Best Heart Rate Monitor for Lifting

MichelleLea122

Currently I have a Jawbone UP (not the heart rate type), and am looking to get more accurate in logging my exercise calories. Before I spend a ton of money on a new fitness tracker, I wanted to see which heart rate monitor would be best suited for my type of activity. My normal workout routine consists of powerlifting, bodybuilding accessory work, HIIT on the stairmaster, and LISS on an elliptical. Basically I'm looking for a fitness tracker that has accurate outputs on these types of movements that doesn't cost a fortune. So what do you currently use? Pros and cons much appreciated.

MalcolmX1983

Interested in this as well.

amusedmonkey

Heart rate monitors are not meant for lifting. The mechanisms that lead to increased heart rate during lifting are different from those that cause increased heart rate during steady state exercises, so the same calorie estimates calculated by heart rate monitors don't apply. Unfortunately, only your elliptical workouts would be measured with any kind of accuracy.

It's very hard to estimate lifting calories because personal output differs from say, running, which has known variables like speed and weight, and running is natural to humans so the mechanical movement of is fairly similar among people assuming no structural issues, leading to almost negligible calorie economy differences. Lifting is not a natural standard movement so you can't accurately account for form differences, and you can't accurately calculate speed.

ASKyle

None. Heart rate monitors are only for steady state cardio, so most of the workouts you mentioned wouldn't work.

itsbasschick

anything you use will be an approximation. you can download endomondo to your phone for free - it's one of the few apps that tracks calories for lifting. if you attach it to your MFP account, it will immediately have your weight, age, etc, if it's in your MFP account. you can also pair endomondo with a variety of chest belt rate monitors if you want. my experience with endomondo is pretty positive - i lift with intensity, and the numbers it gives me without the HRM were very close to with it.

Erik8484

http://livehealthy.chron.com/can-heart-rate-monitors-measure-calories-weight-lifting-4910.html

MichelleLea122

amusedmonkey wrote: »

Heart rate monitors are not meant for lifting. The mechanisms that lead to increased heart rate during lifting are different from those that cause increased heart rate during steady state exercises, so the same calorie estimates calculated by heart rate monitors don't apply. Unfortunately, only your elliptical workouts would be measured with any kind of accuracy.

It's very hard to estimate lifting calories because personal output differs from say, running, which has known variables like speed and weight, and running is natural to humans so the mechanical movement of is fairly similar among people assuming no structural issues, leading to almost negligible calorie economy differences. Lifting is not a natural standard movement so you can't accurately account for form differences, and you can't accurately calculate speed.

I had a feeling that this would be the case. Thanks for the response.

Azdak

I have a Polar V800 that is a combo HRM and activity tracker. For various reasons, I have not been able to lift since I got it until just recently. I thought at least the arm movement and accelerometer would give me something, but it barely registered more calories than when I was sitting still.