How To Use A Heart Rate Monitor

First Step

Establish your max heart rate -There are various formulas to calculate your max heart rate. If you were to do a thorough search on the internet, there are many formulas you can use to calculate your max heart rate. Some can be very confusing especially for those who are paranoid about maths and calculations. By far, the easiest is to subtract your age from the number 220 (for men) or from 226 (for women). For those who don't want to get a headache with formulas this is the best formula to use. This method is about 80% accurate for runners.

Second Step

Calculate your training zones - Once you've calculated your maximum heart rate, the next step is to calculate your training zones. Don't worry about this too much because with a heart rate monitor it automatically calculates your max heart zones based on your max heart rate (MHR). But you need a basic understanding of each of your heart zones.

Healthy Heart Zone: 50-60% of your MHR. This zone is good for daily exercise.
Fat-Burning/Fitness Zone: 60-70% of your MHR. This heart rate burns the highest percentage of fat.
Aerobic Zone: 70-80% of your MHR. Increases your functional capacity, used when training for an endurance event.
Anaerobic Threshold Zone: 80-90% of your MHR. Improves your cardiovascular capacity and VO2 Max.
The Red Line Zone: 90-100% of your MHR. This zone is best for interval training and only the very fit can train effectively in this zone. It's best for quick bursts of speed at short distances before resuming normal running speeds.

Here I will highlight 2 examples of putting your heart rate monitor to the test.

Increase Endurance and Workout Duration
Let's say you could easily complete running 2km in 15 minutes quite consistently at a heart rate or 150bpm (beats per minute). You will notice that you heart rate rate will reduce after a while of consistent training running 2km in 15 minutes. Your heart rate monitor can easily tell you this info. Use this to run faster or run longer until your heart rate achieves 150bpm again.

Setting Your Heart Zone Limit
Another great way to do this is to set a certain percentage as the upper and lower limit of your heart rate. Let's say you want to run up to 70% of your MHR as the upper limit and 60% as your lower limit. Run up to 20 minutes until you've reached your 70% and then slow down to 60% for about 10 minutes. Keep doing this consistently after a few rounds of training and you will notice that your heart rate drops and you will run further and longer at the upper limit. If you feel more comfortable with a MHR of 70%, increase it o 80% if you can cope and repeat this cycle.

1. Start Your Monitor
Different models turn on in different ways, some just by waving the watch display in front them in front of the chest transmitter. Others are activated by a button. Note the readings - if they are erratic or show you must be either dead or running a sprint, re-adjust the chest strap for good contact. Monitors may also pick up other people's transmitters if they are also wearing a heart rate monitor - so space yourself around others.

2. Putting On Your Heart Rate Monitor
First, wet the contacts on the back of the chest transmitter so that it makes good contact with your skin. There is a product, Buh-Bump Cream, which is an electrolyte gel just like they use in hospitals, to ensure good contact. Adjust the elastic strap so it is snug but doesn't interfere with taking a good deep breath. For women, it should go snugly under the breasts and bra. Now put on your shirt. If your model has a watch display, put it on your wrist.

Finally I hope you've understood how to use your heart rate monitor. There are many other ways you can use your heart rate monitor for your training but the examples I've highlighted are some of the easiest ways you can use them.