1. You’ll know how fit you really are
Heart rate tracking allows you to see
1. Your current working heart rate zone
2. Information on how long you can sustain your current heart rate zone
3. Tell you how long it takes your heart rate to return to normal after exercise.
If you are training for a specific goal, the ability to monitor your heart rate and target zones during
training allows you to measure and track improvements over time. For example, the CFP App can help
you determine how long you can work in the peak heart rate zone before collapsing (85% or greater of
max heart rate) OR how fast you need to be moving before you reach that peak zone – to name just a
couple of useful data points.
2. You’ll want to work harder
When you can see exactly how hard you’re working there are no excuses. You might think you are
putting in a lot of effort and at your max, but very few people are truly at their max. Many do not realize
there is a higher level they can achieve.
Measures of individual speed and power can be tracked by using Beyond the White Board. Now, Heart
Rate Tracking is the final piece of the fitness puzzle. You can compare data from each workout and there
is no place to hide. It’s all on you – if you can push yourself harder into your peak zone for longer and
longer amounts of time each week, you’ll see faster progress than you will ever get from a hundred
steady state treadmill plods.
3. You’ll measure your improvements – and lapses – properly
Data doesn’t lie. If you’ve slacked off for a couple of weeks, stuffed your face with junk food and partied
hard, this is likely going to be reflected in your heart rate during workouts. Seeing those numbers
change could be the motivation you need to head back to the gym and stay away from those bad habits.
4. You’ll pace yourself perfectly
Improving as an athlete is all about variety. You need to mix up the heart rate zones you’re working in as
much as you mix up your modes of training (bike, rower, run, weightlifting) and speed. That is why
CrossFit is such a perfect pairing for heart rate tracking. Few people are able to judge with a good
degree of accuracy exactly how hard their body is working. Your heart rate tracker enables you to target
specific HR zones, then work within them and push harder when you need to.
