Can Heart Rate Monitors Improve Workouts?

This week Steve ordered a high-tech Garmin heart rate monitor to help him track his workouts. Inspired and intimidated by Steve's purchase, I dug into the bottom of my gym bag and strapped on my Polar heart rate monitor. The last two days I've gone to a 45-minute spinning class followed by a half mile run. Below I've posted the results from my heart monitor. Clearly, I have to establish a maximum heart rate and average heart rate and figure out if I'm working hard enough at 150 beats per minute to make a difference.

Workout 1

54 minutes of cardio.

Average Heart Rate 150

High Heart Rate 181

Calories Burned: 788

Workout 2
57 minutes of cardio
Average Heart Rate: 154
High Heart Rate: 181
Calories Burned: 801

Here is a great article on Heart Rate Monitor Training.