Let's face it, if you want to get the most out of a workout, you need a heart rate monitor. Knowing your heart rate is vital to knowing if your workout is going good or if you need to alter your out put. Here are a few of my favorite heart rate monitors ranging in price and perks for beginners to marathoners.

The Polar FT4F is a great first heart rate monitor watch. It is simple, has a back log of ten workouts, and well priced at about $60.

The Polar RS300X SD Heart Rate Monitor watch is definitely a step up from the introductory heart rate monitor. This is great for monitoring speed and distance while jogging and is compatible with both Mac and PC. Yep, you can view your workout trends and totals via your computer! This is a step up in price at about $100

Garmin has done well with the Forerunner 305 GPS Receiver with Heart Rate Monitor. GPS locates you and know exactly where you have been along with the speed and distance you covered. This watch is great for marathoners and half marathoners and it makes complete sense why! MotionBased also gives a precise workout overview even when you are indoors. This watch is not for the novice with a price of about $300.