How Do I Get My Heart Rate In The Target Zone
When you work out, are you doing too much or not enough? Theres a simple way to know: Your target heart rate helps you hit the bullseye so you can get max benefit from every step, swing and squat. Even if youre not a gym rat or elite athlete, knowing your heart rate can help you track your health and fitness level.
Are Heart Rate Monitors Accurate
A 2020 systematic review of 158 studies found that, in laboratory-based settings, heart rate measurements by Fitbit, Apple Watch and Samsung were variable, with Apple Watch and Garmin being the most accurate and Fitbit tending toward underestimation. A 2019 study in the Journal of Sport Sciences found error rates between 2.4 and 13.5 percent in heart rate tracking for the Apple Watch and Fitbit Charge 2. Even in laboratory settings, device error was higher for males, darker skin tones and those with higher body mass indexes, according to a 2017 study published in the Journal of Personalized Medicine. That doesnt mean you shouldnt use a heart rate monitor. When looking at heart rate data, the most important thing is to figure out whats normal for you and then pay attention to trends and patterns.
How We Test The Best Heart Rate Monitors
Most heart rate monitors on this list are tested by expert reviewers who take these wearables running, cycling and swimming to test all the features they have to offer. Heart rate tracking accuracy is checked against the models predecessors but also other brands to determine which is more accurate.
Heart rate monitors generally have fewer features on-board than smartwatches , so testers focus on the data captured, as presented in the heart rate monitors’ companion apps. Another important aspect is connectivity, and how quickly the heart rate monitor picks up connection with other wearables/fitness machines this is also thoroughly tested. You can check out our how we test page for more information.
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Are Wrist Heart Rate Monitors Accurate
Wrist heart rate monitors are not quite as accurate as chest strap heart rate monitors, but they can still give you a good idea of your heart rate.
The optical sensors used in wrist-worn heart rate monitors can be affected by different types of movement, so the accuracy of your heart rate readings may depend on what kind of exercise youre doing .
If you need highly accurate heart rate data to help with your training, a chest strap may be a better option.
That said, wrist heart rate monitors may be more comfortable to wear throughout the day and often have additional features such as visible LED lights or a screen that displays the time, your heart rate, steps, and more.
Is An Ant+ Or Bluetooth Heart Rate Monitor Better
Us cyclists can sometimes have an insatiable thirst for data. Speed, power, cadence, and recently even blood glucose can be monitored alongside heart rate. All of these sensors will ultimately need to be connected to something that can translate the raw data into something more visually palatable, which is usually your smartphone or a cycling computer. Most fitness equipment can connect using ANT+, which is a Garmin-created protocol. However, rarely will a smartphone, tablet or laptop use anything other than Bluetooth. We’ve got a full explainer of what is ANT+ but our suggestion is to use a Bluetooth device since this will prevent you from needing to buy an ANT+ adaptor for your smartphone.
Fortunately, most heart rate monitors will have the capability to do both ANT+ and Bluetooth transmissions simultaneously, allowing you to hook up wirelessly to your cycling computer of choice and non-ANT+ devices like your laptop or tablet at the same time without a dedicated dongle.
Beware, some of Garmin’s devices are still ANT+ only.
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The Best Heart Rate Monitors For More Informed Training
Strap up for a better understanding of your workout performance with these sleek, compact wearables.
Paying attention to your heart rate when training can be an excellent way to monitor your intensity and performance. Not only can this help ensure you stay within the threshold to burn calories instead of carbohydrates, but it can also be a good indicator of when to pause for a quick refreshment or bring your intensity down a notch. Also, tracking your heart rate over multiple training sessions can showcase your progress and fitness performance, giving you the motivation to keep pushing forward.
While most fitness trackers and smartwatches do offer some heart rate monitoring modules, the sensors included in these devices aren’t as specified for this particular data metric. As a result, readings can be inaccurate at times, leading to misinformed training and potential disdain for wearables in general. To help boost that signal and give your data tracking the precision it deserves, wearable heart rate sensors can be an effective, affordable addition to any training wardrobe.
Before strapping on one of these helpful fitness accessories, though, it helps to get a pulse on just what these devices are, how they measure your heart rate and a few other points to consider when finding the ideal silhouette for your training.
- BEST OVERALL HEART RATE MONITORPolar H10
Jabra Elite Sport Earbuds
Jabra makes excellent audio gear, and the Jabra Elite Sport Earbuds are solid true wireless earbudsthey sound excellent and fit comfortably in most peoples ears. But what sets the Elite Sport apart from most similar earbuds is that these have optical heart rate monitors built in, able to read your heart rate through the blood passing through your ears, not unlike the way smartwatches and fitness bands read the blood flowing at your wrist. Jabra didnt invent ear-based HRMs, but these earbuds are among the most accurate and reliable in their class.
Like most true wireless earbuds, you need to charge these frequently you get about three hours of runtime, and they can be recharged several times from the charging case, for a total of 9 hours on the go. Theyre also IP67 waterproof, which is what youd expect for earbuds designed to be used while exercising. Like any smartwatch or fitness band, this isnt a solution for truly diehard athletes. Conversely, its also not the best choice for extensive music listening sessions with its short battery life. But if all you need is a simple HRM for your daily workout, the Jabra Elite Sport can get the job done while doing double duty as earbuds.
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Key Considerations When Choosing A Heart Monitor
Chest strap vs. heart rate monitor watch
Whether you choose a chest strap or a watch to measure your heart rate depends on your needs.
Chest straps are chiefly designed to aid exercisers who want the most accurate readings. As we explain a bit further below, this type of heart rate monitor can withstand fluctuations in beats-per-minute, when compared to optical sensors found in watch and fitness tracker monitors.
What you pay for in accuracy, though, is made up for in comfort, convenience, and features with a smartwatch. These are devices designed to monitor you all day, and often come with more features than just simple BPM monitoring.
Heart rate watch accuracy explained
When you start ramping up the intensity, doing functional fitness, or HIIT workouts, optical sensors in fitness trackers or watches will often struggle to cope with the rapid rises and falls in heart rate.
They can also be flummoxed by the movement of the wrist during exercises – ones such as press-ups, burpees, or Olympic lifting, as the skin contracts and tightens, making it harder for the sensor to do its job.
Dark skin and tattoos can also affect accuracy, as skin tone can affect the light reflection. Sadly, not enough work has been done across the board to overcome accuracy issues because of ethnicity, so, if you have dark skin and want the very best data from your workouts, think about a chest strap.
Where can heart rate monitors be worn?
Types of data heart rate trackers can capture
How Do Heart Rate Chest Straps Work
Chest straps measure electric signals arising from heart activity, which is the same thing as if you were in hospital and you put on the wires for an electrocardiogram . The strap measurement is a simplified version of the hospital measurement with only one channel, one connection, but we are able to measure the heart rate from that. In the hospital there are 12 leads, and it makes a map of your electrocardiogram activity.
The cardiac activity comes actually from your heart muscle, and the tiniest cells that we have in our heart. When they operate, very small electric activity is generated and when we combine all of them together, its still very low, but we get a measurable signal from the skin. You can see a difference in your voltage, basically.
If you take the strap you can see the black pads, which actually receive the electric signal from your chest. You have to have a very good contact at your chest area, so that the electric signal gets into the electronics of the device.
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Are Optical Straps Accurate For Taking Heart Rate Variability Measurements
With an ECG measurement, you can do HRV measurements in almost any situation, but if you take a PPG measurement, optical heart rate, its practically impossible to measure that during motion. If you want to calculate some more advanced parameters, like breathing frequency, you can measure that during your run from your chest, but its not possible with the optical heart rate.
But if you are at rest, we can measure the PPG PP interval the separation between successive heartbeats. Thats why we can measure sleep and stress parameters at night with a wrist device.
Is Pulse The Same As Heart Rate
These two terms are often used interchangeably, but theyre not quite the same thing, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Your heart rate is the number of times that your heart beats in a minute. Your pulse is a way of feeling how many times your heart beats its a result of the pressure in your arteries briefly increasing as your heart pushes out more blood.
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The 7 Best Heart Rate Monitors For All Levels In 2022
Whether youre an avid runner, gym-goer, cyclist or just generally looking to have a better grasp on your daily health, a heart rate monitor is an easy way to get instant feedback on your health.
In the past, this would have meant having to strap a big monitor to your chest. Advancements in technology have condensed these gadgets, allowing you to check your heartrate through other wearables like watches and even rings.
For the truly dedicated, a strap around the chest remains the most accurate option for consumers, but for those who want the occasional insight, your options are varied.
Below weve picked out and tested some of the best heart rate monitors around, all coming in at different prices, styles and with a range of features available.
What’s The Difference Between Ecg And Optical Heart Rate Sensors
Electrical impulses or beams of light? Which one is best for you?
Since its inception in the 1970s, the heart rate monitor has relied on measuring the electrical impulses created by the muscles in your heart as it beats. Its similar to what happens when you get an echocardiogram at the hospital, only with two or three sensors instead of the twelve commonly used for medical examinations. The electrical sensors measure a small electrical output, and the control unit relays this information to your device of choice .
Recently, optical sensors have become more common, especially in multi-sport offerings. These work by shining a light into your skin and measuring the variance in blood flow. While both systems rely on physical contact to gather their readings, optical sensors tend to be used in arm- or wrist-based systems a smartwatch is rarely worn as tightly as an elasticated chest strap and as such optical systems tend to be more prone to issues over rough terrain, as bumps can briefly break the all-important contact between skin and sensor.
If youre still in two minds we have a dedicated guide to the wrist vs chest strap heart rate monitor debate, as well as a separate guide to the best smartwatches if those are what floats your boat.
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How To Choose A Fitness Tracker With Heart Rate Monitor
If youre looking for a fitness tracker with heart rate monitor, there are a few things you should consider before making your purchase.
1. Type of activity
There are different types of fitness trackers on the market, each designed for a specific type of activity. Consider what type of activity youll be using the tracker for before making your purchase.
2. Battery life
Heart rate monitors can be a drain on a fitness trackers battery life. If you want a tracker that will last through your workouts, make sure to choose one with a long-lasting battery.
3. Accuracy
Not all heart rate monitors are created equal. Some are more accurate than others. If youre looking for a tracker that will give you accurate heart rate readings, make sure to do your research before making your purchase.
4. Comfort
If you plan on wearing your fitness tracker all day, comfort is important. Choose a tracker that is comfortable to wear, even when youre sweating.
5. Style
Fitness trackers come in all different shapes and sizes. Choose a tracker that fits your personal style.
For Triathlons: Garmin Hrm
A heart rate monitor thats equipped to track heart rate on land and in the water, Garmins HRM-Pro is a solid option for triathletes and offers some other smart extras you wont find on other heart rate monitors.
Crucially, the EKG-style heart rate monitor chest strap supports Bluetooth and ANT+ connectivity to pair up Garmin and non-Garmin devices. It will also play nice with apps including cycling fave Zwift. It carries a 5ATM waterproof rating, making it fit for pool and open water swims and will even capture interval heart rate insights in the water.
For runners it can capture additional stats including stride length and vertical ratio if you want to pay closer attention to running form and technique. Theres the capacity to store training sessions on the monitor and it is even capable of tracking daily activity stats like steps and keeping tabs on heart rate throughout the day.
The coin cell-powered setup should last for 12 months, even if you dedicate an hour of training a day.
Whether you spend your training time indoors, outdoors or a good mixture of both, Garmins HRM-Pro is a great performer that delivers that all-important accurate data.
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What Do The Waterproof Ratings Mean
IPX7, IP67, 5ATM? Can someone please make sense of this
Waterproof ratings are a complex mix of numbers and letters that need a bit of decoding before you can understand their meaning. Luckily, it’s pretty easy to do.
IP ratings stand for Ingress Protection, and the two subsequent digits represent protection against solids and liquids respectively. The first digit, representing protection against solids like dust and dirt is a rating between 0 and 6. The larger the number, the better the protection, while an X means it hasn’t been tested. The second digit, representing protection against liquid ingress – ie water – is a rating between 0 and 8, and again, the bigger the number the better.
ATM ratings focus solely on waterproof pressure rating. They are most easily defined by multiplying the number by 10, to get the depth at which your device can handle pressure. For example, a device with a 5ATM rating can sustain pressures equivalent to a depth of 50 metres.
Is A Chest Or Wrist Heart Rate Monitor Better
A JAMA Cardiology study published in 2017 found that wrist-based heart rate monitors were not as accurate as chest strap monitors. Chest strap sensors are placed closer to the heart than in a wristband and use ECG technology, which may provide more precise measurements than PPG. But wrist-based heart rate monitors are certainly good enough for the majority of the population to use when tracking activity, sleep or stress levels it will more likely come down to comfort level and whether you prefer to wear a tight band around your chest or something akin to a watch on your wrist.
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Who Should Use A Heart Rate Monitor
Note: Before initiating any exercise program, consult a physician to design a program that is well suited for your goals and current conditioning.
Joggers and walkers: Recreational exercisers can benefit from heart rate monitors in the same way elite athletes do. By aiming for fat-burning and aerobic target zones on your HRM, you can get more out of your exercise time.
Runners: A heart rate monitor can keep you in your peak target zone on intense training days and at your aerobic base during easier sessions.
Cyclists: An HRM can track your training performance during endurance, tempo and interval rides, whether you bike on a road, trail or stationary trainer. Some models deliver more feedback via a cadence sensor or foot pod.
Triathletes: In addition to cyclist-related features, some HRMs monitor swim-related data like distance, pace, stroke type/count and number of pool lengths.
Hikers, climbers and skiers: Use a heart rate monitor to condition more effectively for a peak ascent.
Weight-loss participants: HRMs help with regular exercise and a sustainable dietary regimen. Most display calories burned during a workout many can help target your exercise for maximum fat burning.
Injury-rehabilitation patients: Real-time feedback makes HRMs valuable for patients recovering from an injury or an illness, including a cardiac incident. Such data can help ensure that your gradual return to full strength and endurance proceeds safely and steadily.