You have probably noticed at the gym that a lot of people are using a heart rate monitor these days. But the question is: Do I need a heart rate monitor?

You do not need it a heart rate monitor, but it can be a pretty effective tool for assessing your exercise intensity. There is a school of thought out there that says you need to push yourself as hard as possible to burn a maximum amount of calories. If you believe that – incidentally I do not – you might want to try using a heart rate monitor.

Aside from exercise intensity, some people seem to think that knowing how much effort you are exerting during your workout keeps will keep you from slacking off.

To determine your optimal training zone, first estimate your maximum heart rate using the popular formula: 220 minus your age. Try to exercise between 60 and 85 percent of that beats-per-minute ballpark number. You might burn more calories and get fitter faster.