There are several different ways to measure your fitness: number of reps, miles run, level of intensity. If you are looking to tangibly track your progress, though, one of the most important tools to have is a heart rate monitor.
Not only will it help you gauge your current state of fitness, it will also provide you with valuable data to ensure you are maximizing every workout. Unfortunately, a lot of people who use heart-rate monitors don’t really understand what they are being shown or what those different heart-rate numbers really imply. And they’re not sure how to use those figures to improve their workouts. This is where IQNITER comes in handy!
So if you’ve found yourself shying away from using a heart-rate monitor because you’re not sure what it’s all supposed to mean, we are here to help you!
There are different types of heart-rate measurements and each plays a significant role. Wear your heart-rate monitor throughout the day for several days to track and record your normal heart-rate data in various states as described below. Once you know your normal heart-rate numbers, it’s time to do something with them. Being able to interpret and respond to your numbers is critical to determining whether your training program is on target, requires more recovery time or needs to be intensified.
If you want to study the different heart rate numbers and what they mean, here is a guide to understand and interpret them:
Resting Heart Rate
This is how fast your heart beats while in a complete state of rest, which is best monitored first thing in the morning, while lying horizontally.
A drop in resting heart rate usually equates to an increase in fitness. If you see a rise of 10 percent or more in your resting heart rate it may indicate that you are fatigued, emotionally stressed or your immune system has been weakened.
Delta Heart Rate
This is the difference between your heart rate while resting and standing. So measure your delta heart rate while standing and subtract that number from your resting heart rate.
As your fitness improves, your delta heart rate will also decrease. This provides you with the confidence that your training program has sufficient stress and recovery to allow your body to get stronger. If you notice a rise in your delta heart rate it could be because you are overtraining, stressed out, suffering from a lack of sleep, battling a virus or are reacting to new medication.
Heart Rate During Aerobic Activities
Track your heart rate during your favorite activities, such as walking, power walking, jogging, running and cycling. What heart rate does each activity elicit when you’re going easy, moderate or hard? How do you feel when you’re playing a recreational game of tennis versus a competitive game?
As you become more fit, your heart rate will decline at various workloads, and during vigorous activities you will be able to maintain a higher heart rate. If your heart rate becomes higher than normal for the same workload, then you need to find out why (e.g., dehydration, medication, lack of recovery, temperature, humidity, etc.).
