The Importance of Heart Health Monitoring in Gyms

We often (mistakenly) associate health metric trackers, such as heart monitors and activity trackers, with expert athletes aiming for the top of the world. But, as technology adoption improves by the day, this idea moves further away from the truth. Heart trackers are becoming more accessible and easier to use by anyone, providing clear benefits for pretty much everyone interested in leveling up their exercise routine.

And as more and more people start incorporating heart health monitoring in their workouts, this tool will also become an absolute must for any gym in the future. Providing integrated solutions such as this allows gym owners to help their users stay motivated, track their progress, and even keep an eye on their overall health without resorting to external apps and services.

Here’s why helping your clients stay healthy helps you — and your business.

How Do Heart Health Monitoring Devices Work and Are They Accurate?

Heart rate sensors can seem like complex devices — but they fundamentally work in two ways.

The first approach to heart monitoring is through electrocardiography. The heart generates and releases a small electrical current every time it beats. A device such as a chest heart rate monitor can detect and track these currents. This is the most accurate way to track heart rate, as these devices measure heartbeats directly instead of relying on tracking pulse rate.

Of course, there are some drawbacks — most noticeably, chest-band trackers are rather clunky. They must be either wet or used alongside a conductive gel to improve electrical conduction and work properly.

On the other hand, devices that aim to be more portable and convenient use photoplethysmography (optical tracking). Unlike electrocardiography, photoplethysmography tracks pulse rate by reflecting infrared or LED light onto the arteries.

There are several types of optical heart rate monitors, ranging from rings to finger clips (we’ll go into more detail below). They are generally more straightforward and convenient than electrical trackers, but there are downsides, too.

Although optical monitors can give highly accurate readings, heavy movement and exercise can cause incorrect results. As such, they’re more reliable when used in settings where the person is standing still.

Research is advancing fast, though! Some modern optical monitors (like smart rings and watches) are more than capable of turning in accurate readings even while the person is exercising.

Types of Heart Rate Monitors You Should Know

There are hundreds of options in the market when it comes to wearable heart monitors. But most of them fall into five categories depending on which technologies they use and where you should wear or place them:

Chest bands

These are the only electrical trackers. They consist of a rather large band wrapped around the chest accompanied by a conductive gel that improves electrical conduction.

Wrist/forearm trackers

Optical health heart monitor trackers work by shining a light onto the two major arteries that run from the heart to the hand and tracking the expansion of blood vessels.

Finger clips

Also known as pulse oximeters, they use optical detection to track heart rate through the fingers. They are highly convenient and portable but sensitive to heavy movements.

Smart rings

Much like finger clips, they track heart rate through the fingers but are a bit more apt for exercising. They are still in the early stages of research, but they seem to be the best choice for gym-goers.

Smartphones

Certain smartphone apps can track vital signs by shining the phone's flash on the blood vessels or detecting subtle changes in the skin through the camera. However, most require the user to be still while using the app.

In the context of a gym (or any other activity involving heavy movement), smart rings and heartbeat watches are probably the best choice. While these may not be as accurate as chest bands, they pose an excellent middle ground between convenience, portability, and accuracy.

Benefits of Heart Rate Monitor Devices for Gym Users

Sometimes, we look at a person exercising wearing a heart rate tracker and think that they must be some kind of pro — why else would they be tracking their vital signs? However, cardiac monitoring can benefit individuals of pretty much any fitness level. Let’s break this down:

Monitors Exercise Intensity and Prevents Overtraining

Tracking vital signs is essential to keep in check with what’s known as “SMART” — specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound— fitness goals. These allow gym-goers to create ideal routines that drive results in realistic timeframes.

And you guessed it: heart rate monitors play a key part in the “measurable” aspect of SMART goals. Instead of relying on more traditional but less accurate signs such as shortness of breath or muscle pain, a gym user can set a target heart rate for a specific period and check their progress on their heart health monitor app.

Assesses Recovery Heart Rate and Cardiovascular Fitness

Certain measurements are nearly impossible to track without heart rate monitors. More specifically, heart recovery rate (the speed at which the heart returns to a resting state after exercise) is a crucial indicator of just how efficient and healthy the heart is.

Monitoring overall heart health helps gym-goers create tailored workouts and optimize their performance in all aspects. Cardiovascular fitness isn’t just a buzzword for “smart gyms” — it’s an invaluable and holistic approach to SMART goals.

Improves Various Health Indicators and Monitors Heart Conditions

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the US — so portable and easy-to-use heart monitors are an invaluable tool for pretty much anyone. Gym users with pre-existing heart conditions can effectively keep their performance levels safe, and undiagnosed people can start to notice unusual patterns in their vital signs.

More advanced devices can even deduct other health indicators such as cholesterol and glucose levels or blood pressure and send maximum heart rate and irregular rhythm notifications. This can lead to a more proactive approach to exercising, which focuses on the obvious benefits as well as cardio fitness and overall health.

Becomes Instrumental in Greater Weight Loss Results

Let’s get the obvious stuff out of the way: exercising requires energy. But tracking how fast the heart is beating can help deduce where that energy is coming from, or more specifically, whether it’s coming from fat or carbohydrates.

According to experts, the higher the heart rate (or the more intense the exercise), the more carbohydrates we use to match that energetic expenditure. Monitoring your heartbeats can help you determine the intensity and length you need for each activity to reach and maintain target heart rates.

In turn, this can influence weight loss or, more specifically, whether you’re burning fat or carbohydrates. Here’s a rough guideline regarding approximate exercise intensity and the energy source used:

• At 20% exercise intensity, the body is using about 10% carbohydrates and 90% fat
• At 50% exercise intensity, the body is using about 30% carbohydrates and 70% fat
• At 80% exercise intensity, the body is using about 70% carbohydrates and 30% fat

Although exercise intensity can be a rather subjective measurement, a heart monitor can detect and calculate it more precisely.

Why Gym and Health Club Owners Should Care About Wearable Devices

The benefits of heart-health monitoring devices for gym users directly translate to benefits for gym owners. Enhancing the gym services can significantly boost the clients’ experience, further promoting loyalty and engagement with gyms.

Integrating Fitness Mobile Apps and Heart Rate Monitors for Health

Gym-goers want to focus on one thing and one thing only: efficient workouts. By offering integrated services with heart trackers, gym owners allow clients to tailor their physical activity to measurable (remember SMART) goals without much effort.

There are no mysteries here — custom workouts that drive results lead to more engagement, and, as you can imagine, word quickly gets passed around.

But it’s not all about post-workouts either! Heart monitors are a fantastic way to keep track of overall performance and progress, keeping clients motivated and improving member retention. And, if you’re willing to go the extra mile, throwing in the possibility of sharing achievements through social media opens up a whole new world of possibilities.

Catering to Members With Medical Conditions

Integrating heart monitors can be an absolute game-changer for members with heart-related medical conditions, as it allows clients to track several health metrics, such as blood pressure and heart rate. And safe clients mean happy clients!

To take things up a notch, you could even offer specialized programs for people who may avoid regular exercise due to health concerns. By providing a supportive environment with the right technology, gym owners can create safe havens for members needing special consideration for their heart health.

Find the Best App To Support Your Member’s Fitness and Health Efforts

Integrating core technologies such as heart monitors is sometimes easier said than done, as you have to deal with the particular specs of each device to portray the results in an easy-to-manage, digestible interface. But what if there was a way to pack everything into a single app that’s easy to use both for your gym users and you?

Fitness On Demand provides gym owners with the Flex App, a holistic all-in-one solution for all their clients’ needs, from progress tracking to community challenges. Our Flex App integrates well with various solutions, including heart health monitoring tools, and allows access to a diverse library of fitness classes for optimal gym performance. It helps you deliver custom-tailored and fully branded services for optimal user experience.

If you’re ready to elevate your clients’ experience, book a free consultation today and learn how Fitness On Demand can help take your gym to a new level.