Shopping for a pulse watch is kind of a fun experience. After all, you know that this watch will help you get more out of your workout, and the first time you use one, it can be very fun to see how well these simple gadgets work.
If you regularly exercise at a gym or fitness club, you’re no doubt familiar with treadmills and elliptical machines that have heart rate monitors; you simply place your hands on the two metal hand pieces, and after a few seconds, the machine will have a chance to measure your pulse and will then display your heart rate in beats per minute.
As neat as this feature is, it’s undeniably uncomfortable and inconvenient to keep your hands still so the machine can keep track of your workout. Sweat makes your hands slippery, and often, the body naturally wants to put your arms elsewhere, such as moving at your side while you run. Plus, if you want to run outside, there is no machine to be found.
Pulse watches change this, making it easy to have your heart rate monitored comfortably while you run, without having to hold on to anything at all.
If you are shopping for a pulse watch, here are some of the factors to keep in mind:
- Comfort. A pulse watch should be just as comfortable as any other athletic watch. Find a good band width for your wrist size, in a material that you find comfortable.
- Readability. Make sure the screen is easy to read, and the buttons push easily. There’s no point in buying a pulse watch that you’ll squint to see or fumble with.
- Reputation. You don’t need to buy the most expensive pulse watch out there, but do look around before you choose. Make sure your company has a reputation for reliable pulse reading, otherwise you defeat the purpose of buying a pulse watch at all.
- Additional features. Many pulse watches perform other tasks as well. Most often, you’ll find joint pulse and stop watches. For more sophisticated runners, a GPS running watch with a pulse readout helps you track not only how hard you are working, but how that corresponds with your speed and terrain along your route.
Ultimately, pulse watches are diverse, but it’s more about the running than the watch itself, so choose a pulse watch you like, and then get out there and have fun!
