Monitoring Equipment is Critical for Exercise
Professional athletes know monitoring equipment is critical for exercise because the information will let them know whether they should increase, decrease or maintain their exercise level. Before you begin your exercise program try to set realistic exercise objectives and achievable goals which will help you push to the next level.
Professional athletes always monitor their efforts for the same reason. When you achieve small incremental goals, it builds your confidence and eliminates self- defeating behavior. Gauging results encourages you to keep exercising. You can achieve this by monitoring your self periodically with heart rate monitors, fat monitors, blood pressure monitors, scales and pedometers.
Home Body Fat Monitors
Monitoring equipment definitely helps, especially if getting rid of fat is your goal. Home body fat monitors and scales are affordable ways to monitor the effectiveness of your diet and exercise regimen. Fat monitors work with a bioelectrical impedance analysis. The monitor can be part of a scale or hand held to measure your body's density by determining how much of it is fat and how much is water.
The price for the monitors depends on the brand and features with entry models beginning around $50. The skinfold caliper is another way you can monitor your fat. Accuracy for this device depends on the equipment and the examiner. The price range for calipers is very wide starting at $10 and going all the way to $500.
Heart Rate and Blood Pressure Monitor
The best way to gauge the intensity of your exercise is monitoring your heart rate with monitoring equipment during high intensity cardio workouts. You can wear heart rate monitors on your wrist, around your chest and even on your neck transmitting the information to a device you wear on your wrist. You can buy a monitor starting around $30 for a wrist model and up to $400 for the higher end models.
Monitoring your blood pressure is just as critical because it can give you early warning signs about the health of your heart. Home blood pressure monitors are self-contained units with digital read outs to measure the diastolic and systolic pressure. You can inflate the cuff manually or buy automatic monitors that inflate the cuff for you. Blood pressure monitors that use your finger instead of your arm are convenient but not accurate. The monitors range between $40 to several hundred dollars.
Pedometers
You might not think such equipment is necessary, but if you want to find out the distance you cover walking or running a pedometer is essential. A pedometer is the cheapest motivational tool you can purchase because you can see your improvement daily. You can buy basic models for less than $20, with higher prices for models with calorie counters and other features.
Once you begin exercising you will realizes how much monitoring equipment helps with you exercise. You can monitor your exercise by keeping track of the rate perceived exertion (RPE), your weight by weighing your self at timed intervals and your heart rate by wearing monitors. I have compiled several reviews of the various monitoring devices you can use when starting or maintaining a workout program.
Resperate is inbetween a monitor and a traditional piece of exercise equipment. Read the review to see why
Body Fat Monitors
Blood Pressure Monitors
Heart Rate Monitors
Polar Heart Rate Monitors
Pedometers
Oregon Scientific Pedometer
