Heart rate monitors are becoming the order of the day in the fitness industry and everyone is trying to get one of these. From Smartphone-powered monitors to strap-free watches, industry giants are releasing different versions on a regular basis.
Sadly, many workout enthusiasts do not even know the importance of monitoring their pulse before, during, and after exercises.
This can prevent you from taking advantage of the important performance data to achieve maximum results.
Here are some of the top reasons why everyone needs to keep an eye on the heart rate figures not just during workouts but before and after.
Prevents Under-Training
Everyone has a stipulated target heart rate depending on their level of fitness. This is simply the maximum number of heart beats per minute that should be achieved during workouts.
Under-training occurs when you are working out at a level of intensity below your stamina. This results in a low heart rate and therefore low intensity.
Sure, exercising at a low level of intensity may be better than not working out at all, but the benefits can be minimal. Failing to exercise to your body’s potential simply means fewer calories being burned and therefore a lower chance of weight loss.
To maximize the calories burned, it's important to work out at a heightened heart rate level. This will generally increase the calories burned both during and after the exercise through EPOC.
It also means your chances of building up stamina will be severely affected. Even if you workout consistently, low intensity levels will take a long time for conspicuous changes to be seen.
Monitoring your heart rate prevents under-training so you can get fitter and healthier quickly with all the associated health benefits it brings.
Prevents Over-Training
Most of us have been tricked into believing in the “No Pain, No Gain” mantra when it comes to working out. Sure, pushing yourself to the core can be a great way to boost stamina and improve overall health.
However, this can be extremely dangerous to your health when done on a consistent basis and monitoring your heart rate during workouts helps you avoid just that.
Remember, pushing your body beyond its fitness levels can lead to related problems ranging from constant dehydration to dizziness. There have been many cases of people suffering fainting and heart attacks from over-training cardio routines.
Keeping an eye continuously on your heart rate during workouts prevents you from going overboard which can end up risking your health and life.
Keeps You Focused
It’s easy to get distracted when working out sometimes. Whether it’s your favorite TV show on your large screen or a family member trying to strike up conversation, it is important to keep your focus from start to finish.
It’s easy to think you worked out for 30 minutes even when you were distracted and not pulling your weight half of the time.
Monitoring your heart rate consistently allows you to keep your eyes on the prize so your workouts can be more effective.
You get to ramp up your efforts every time your heart rate monitor indicates you’re not working hard enough.
Remember, the most effective cardio workouts require staying in your target zone for approximately 30 minutes.
Gets You Motivated
Few things can be more inspiring than tracking how your fitness is improving. One of the main reasons why people give up on trying to get fit is a perceived lack of progress.
As your stamina improves, you notice that you are able to exercise at increased intensity levels while your heart rate remains the same or even decreases. This is a positive indicator that should be celebrated because your heart is in essence getting stronger.
This motivates you to work harder culminating benefits such as weight loss, increased stamina, and toned muscles.
Conclusion
Keeping tabs on your heart rate is one of the best ways to inspire yourself to greater heights in your fitness journey. It allows you to measure real progress which can fuel more adrenaline to your body.
Your heart rate also allows you to invest maximum effort into every workout session to generate the best results every single time.
If you don’t have a heart rate monitor yet, this may be the best time to get one of the best out there.