Monitoring your heart rate is easy: If you're living, you've got one. A heart rate monitor allows you to effectively train at your target heart rate for optimal results during competition. First you've got to understand how monitors work. Most look like wristwatches and combine timekeeping functions with heart monitoring. For constant heart rate readout, purchase one with a chest strap transmitter that sends heart data to the wrist unit. Devices without a chest strap provide heart rate data but only when you are touching the unit with your hand. If you decide on buying one, lower you can find a few examples of what's available, plus some characteristics.

One of the leading manufacturers is Polar (www.polar.fi), which offers, amongst many other, these products:

Polar FS1

Heart rate monitor target zone with audible high/low heart rate monitor alarm. It displays heart rate and exercise duration during exercise. Has the option to recall total exercise duration and average heart rate after exercise. It's clock has selectable 12/24 hour display. It includes T31 chest heart rate monitor transmitter and elastic strap. It is available in dark blue or yellow colors. This is just the thing for beginners and basic exercises.

Polar AXN 700

This heart rate monitors offer a complete set of features for hiking, climbing, mountaineering, skiing or other outdoor activities. It has a titanium case and the following additional features: resting heart rate test, slope counter, 3 sets of heart rate limits and bearing setting. Amongst the usual specs of an heart rate monitor, you can also find:

HeartTouch??¢, button-free operation of wrist unit - lap information can be momentarily displayed by touching the Polar wrist unit to the chest transmitter belt.

Polar OwnCode prevents cross-talk from other heart rate monitors. As more and more people use heart rate monitors today, preventing cross talk from other devices in-group situations at the gym or when jogging with a friend becomes essential. The unique coded technology blocks unwanted signals from other heart rate monitors, ensuring disturbance-free transmission of your heart rate data.

Another manufacturer is Reebok (www.reebok.com), where I found a few designs of heart rate monitor, presented below:

Reebok Personal Trainer Heart Monitor - It measures your heart rate to ECG accuracy. Displays time of day, calendar, and has a daily alarm function. Scan Sequence - Just press a button, unit will display average heart rate, highest and lowest heart rate and total exercise time. Contour Lite Transmitter included.

Reebok Precision Trainer Monitor

It has a heart rate zone high / low limit in 1 beat steps for exact heart zone, an out of zone alarm audible warning when out of zone. It displays heart rate and percentage of maximum heart rate. You don't have to calculate what the percentages should be, since it does that for you. For example: 99 Hour stopwatch with 50 lap memory plus an accumulated time in target zone. The triple display is it's main feature, which makes it special, an can be swapped trough: Time of Day, Heart rate and percentage of maximum heart rate or, Stop Watch, Heart rate and percentage of maximum heart rate or, Time in Zone, Heart rate and percentage of maximum heart rate.

For more information on heart-rate monitors, you should visit the following sites:

www.heartratemonitor.co.uk/

www.heartmonitors.com/

www.consumersearch.com/www/health_and_fitness/heart-rate-monitors/

www.epinions.com/well-Supplies-Home_Diagnostics-Heart_Rate-All