HRM users . . . when to hit stop?

2getgeorge

you can stop it after your done with exercise, whrn you hit the locker room (what I do) or wait until your HR gets to your starting HR.
I don't wait because I get all sweaty and don't want to wait to take it off.

jbrinda1

Stop when you're done if you want to know what you burned doing that specific activity for that amount of time. Otherwise its just a few additional calories burned walking around the gym after your workout.

EgyptianMushroom

I'll keep this in mind when I get my HRM in the mail. Just ordered one. :glasses:

Jonathanfales

I hit stop as soon as I'm done exercising. I'd rather underestimate the burn!

I usually do this too.

Add me to those who would rather underestimate the burn. If you "workout" for 20 min but dont stop the HRM for 30 then you dont know precisely what you burned. In other words why not start the HRM 3 hrs before, let it go for 3 hrs after and then log your excercise as 1000+ calories burned. If your gonna cheat yourself you might as well go big.

KareninCanada

Hmmmm, some interesting answers here!

I start mine as soon as I get on the treadmill (35 mins), keep it on during strength training (25 to 35 mins) and stop it when I hit the change room.

Same.

krissypea79

I hit stop as soon as I'm done exercising. I'd rather underestimate the burn!

This is what I do...rather be a little under than over!

ThaRealNicki

I leave it on till I shower before bed.....is this a bad thing?

glittersoul

I stop it when I'm done exercising

Rachiepie6

I have a Polar FT4, I hit stop once I'm no longer "in the zone".

Me too, I also use a fitbit, so it subtracts my bmr from my burn so it doesn't matter how long I leave it on for.
If you subtract your bmr yourself you won't have to worry about how long you have it on for.

jackiejax1981

I hit stop when I'm done......but if I know I didn't put as much effort into my workout, I cheat and wait a few minutes till I feel cooled down completely. LOL. Just being honest. The problem with that is that I forget to hit stop. HA! In any case.....both ways are accurate in my opinion.

jackiejax1981

...and I absolutely loooooove my Polar FT40!!!

wolfchild59

I hit start when I start my actual workout and I hit stop when I finish. Warm-ups and cool downs don't get counted since my heart rate typically isn't elevated enough during those times to make it worthwhile to count.

kammy92

I hit stop when I'm done exercising .........

kag1526

I stop it once I finish the exercise or when I remember to hit the button whichever happens first. Sometimes this means when I get out of the zone and it beeps at me.

Nikstergirl

I wait until my heart stops racing. If it's after a run, I stretch and walk a bit to cool down. If it's a class, it's right after we stretch and cool down. Just the way I do it! Can't wait to get it back, I've been without mine for a while as I accidentally left the watch at my friend's house... she's bringing it to me for my birthday! (we live on opposite sides of the country, not like a quick road trip).

HartJames

I think it also depends on if you are eating back every single little calorie. If you are, you may want to under-estimate your burn and stop when your workout stops? Personally, I consider my post exercise burn as part of my caloric burn from my workout as my heart rate remains above my normal activity level for several minutes as I cool down- that's why I stop it at 100. Hardly "cheating" (WTF?) as I don't base my caloric intake strictly off what I burn. As long as you are still burning above a normal level, why not?

Heidi_M78

I hit stop as soon as I'm done exercising. I'd rather underestimate the burn!

^ this

paigedwatson

I check my resting heart rate before I run and I stop it when I reach back to my resting heart rate.

olong

I usually hit stop when I've completed my cool down walk, about five minutes. Sometimes my heart rate comes down faster (low intensity run) and sometimes it comes down slower (higher intensity run). Cool down, in my mind, is just as important as warm-up, but like another poster replied, the HRM is used to measure the exercise time (for me that's warm-up and cool-down), though not stretching., etc.

turbophoenix

Usually I hit stop once I finish my cool down/stretch.

spectralmoon

I hit stop as soon as I'm done exercising. I'd rather underestimate the burn!

This is what I do, too. I work out in my room, so as soon as I pause and head for my computer chair again, "STOP".

sunshine83777

I do the same! I hit stop when it gets below 100 ... I remember a while back before I got my HRM there was a thread on here and pretty much everyone suggested to stop when it gets under 100

I was wondering the same thing. ^^ Good to Know. I'm hitting stop right after I'm done with my workout.
I love my Polar FT7

Irishmoonwitch

I always stop mine after the cool down of my workout.

Lost_Mermaid

I stop mine when the dizziness and nausea go away, cause I figure my heart rate has gone down enough, usually between 130-140 and a minute or two after the cool down stretches

witrixie2011

I hit start when I start my actual workout and I hit stop when I finish. Warm-ups and cool downs don't get counted since my heart rate typically isn't elevated enough during those times to make it worthwhile to count.

This.

XXXMinnieXXX

I stop it when I go under 100, your still burning more than you count and I don't eat them back. I think its a good method. X

harlanJEN

Don't overcomplicate it. Really ? Just stop it when you are finished with your workout .... simple as that !

BrianSharpe

When I'm running I start it as I leave my driveway (after my warm up) and stop when I hit the bottom of the driveway at the end of my run (I don't count my cool-down / stretching). On the treadmill, start the HRM when I start the treadmill & stop as soon as I hit the 5 min cool down finishes (don't count stretching afterward)

sjohnny

Mine is a Garmin FR60 with the footpod so I use it to track my mileage and pace and everything when I'm running as well as my heart rate and calories. I start it when I stop walking and start running and I stop it when I stop running. If I don't then my calories are going to be different but so is my pace and mileage (plus it breaks down my pace mile by mile too and I like looking at that). When I use it for workouts other than running I start it when I start and I stop it when I stop. If it's Insanity or P90X it starts and stops with the tape - so cool down and warm up are tracked also. With my own workouts I start after I warm up and stop before I stretch at the end.

I'm not trying to get credit for every single calorie I burn. I walk a half mile to the trail before I start running and then walk a half mile or more back to my office when I'm done. I don't track the calories burned for that activity at all.

MyOwnSunshine

I hit stop when I'm done cooling down and stretching -- usually when I'm walking back to the locker room. I'd rather underestimate than overestimate, I guess.