AquaFitPro Aquatics Training


The Magic of the Heart Rate Monitor as a Training Tool
By Pauline Ivens, MS

When we talk about monitoring workout intensity, what do we mean? Any kind of exercise will stress the systems of the body to some extent. Once we move out of a state of rest, the body responds to whatever stimuli we expose it to. A response is an immediate change caused by a stimulus. A cardiovascular response would involve changes in the function of the heart and vascular network, brought about by the exercise we are engaged in.

Repeated stimulation of the systems of the body will train the body to make adaptations. It is usually our intention to use training to cause favorable adaptations, i.e. improvements in, or maintenance of a healthy, fully functioning body that can cope with the daily activities of our lifestyle. We exercise in different ways to fulfill different training results.

For a cardiovascular endurance program to be successful, a person must consistently engage in the appropriate quality and quantity of exercise, as established by mode(s), frequency, duration, and intensity of activity*. Most experts agree that the most important component of a sound exercise prescription for aerobic fitness is the level of exercise intensity, although this is also the most difficult component to gauge. Frequency and duration are easily quantifiable, but intensity has many facets and variables. The prescribed level of intensity must be sufficient to overload the cardiovascular system, but not so severe that it overtaxes any of the systems of the body.

*See current guidelines by referring to ACSM

Instructor Responsibilities

As aquatic fitness professionals we are told (in no uncertain terms) to monitor the workout intensity of our participants. So, how are you currently doing this? The recognized methods are MET Equivalents, Palpation of Pulse, Perceived Exertion, the Talk Test, and Heart Rate Monitor. The most accurate of all these is the Heart Rate Monitor, and yet I see it being used the least. For over 12 years I have been traveling around the country teaching educational seminars about cardiovascular training, and I include heart rate monitors in the training. Over 90% of my attendees (all water exercise instructors) have never used a heart rate monitor………and that is still true today! The majority also do not know their personal target heart rate ranges for shallow and deep water! What is going on?

As an educator I am concerned because 100% of these instructors tell me that they are teaching aerobic exercise, and expecting their participants to get the benefits of cardiovascular training. How is this going to happen if we are not carefully monitoring each person’s workout?

Remember, there is a linear relationship between maximum VO2 and maximum heart rate. Scientists have shown that max VO2 and max HR are predictably related to each other within plus or minus 8% above the 50% range. This means that when one is training at a given percentage of their max HR, they are at a predictable percentage of their max VO2. This is true regardless of the sex or age of the individual. This information substantiates that heart rate is our primary measure for monitoring intensity in general population group exercise classes. This guideline is documented in all instructor training manuals.

I am well aware that we have many individual differences in a group of water exercisers. We will have participants taking medications that will affect heart rate response to exercise, and these individuals will need to be guided by perception of their exercise intensity using the Borg RPE scales. The best scenario for all our participants is to have a selection of tools to use to help each person understand how to exercise to get the best results. The heart rate monitor should be one of those tools.

The Magic of the Heart Rate Monitor

To monitor workout intensity get participants to wear heart rate monitors! Wearing a heart rate monitor gives you a window on your heart. You receive instantaneous and unbiased feedback on what is really happening inside the body. There is no guessing, no arithmetic - the reading is real and actual. A heart rate monitor measures your heart rate, not your pulse. Pulse rate is a measurement of your heart's mechanical rate. It measures how frequently your heart pumps blood through your arteries, causing them to expand. A heart rate monitor uses electrodes and measure's the heart's electrical changes - the number of beats per minute at which the heart is operating. It is a small differentiation, but worth it in terms of accuracy, especially for athletes. Palpation is extremely hard to facilitate accurately in the water, so the heart rate monitor also makes your job very easy.

I just started teaching a new class…………..Aqua Bootcamp. It is shallow, very high intensity, includes interval training and jump training, and is designed for those who really want to train in the water and improve their cardiovascular fitness. We just finished week 6, and I have to say it is going great! Over 75% of the class is sweating (pool temp is 82)! The testimonials are starting to happen: “I have more endurance”, “I have already lost 5 pounds.” Now they are ready for the heart rate monitor. I will introduce it next week, and see who signs up. I won’t get 100% on board, but those who really want to train will sign up. The heart rate monitor is an excellent training tool. I can’t wait to see their faces as the monitor works its magic!

"The reason we train is simple: to cause physiological adaptations to higher levels of athletic performance. That about sums it up. Sure, we train to control our weight, for emotional calm, for the overall fitness, and for other personal reasons. But deep down, we train, whatever you want to call it, because we just plain want to improve ourselves." Sally Edwards

Edwards, S. (1994) The Heart Rate Monitor Book, POLAR CIC Inc, NY.