#Best heart monitor how to#

You’ll find a range of excellent heart rate monitors below, along with a thorough breakdown from an expert from Polar, one of the industry leaders, of how the different types of heart rate monitors work and why chest straps are generally the most accurate. These can link up with the best running watches and some leading fitness trackers to provide more accurate data. However, optical heart rate monitors worn on the wrist during workouts can struggle to get an accurate reading, which is why we always recommend using an external heart rate monitor, usually worn on the chest or upper arm. Wearing one around the clock adds a resting heart rate estimate, and many will also measure your heart rate variability and use that information to gauge the stress and fatigue on your body, and how well you recover during your sleep.

#Best heart monitor how to#

That’s crucial, because one of the considerations for how to start exercising safely is limiting intensity, while following a demanding training plan for an endurance sport also requires a fine balance of easy and hard efforts.Ī device that monitors your heart rate during exercise can also provide an estimate of your VO2 max, an excellent proxy for your cardiovascular fitness and how long you can sustain periods of high effort.Ī heart rate monitor is now a staple feature on wrist-worn wearables, and these devices’ optical heart rate monitors are reasonably accurate for tracking your heart rate 24 hours a day. Heart rate zones make it easy to see how hard your body is working so you can judge the intensity correctly. Heart rate has a strong case for being the most useful thing to keep tabs on during exercise.