Cleves, C. P., Jacobsen, D. J., Reagan, A. E., & Donnelly, J. E. (1999). Target heart rate: Intermittent monitoring vs continuous monitoring. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 31(5), Supplement abstract 406.

No studies report the actual time individuals are at target heart rate during an exercise session, something that might compromise the intended physiological response. Traditionally, HR is assumed to remain constant during and between intervals of exercise. In this study, HR during exercise was continuously recorded and compared to intermittent recordings reported for the same activity. Ss were sedentary, moderately obese individuals (N = 20).

It was found that the intermittent HR underestimated time in the target heart rate range (51%) to that revealed by continuous/direct heart rate monitoring (56%). These figures were not significantly different.

Implication. Intermittent heart rates can be used to provide a very rough estimate of time spent in a target heart rate zone of work for sedentary individuals.

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