HRM Polar FT4 - is it good?

mimimiau
mimimiau Posts: 18
edited September 28 in Fitness and Exercise
Hi, i want to purchase a Polar FT4, and i was wondering if its good and also if you can input the weight, height and age to calculate the calories burned?

Thanks

Replies

  • waverly9876
    waverly9876 Posts: 605 Member
    bump
  • LoriLou67
    LoriLou67 Posts: 173 Member
    Yes - you enter age, M/F, height, current weight. Mine has worked well for the past 5 years.
  • WalkingGirl1985
    WalkingGirl1985 Posts: 2,046 Member
    Yes, I own my FT4 and I love it! :heart:

    You can alter your weight, gender..not sure about age and height though..you can also review your data from previous workouts too. It also works in water for 20-30 meters. It's awesome!
  • GoldenGirl1979
    GoldenGirl1979 Posts: 716 Member
    Yes... Its a very good hrm... & yes, you can input all that info!
  • mimimiau
    mimimiau Posts: 18
    thanks a lot everybody, tomorrow i will go buy it ...hope it will work for me as well :)
  • waverly9876
    waverly9876 Posts: 605 Member
    Does the heart rate monitor have a chest strap?
  • mimimiau
    mimimiau Posts: 18
    yeah, this one does. why?
  • DrewD2011
    DrewD2011 Posts: 66 Member
    Hi,

    I have posted this message in the past, but I am a big fan of Polar (one of their Ambassadors) and they have a wonderful line of HRM's. I have been using their products for about a year and a half.

    I started with the FT7 - about $90 to $105, but after 8 months, I graduated to the FT80, which gave me GPS, Fitness Tests (VO2max), a visual display of my HR, Strength Training detail (add you entire lifting routine into the watch) and a great online community that supports me through challenges (uploading through a Flow Link accessory). I use it for the elliptical, tennis and weight lifting.

    Online the FT80 lists at $349. I have seen it as low as $250 (with a Flow Link) at heartratemonitorusa.com.

    See the results:

    http://www.polar.fi/en/polar_community/polar_people/Andrew

    It sounds like you already know this, but a great basic HR monitor is the FT4 (about $70 online). One minor drawback on this entry level watch (FT4 only) is that it does not have a user replaceable battery (Polar will change it). When you step up to the FT 7, FT40 FT60 & FT80 they can all upload results to polarpersonaltrainer.com...each adds a feature up the line and you should select a monitor that matches your lifestyle/budget.

    See their website:

    http://www.polar.fi/en/
  • wannabahotmom
    wannabahotmom Posts: 108
    The Polar FT4 is on sale right now on www.heartratemonitorsusa.com and if you use code VALUEDCUSTOMER at check out you will get an extra 5% off. It totals 70 dollars and something cents I believe and shipping is included in the price! I got it last week and it is AWESOME! It does all the things you asked about and so much more! Best weight loss purchase I have made yet!
  • GooneyAngel
    GooneyAngel Posts: 90
    BUY IT!!!! I bought one and absolutely love it!!! It helps me to keep from slacking off when I am doing cardio and TRX training! Well worth the investment. You can also set your HR parameters (low and high).
  • horizonsp
    horizonsp Posts: 134 Member
    I just ordered mine from amazon today..
  • kamoira23
    kamoira23 Posts: 193
    I have an FT4 and I have a question that some of you may help me with! I love the monitor for reading my HR, especially when I'm swimming or walking/jogging outside, but I'm possibly having some issues with the calorie counter.

    When I work out on the cross-trainer for an hour, the cross-trainer will say that I've burned about 800 calories, while my FT4 will say that I've only burned 400-500. I seem to have that large variation in calories on every machine that I use, and I always input the same weight/age as is in my monitor.

    I also have the same problem with inputting exercise into myfitnesspal. I will input 30 minutes of leisurely swimming (when I'm actually swimming laps at a decent speed) and the calorie count will be almost 400 according to this program, but according to my monitor, I will only have burned 115 or so calories. That seems to be too extreme of a calorie variation to me, especially considering that I'm actually doing a more vigorous exercise than I'm inputting into the program. And tonight, I walked/jogged 4.5 miles at a fairly brisk pace (my HR was constantly between 150-160) and the monitor said I only burned ~450 calories. When I put it into this program, it projected that I should have burned 1200+ calories.

    I'm told that the monitor is more accurate, but I don't see how there can consistently be a difference of hundreds of calories burned from the monitor to the machines or various calorie calculators online.

    I assume that my monitor is broken, because the other option is that programs like myfitnesspal/online calculators/machines are THAT inflated with calories burned? Does anyone know? I'd hate to have to deal with returning it, considering I just got it about 2 months ago. :/
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