By Kathy Kent Talk to the swimmer in the lane next to you sometime and ask them what their heart rate is when they re swimming.
Chances are, they have no idea.
These are all excellent questions to ask both yourself and your coach next time you hop in the pool. Heart rate monitoring has been a very successful measure of effort or exertion for a very long time. Heart rate monitors are too expensive. Heart rate monitors are not waterproof. Heart rate monitors are too hard to program and understand.