Understanding Heart Rate

Why Heart Rate Matters and the Role of % Max Heart Rate

What Is Heart Rate?

Heart rate refers to the number of times your heart beats per minute (BPM). It naturally rises during activity to deliver oxygen-rich blood to working muscles. In heated environments, heart rate reflects not just effort—but also your body’s internal workload from thermal stress. Monitoring it helps you understand how hard your system is working in real time.

Why HeatSense Monitors Heart Rate

Your cardiovascular system is a key player in thermoregulation. As core temperature rises, your heart works harder to push blood to the skin for cooling. When heart rate remains elevated—especially alongside rising core and skin temperatures—it signals mounting heat strain. That’s why real-time HR tracking is essential for understanding heat response, not just effort.

What Is % of Max Heart Rate?

Rather than showing raw BPM, HeatSense uses percent of maximum heart rate (% Max HR) to give more personalized insight. This percentage adjusts for your age and baseline fitness level, showing how close you are to your physiological limit.

Why Use % Max Instead of BPM?

• Personalization: 160 BPM could be light work for one athlete and maximal for another. % Max adjusts for that difference and shows relative intensity.
• Physiological Context: Combining % Max HR with core and skin temperature gives a more complete picture of your heat response and exertional load.
• Training Control: Coaches can use % Max HR to gauge when athletes are working near threshold—and when to pull back before performance dips or recovery suffers.

With % Max HR, HeatSense turns heart rate into a strategic tool—delivering personalized insights that reflect not just effort, but readiness, recovery, and how your body handles heat.