?: “But who has the time to learn all this stuff?”
They Only Look Complicated
Fortunately, most of us don’t need to know all the ins and outs of these sometimes
complicated devices. In fact, as anyone who uses them quickly discovers, the only feature
that you absolutely need from an HRM, beyond heart rate itself, is a “target
zone alarm”—a beeper that goes off when you’re loafing or pushing too hard
(when your heart rate goes above or below a set zone).
After all, a HRM’s main function is to be a physiological traffic cop—to tell you
when to speed up and when to slow down. Run/ride/walk too fast (in other words, maintain a
too-high heart rate) for too long and you’ll tire quickly, risk injury, and probably
stop your workout early—before you reach your distance and calorie-burning goals. Go
too slow, and you’ll see less improvement, be less fit, and will have burned fewer
calories than you hoped.
Models with target zone alarms are available from nearly every manufacturer, with prices
starting at $70—about as much as a pair of running shoes. That’s not bad for a
device that many consider to be the most powerful and motivational piece of exercise
equipment available.
BEST VALUE
With models designed for men and women, useful and innovative features such as
automatically-set target zones and heart-rate-recovery timing, Acumen’s HRMs offer a
lot of beat (as in heart) for the buck.
Brand: Acumen
Models: Basix, Basix Plus
Prices: $89, $119
Add. Features: Basix: EZ-Set Target Zone (just enter age to set zone), time, calendar,
calorie counter, Night Site light. Basix Plus: same as Basix plus Smart Stopwatch, Dual
memory (gives your time in target zone and total exercise time), and Fitness Index (it
calculates your level of fitness with each workout by counting how quickly your HR comes
down).
Special Features: non-slip chest straps; optional bike mount ($13); all available in
women’s ES versions (Esteem Series) with smaller watch and chest strap plus choice of
colors—metallic red, green, blue, black silver.
Link: http://www.cybermegamall.com
Brand: Polar
Model: Target
Price: $89
Add. Features: clock
Link: http://www.nashbar.com
Brand: Phase
Models: Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3
Prices (respectively): $80, $100, $120
Add. Features: Phase 1: time, date. Phase 2: time, date, light. Phase 3: time, date, memory
(your total time in, above, and below your target zone).
Special features: all models have soft, ventilated chest straps and fabric/Velcro
wristbands
Link: http://www.avocet.com
Brand: Vision Fitness
Model: VF-III
Price: $99
Add. Features: time, day and date; stopwatch; backlight; alarm can be manually turned off
Link: http://www.visionfitness.com/v2/heartratemonitors/vf3/vf3.htm
Brand: Sports Instruments
Models: Circuit 3 Zone Trainer, Circuit 4 Calorie Counter
Prices: $79, $110
Add. Features: C3: time, day, date, day of week, 20-hr stopwatch. C4: same features as C3
plus calorie counter and Indiglo night light.
Special features: canvas/Velcro wrist strap
Link: http://www.sportsinstruments.com
Brand: Cardiosport
Models: Limit Classic, Limit Plus, AutoZone, Premier
Prices: $89, $89, $99, $119
Add. Features: LC: clock, two-tone case. LP: alarm-off button, clock, calendar, daily
alarm, LCD light. AZ: same as Limit Plus, with 5 HR zones, percent of max HR. P: same as
Limit Classic with stopwatch, backlight, and memory recall of time spent in target zone.
Link: http://www.cardiosport.com
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Basic Monitors |
These HRMs are designed to be very simple to operate and understand. They show you your
heart rate and sometimes include additional features (listed). They do not come with
target zone alarms but you may not mind simply watching your heart rate display
(especially if you don’t exercise for long periods) to keep track of your effort.
BEST VALUE
Brand: Accu-Measure
Models: Cardiozone 5, Cardiozone 9, Combo HRM/bike computer
Prices: $60, $69, $69
Features: C5: max., avg. and current HR, LCD, low-battery indicator, clock.C9: same as
C5 plus stopwatch, day of week, min. HR, and comparison indicator. Combo: essentially
a bike computer with current and maximum HR; computer functions: current, max. and avg.
speed, total distance, trip distance, elapsed time, and clock.
Link: http://www.accufitness.com
Brand: Polar
Models: Beat, Tempo
Prices: $69, $89
Features: B: continuous HR. T: HR and elapsed exercise time.
Link: http://www.nashbar.com
Brand: Vision
Models: VF-1, VF-II
Prices: $59, $79
Features: VFI: HR only, large easy-to-read digits (among the largest), clear case, no
buttons. VFII: HR, time, button-activated backlight, dual-line display.
Link: http://www.visionfitness.com/v2/heartratemonitors/vf3/vf3.htm
Brand: Cardiosport
Model: Smart 2
Price: $69
Features: HR, button-activated backlight.
Link: http://www.cardiosport.com
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The Talking HRM |
Newlife Heart Talker is the world’s only talking HRM. Instead of a wrist-watch
monitor, the Heart Talker’s earphones supply audio cues on demand. And at selected
intervals (30 seconds, 1, 2, or 4 minutes) a voice tells you whether or not you are in
your target zone, with statements such as, “You’re in the zone,”
“Keep up the good work,” “Slow down,” “Pick up the pace,”
or, “You’re out of your zone.” Also, every ten minutes, all three models
tell you how many minutes you’ve been working out. A summary report provides total
workout time, time spent in chosen target zone, and average heart rate.
Pros:
- Being hard-wired with headphones, there is no cross-talk or interference from
other monitors when running with others.
- No more squinting to read tiny numbers. As long as you don’t find the
electronic voice distracting, the Heart Talker is ideal for running at night, when you
can’t read your watch, or for riding in traffic, when it’s dangerous to take
your eyes off the road.
Cons:
- Having someone talking in your ear might bug you and make it hard to hear outside
noise at times.
- You may not like wearing the earphones and the attached wire.
Models: Ken, Kathy, Denise
Prices: $59, $79, $79
Features: Ken reports your HR at designated intervals
(“One-hun-dred-for-ty-two”), it cannot set target zones but will provide a
summary report. Kathy offers voice commands (by fitness video queen Kathy Smith),
as well as two programs: A low-intensity 30-min walking program (enter your age and it
calculates your program and sets your upper and lower limits), and a 48-minute walk-jog
program. Denise is voiced by fitness diva Denise Austin, and has both a 30-minute
walking program and a calorie counter.
Link: http://www.heartalker.com |
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