Are HRMs useful for interval training??

redefiningmyself
redefiningmyself Posts: 476 Member
edited September 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
I was stuck on a plateau for 2 months, so I had a meeting with the gym's trainer, who suggested I shake things up a bit by doing interval training. So now I do an aerobic cardio exercise for as hard as I can for 10 minutes, then do weights for 10-20 minutes or so (2-3 reps) then back to cardio for another 10 minutes and so on.

I'm interested in getting a heart rate monitor, but I don't know alot about them. I have searched the questions, and done some googling, but I couldn't find any answers that say if you can use them solid through the workout or would I need to re-program at the beginning of every interval?


I know ther'e's lots of questions posted regularly about HRMs, and I did search them, but couldn't find the answer to my question, so any insight you can offer would be appreciated.
:wink:

Replies

  • EDBENAGLIO
    EDBENAGLIO Posts: 424
    i think it would be okay but make sure u get one with a chest strap
  • elvb
    elvb Posts: 423 Member
    I have one with a chest strap. If I were doing interval training I would just start the time at the beginning and stop it when I'm done "training" completely. It reads your heart rate the entire time and gives you the calorie burned for the time you're working out.

    I think the only issue you might have is logging it here! lol You may have to set something up yourself.
  • 00trayn
    00trayn Posts: 1,849 Member
    I do intervals when I run and its 100% useful for me! I use my heart rate to determine when to walk and when to run. For example, I run intervals of 6.0 and then walk at 4.0. When I run, I'll let my heart rate get up around 185 because I know that's where I start to be uncomfortable and have trouble breathing. Then I'll walk for a minute or two until my heart rate gets back down to 170, where my breathing is back to normal. Then repeat.

    With a bit of practice, you know where your target heartrate is during cardio and where it is during the less strenuous breaks in between.
  • redefiningmyself
    redefiningmyself Posts: 476 Member
    Thanks everyone. :)
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