IF money were no object...

dbmata

I don't find them necessary. I know how active i am, and whether i work out hard enough.
If i had lots of cash laying around, i'd hire a good personal trainer, to optimize my routine and check my form.

How would you do heart rate zone training without one?

I work harder when it feels too easy, and slow down when it feels too hard.

If you're referring to the fat burning vs. cardio zones, Google "fat burning zone myth".

I'm glad this came back up in the thread list.

Ignore everything Cherimoose says, they're not even aware of the basic concept of heart rate zone training.

JoRocka

I don't find them necessary. I know how active i am, and whether i work out hard enough.
If i had lots of cash laying around, i'd hire a good personal trainer, to optimize my routine and check my form.

How would you do heart rate zone training without one?

Do something novel- put your fingres against your wrist or neck- count- count the beats- watch the clock for 15 seconds.

Then do the math.

It's not rocket science.

People have survived for years without them- I've been training for years without one. The only time we ever had them was for our horses when we were competing at the world class level. Otherwise- spend more time training- more time worrying about your diet and less about the new gadget.

amm8589

I'm no fan of heart rate monitors. I can quickly take my pulse to determine if I'm in the zone or not. This works just fine for me and I find it easier than programming that Polaris, which now sits unused in my dresser drawer.

chunkytfg

Without trying to come across as a little bit 'Look at me!' i've already got everything I need HRM wise.

Garmin Forerunner 620 for running with which has running metrics in the HR strap to record loads of other data which one day I might understand plus it automatically uploads data to Garmin connect via it's built in wifi when I get home.

Garmin Edge 500 for the bike which does everything you really need including the ability to receive data from the cadence sensor and will take data from a power meter if/when I ever get one.

Activity tracker wise personally I really don't feel the need to have one.

WalkingAlong

I liked my Polar HRM for years but never use it now.

I love my Fitbits but they're not essential. If money was no object I might get the Misfit Shine with leather wristband and pendant accessories, just for a better looking tracker than the Fitbit. Though I hear they're coming out with Tory Burch bands for the Fitbit Flex.

TriShamelessly

I use my Timex. It works great.

However, I can tell by my ability to talk (or not) whether I am training hard.

+1

erockem

I've been using my Polar FT7 HRM for several years and I like it. It works with all of the equipment at my YMCA including the spin bikes in class.

It was a nice motivator in the beginning but now I only use it occasionally. Just to 'check in' with myself. It's comfortable and over the 4 years of having it, it has been on hundreds of works outs raging from 30 minutes to 8 hours.

Two years after getting it, my wife and I each got a Bodymedia armband to track everything. I wanted to have more insight with my body. Sleeping patterns, resting calories burned, active calories, etc. I used it for a year until my subscription ran out. It gave me what I was looking for. My wife continued to use it for another year after that.

While people on here will say don't bother, they are not you and we all have our opinions. It was well worth it for me to try and use both.

Now I mostly just use my phone (endomondo app) and/or my Garmin Edge 500. But the HRM and Bodymedia helped get me to where I am now.