Mixed Signals--More on Heart Monitors

As I mentioned before, heart monitors are an excellent source of
cardio data to help manage your workouts. This morning I was
doing some cross training on a large stair stepping machine (you
can get a great workout from these machines--use them for cross
training once or twice a week and try not to hold onto the rails
so you maximize your exertion level and core balancing) and I
was, of course, wearing my heart monitor. 

Next to me on a similar machine was a younger and quite fit
woman who had been working out there when I arrived. After about
10 minutes into my routine I glanced down at the monitor display
on my wrist and noticed a steady read out of 155 beats per
minute. This was really high for the level of exertion that I
was putting out and I immediately wondered what was going on.
Had I lost that much fitness level in one day? Impossible. But
the heart monitors are very accurate. Occasionally, the monitors
give out a brief inaccurate reading, but they almost always
correct quickly and if you see a steady readout over time, it's
normally correct. 

Then I glanced at the person next to me and noticed she was
wearing a monitor as well. So I was obviously picking up the
signal from her transponder on my receiver. I switched my wrist
receiver to the other side and immediately started reading a
more normal 138 beats per minute for that level of exertion. I'd
experienced a similar phenomenon in spinning class sometime ago
but had forgotten about it.

A rough guide to your maximum heart rate is to subtract your age
from 220 and some suggest that you should use a slightly higher
figure than 220, say 225, if you are a man. This is only a rough
guide and there are more sophisticated ways to gauge your
estimated personal maximum heart rate. Once you have a feel for
your max heart rate, a monitor is going to tell you how
strenuous a workout you are getting at any one point in time.
This is incredibly valuable information. The heart monitor is
invaluable for circuit training and interval training. Generally
speaking, getting your heart rate up is going to give you a more
complete workout and burn more calories. As always, check with
your doctor before starting a workout program and discuss your
target heart rates with her. 

So, if you are working out in close quarters with someone, make
sure that signal you are reading on your heart monitor is really
coming from your own heart.