addition, even the light pressure used to take your pulse from the
carotid artery in the neck can trigger a more rapid slowing of the heart
rate. Besides getting an inaccurate count, you run the risk of fainting.
Using a heart monitor is the answer to these problems.
The best heart monitors employ a strap around the lower chest
and sense the heart rate by picking up vibrations of the heartbeat
through the ribs. The heart rate is then transmitted to a watch worn
on the wrist. They usually have an alarm that sounds when you exer-
cise above or below your individually set heart rate.
Other heart monitor devices measure a distal pulse. These
include monitors with sensors that attach to your fingertip or earlobe
to pick up pulses. They are less accurate and not as convenient to use
for walking or jogging, but may be useful for working on a stationary
apparatus, such as a bike.
Heart rate monitors are simple biofeedback devices, telling you
what’s going on inside your body. In this case, the goal is to be aero-
bic to train your body’s fat-burning system.
As a student involved in a biofeedback research project, I meas-
ured responses in human subjects to various physiological inputs:
sounds, visual effects and various physical stimulations, including
exercise. The observed reactions were evaluated by measuring tem-
perature, sweating, heart rate and other factors. It became evident
that using the heart rate to objectively measure body function was
simple, accurate and useful. Its application in exercise was obvious.
This information became important as I developed various biofeed-
back-based programs including treatment of muscle problems,
improving brain function and individualizing exercise programs.
When I began using heart monitors to evaluate the quality of
workouts done by patients, and correlated these observations with
other clinical measurements of patients, it led to the development of
a formula for determining the best heart rate to use for building the
aerobic system.
The 180 Formula
The first step in the ideal exercise program is to find what level of
effort is best for you. This corresponds to a particular heart rate,
which, when not exceeded, will give you optimal aerobic benefits.
HEART-RATE MONITORING • 197