Looking into a HR Monitor

Squash97

I just bought the cheap HR watch from Walmart and I'm SOOOOO not impressed. I can hardly ever get it to give me a new HR reading so that it will adjust to my new level of exercise. For those of you who have one, I know that it's best to get one with a chest strap. I'm looking for one that will be accurate, but won't cost me too much. Thanks!

jrich1

$90-100 Polar FT7, and its waterproof

Demetrius9686

I love my polar FT7! I had an inexpensive one to start and quickly realized it wasn't sufficient. I've also had other Polar's but the FT7 is also great becuase it as user replacable batteries!

ShaneT99

Do you ever run outside? Or bike? If so, your best best is the Garmin Forerunner 305. HRM and GPS watch in one. Best tool I ever bought for my running.

milandpete

I'm a polar fan too. I have the F6 now - this December will be a full two years of using it 4-6 times a week. Still working great and I haven't replaced any batteries! Runs around $100.
I'm pretty confident in the results - as I've gotten stronger, I can tell that I need to do more to get my HR up and that I recover faster. I can feel it in my body and I'm seeing the same change on my HRM.

Ellem86

I've got the Polar F7f, which comes with a chest strap. It's brilliant. Got in on amazon half price at £49.99 (about $60 - $65 i think) x

coolstacey6

bump

johnthefatman

How big is the chest strap on the FT7 - I've been looking at getting one but need one that will fit my 58-60 inch chest - will it?
John

CakeFit21

I have the FT7 as well. Love it!

MisdemeanorM

Polar F6 - LOVE IT. The FT7 sounds like it might be the next model up? Not sure, I dont remember seeing it when I looked for mine 2 years ago. I remember the F6 and the F9. The chest strap on the 9 is better (more flexible). The F6 also does not have a lap counter on it if that is important to you. At that point in my life $75 for the F6 was a huge sacrifice so the $100+ for the 9 was not feasible. Basically - do your research on the different Polar models and decide which has the features and price you need. (Ask around too - I ended up getting mine wholesale from an instructor at my gym). Just, if you work out at the gym or with someone else, get something higher than the 4 because the 4 signal is not coded to work only with your watch, so it might pick up other people's monitors, or the machines. But, across the board here, Polar is highly recommended.

TheNewStacie

I don't use a chest strap one, but I have a Mio that I bought at our local sports store and I love it. I think it was around 40 or 50, and has all the settings as well as tracking how many calories you burn during the workout based on your changing heart rate. For me I didn't find it comfortable wearing a chest strap being heavier and with my sports bra. Find which one is more comfortable for you :-)

fitgirl4life

You really can't go wrong with Polar. I've used mine for 5 years and it's still working! I've had to change the watch battery a couple of times but the chest strap has lasted. My husband just bought the FT4 and it looks great, comes in a "ladies" version (pink) so I'll be upgrading mine soon.

I could NOT imagine exercise now without my Polar heart rate monitor....it keeps me honest! Makes sure I'm working in the right zone, and I always set a target of how many calories I need to burn before I can stop. It's a real motivation tool!

jrich1

How big is the chest strap on the FT7 - I've been looking at getting one but need one that will fit my 58-60 inch chest - will it?
John

You can order different sizes, they have a XXXL one that I think would fit your needs

queenmedusa

Are HR monitors for all exercise or just walking / running? I'd like to know what my HR is when I'm dancing or doing aerobics but if the monitors are only for use when running then there's no point in getting one. Advice please?

tgh1914

Are HR monitors for all exercise or just walking / running? I'd like to know what my HR is when I'm dancing or doing aerobics but if the monitors are only for use when running then there's no point in getting one. Advice please?

Nope, they're for any exercise. It's not a pedometer (counting your steps). It's counting your heart beats and returning your calories burned, fat burned, etc, provided you program it to your body specifics. They're great. I just got mine and found out that my actual calories burned during a P90X workout was grossly overestimated. Now I've made the proper adjustment to my diet and am losing weight much faster.

queenmedusa

Thanks very much for that - I shall endeavour to find one that works well but doesn't cost so much that I'll regret buying one if I don't use it!

ShaneT99

Are HR monitors for all exercise or just walking / running? I'd like to know what my HR is when I'm dancing or doing aerobics but if the monitors are only for use when running then there's no point in getting one. Advice please?

They'll work for just about any "cardio" exercise. From what I've read they're not accurate for weight lifting exercises, but I don't fully understand why that is.

MisdemeanorM

Are HR monitors for all exercise or just walking / running? I'd like to know what my HR is when I'm dancing or doing aerobics but if the monitors are only for use when running then there's no point in getting one. Advice please?

They'll work for just about any "cardio" exercise. From what I've read they're not accurate for weight lifting exercises, but I don't fully understand why that is.

I believe they are still accurate - as to what your HR is and how many calories you are burning, but since wight lifting is not necessarily a cardio activity and your goal is not to stay in a target HR, the monitor is not monitoring the right thing for lifting. I wear one still because I can vary between 300 and 500 on lifting days so I like to know. But, it does not give you the picture of how much you lift, reps, fatigue limit etc - so people say they're not good for lifting.

I find them particularly great for non normal cardio. Ie, I have had my HRM nearly 2 years and I can pretty much guess what the total will be based on my routine at the gym different days. But, it's fun to wear playing in the snow with my son, going to the fair and walking for 5 hours, horseback riding (not that I have been since getting it... but I had intended to use it to find out how much I actually burned doing barn chores before my horse died right before I got my HRM), cleaning the house, yard work etc. I burned 300 calories in 35 minutes cutting the grass.

Beth720

I don't use a chest strap one, but I have a Mio that I bought at our local sports store and I love it. I think it was around 40 or 50, and has all the settings as well as tracking how many calories you burn during the workout based on your changing heart rate. For me I didn't find it comfortable wearing a chest strap being heavier and with my sports bra. Find which one is more comfortable for you :-)

I wanted to get a Mio - I'd seen them on the website for the sports store I knew I was going to go to. They didn't have any, and I didn't feel like running all over town to see if they had them elsewhere. So I got a duo 1010. I've played with it a little around the house this afternoon/evening, and will use it for the first time tomorrow when I do Bob's yoga dvd.