FAQS
We tested and recommend all of the heart rate monitors below, which perform remarkably well. But what do all these terms mean?
Heart rate zones: If you hear someone mentioning 80/20 training, they’re referring to workouts based on heart rate zones. These zones break down your effort range during exercise, spanning from 1 to 5, with 5 being 90 to 100 percent of your maximum heart rate. Zone 2 indicates training at 60 to 70 percent, representing light exercise. The 80/20 method focuses on building endurance, suggesting 80 percent of runs be in Zone 2. If your monitor doesn’t specify your zone, use Polar’s tool to calculate it.
Maximum heart rate: Some monitors provide your maximum heart rate, indicating the peak beats your heart can achieve during exercise. This is crucial for peak intensity training and creating heart rate zones. Factors like age and fitness impact your maximum heart rate. Estimate it by subtracting your age from 220.
VO2 max: VO2 max measures the maximum rate of oxygen consumption during exercise; the higher, the better. It represents your ability to maintain intense exertion over time. While precise calculation occurs in labs, monitors use algorithms to approximate it.
Heart rate variability: This measures the intervals between heartbeats in milliseconds. High variability indicates better resilience to stress. However, HRV readings vary due to age, fitness, or timing of the measurement.
Resting heart rate: The number of beats per minute when at rest reflects your cardiovascular fitness and well-being. Typically, it ranges from 60 to 100 bpm. Athletes often have lower RHR due to efficient heart training, but an atypical RHR could indicate issues.
Calories burned: Heart rate monitors assess effort based on heart rate, using proprietary algorithms to estimate calories burned during workouts. As heart rate reflects effort, these monitors are a highly accurate method for this data.