Do you hate, jogging/running? All that wobbly flesh jigging up and down?

Well, that’s how I was until I had my Pauline conversion. You simply have to get a heart rate monitor. Now! No excuses. In my experience, this is the only way to attempt running without knackering yourself in the process. You exercise according to your own fitness level and don’t try to race ahead before you’re ready. You could buy a heart rate monitor from www.polarusa.com or www.heartratemonitor.co.uk or any good sports shop. Some gyms also sell them.

A heart rate monitor usually has two parts: a chest strap and a sports watch. The strap picks up your heartbeat, which is displayed on the watch. In this way you can tell if your training is too strenuous or not strenuous enough. A few years back, I decided to wear my new heart rate monitor around the house whilst I performed a few domestic tasks. I realised my fitness needed serious attention when my heart rate, whilst peeling a carrot, was up through the roof!

Don’t go for the all-singing, all-dancing version of the heart rate monitor to start with. There are versions that will tell you how many calories you’ve burned, how far you’ve been on your training and record all sorts of things you might want to forget. If you’re new to heart rate monitors then just buy a basic model like a Polar A3. You can always trade up later if you get into it. As you can imagine, there are hundreds of models catering for various fitness audiences.

Walk the walk

Walking is a great way to get started. It’s the safest work -out. We all know how to do it for starters. The intensity is low but it’s great for burning fat. Walking is also a great de-stressor and doesn’t require any expensive gear, just put on your heart rate monitor and a pair of trainers and hit the road. If you do decide to get into running in a serious way, you might consider an assessment with a physiotherapist who will let you know what type of stretching and other exercise would be good for you. In your hurry to get fit, it’s always worth making sure that you aren’t overstraining yourself in any way. A big one to watch out for is your knee health. Even taking a couple of lessons in running from a well­ qualified personal trainer might save you money in the end by getting your running style right from the outset.

A heart rate monitor will:

• help you moderate your exercise intensity;
• help motivate you.
• accurately measure your heart rate; and
• enable you to judge improvement over time, like having your own personal trainer.

Tagged under:good sports Health Flash heart heart rate heart rate monitors my heart new heart physiotherapist

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