Need Help with Heart Rate Monitor Decisions

alicerouse
alicerouse Posts: 6 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I am planning to purchase a HRM. I have a petite wrist so I am considering a MIO. However, everyone on here raves about the Polar. I do not want to wear a chest strap, I just want to be able to check my wrist when I am working out/jogging. Any tips or suggestions would be most helpful. Thanks guys!

Replies

  • vorgas
    vorgas Posts: 741 Member
    A chest strap version is so much more awesome than the touch type. The touch kind is good for one thing: checking your resting HR first thing in the morning.

    The problem with the touch kind is it reacts to things like a drop of sweat hitting it, or high humidity. I can't tell you how many times I wanted to get my pulse and couldn't because the danged thing was too wet, or my fingers were dripping with sweat and didn't get an accurate read. You have to adjust your arm motion and gait to check it. It's very limiting because it requires touch. Cycling requires taking one hand off the bar. If you ever took up kickboxing and were wearing gloves, you couldn't check it.

    The advantage of a strap is that you can monitor your average HR for the entire exercise. You can set it hit target HR zones and to notify you if you go above or below them. Some of the straps you can take swimming and also get your HR.

    All that being said, if you insist on getting the touch type, go for the one you like the most. It's basically just a shortcut (and supposedly a more accurate method) to counting your pulse on your wrist and doing some math. It's not a feature brigade.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    Just echoing the poster above me.
  • alicerouse
    alicerouse Posts: 6 Member
    Good info to consider. I will think about it a little more before going with the non-strap HRM. Thanks vorgas/damir00!
  • dondimitri
    dondimitri Posts: 245 Member
    I was wondering if you've tried a chest strap and found you didn't like it?

    As a guy I realize my feelings about a chest strap may not be directly applicable but I'd encourage you to give one a try.

    What I've found is that when I put it on it is very noticeable but as soon as I start my activity I forget about it.

    Of course after using one for the past 25 years I've sort of gotten used to it so maybe I'm not the best judge, ha, lol, :smile:

    Good luck with your search.

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