News

13 August 201570% of people ignore heart rate data

The vast majority of fitness fans are ignoring their heart rate when exercising, a new study by Fitbit has shown.

The wearable company polled a selection of British fitness enthusiasts and found that while 76% of users realised that heart rate was an important metric when training, only 30% were actually aware of it when they hit the roads or gym.

Of course, heart rate tracking is a big part of Fitbit's Surge and Charge HR devices, so the company has teamed up with a heart rate expert to communicate its message that tracking your ticker has huge benefits.

It's signed up sport scientist and former Olympian Prof. Greg Whyte as an ambassador to create a series of videos to explain the fundamentals of using biometrics in your workouts. And the message from Prof. Whyte is that everyone can benefit from tracking their heart rate, even those who don't spend time running.

"Heart rate is not only an important indicator of every day health and fitness levels, but also an indicator of workout intensity and all-day calorie burn," said Whyte.

"The PurePulse function on the Fitbit Charge HR and Surge helps users to understand how to push themselves while training, but also gives them a fuller picture of their health, 24/7, as they track resting heart rate over time."

Whyte's message is that as you get fitter your resting and active heart rates drop signaling an improvement in health. What's more, being aware of your heart rate when you exercise means you can ensure you're getting the right pay off for your workouts.

Of course, Whyte and Fitbit are correct. Training in the correct heart rate zones can supercharge your training, and monitoring your resting heart rate is a helpful gauge of your health – and for hardcore athletes can prevent over-training.

Source: http://www.wareable.com/fitbit/fitbit-70-of-people-ignore-heart-rate-data-1523