Technically, the answer to “how do heart rate monitors work” involves electrical impulses that occur when the heart beats. These impulses are picked up by the small electronic monitors which turn the beats into a readable text.

Some heart rate monitors do far more than tell you your heart rate. For those that have advanced functions, the question, how do heart rate monitors work is far more complex. Without giving you complex mathematical equations, we can just say the heart rate monitors can use complicated equations to determine things like how many calories you are burning during a specific time period.

How do heart rate monitors work is a common question among curious fitness folk. While the features may vary from monitor to monitor, they all work off of the same basic principle. A small computer within the monitor is responsible for processing the electric impulses and translating them into something we can understand on the display.

Learning how do heart rate monitors work can help clue you in to their usefulness in a workout program. Your heart rate during exercise effects how many calories and how much fat you burn off. You will see Tony Horton, for example, continuously checking his heart rate monitor to ensure he is in a good fat burning zone during cardio routines.

Heart rate monitors are a great tool when interested in getting the most out of your workouts. They can help ensure you are working hard enough to get maximum results without overdoing it. For additional information about how do heart rate monitors work, be sure to click the “heart rate monitors” tag at the top of this article.

Example for a 30 yr. old man:
220-30= 190 (maximum heart rate)
.70 x 190= 133
.80 x 190= 152
Target heart rate: 143- 162 (approximately)

A quick internet search will show you there are several ways to determine your target heart rate for weight loss. Any of them will do as they come up with very similar results. This one is simply the easiest. If you are looking for more precise results, you could try the Karvonnen formula or a newer formula from the Harvard’s Men’s Health Watch, available here.

Once you have determined that ideal range for caloric burn, you can periodically monitor your heart rate during cardio activity. Keep in mind that as you become more fit, so does your heart. The intensity that once brought you to your target range may now not be enough. As you get fit, you will have to increase your level of intensity to maintain your target heart rate for weight loss.

A heart rate monitor is a great tool for staying on top of your heart rate. One that helps keep an eye on your target zone is a perfect companion to your fitness and weight loss goals. There are heart rate monitors available that use a chest strap to send ECG readings to a watch style receiver on your wrist. There are also slightly higher end heart rate monitors that require no chest strap and deliver quick results with the push of a button.

Heart health is just as important as weight loss. By being aware of your resting, target, and maximum heart rates, you can ensure you are working within a healthy range for your goals and your overall health.