Monitor your heart rate and train more effectively

If you're going to spend valuable time exercising, make sure you do it right. Did you know that heart rate training could help you reach your fitness goals faster? Here are some facts:

• In order to reach your fitness goals, you need to exercise at the right intensity.
• Heart rate is the only accurate measurement of your intensity or your exertion level.
• A heart rate monitor is the easiest and most accurate way to continuously measure your heart rate.
  

A heart rate monitor is a tool that will help pace you at your suggested target heart rate and it can be easily used by anyone. If you exercise too hard, you will most likely quit before you get the real benefit. On the other hand, if you work out too lightly you won't get the exercise benefit either. So using a heart rate monitor during your workout can help you set and maintain the proper pace. It's like having a personal trainer telling you to slow down or speed up ... it's an excellent motivational tool.

So to get started, check out this article from About.com -- they list the top 5 monitors from the most basic model for beginners to the most complicated models for athletes and coaches.