HRM HELP!

jdsmom0104

I am using the polar ft4 to track my caloric burn. I know the info is wrong, as i'm only burning less than 400 cal for a 50min zumba class. I had a friend compare our burn & she did twice as much. i know you're supposed to burn more than what i'm burning. i put all my info in, so im not sure what the issue is. what kind of hrm do you have & how do you like it? any suggestions?

ladybug1620

Is your friend bigger than you? The bigger you are, the more you burn. If you're a small person, that sounds like a decent burn.

Or....Do you check your heart rate often while you're doing the workout? Sometimes my heart rate registers at 00, which is obviously wrong, so it's not recording my calories burned because it's not reading my hr for some reason. Usually it's that my chest strap needs a good cleaning. If you don't already, wash it with soap and water and then soak it in the sink for a while after each workout, especially if you sweat.

islaybower

400 calls for a 50 min class sounds about right to me. Maybe your friend's monitor is malfunctioning? Or she is bigger?

jdsmom0104

we're about the same size... give or take a few #s and maybe 3" in height...

shanae727

What is your HR zone and what is hers? Are you staying in your zone longer or a shorter amount of time than her? That makes a big difference too. If her heart rate is at 194 for 5 minutes and yours is at 145 for 5 minutes she is going to burn more in those 5 minutes than you are. I have the same HRM (POLAR FT4 ) and sometimes I burn more than someone bigger than me because I'm pushing alot more (basically not stopping on the breaks and jumping higher). For Zumba I usually burn around 400-600 depending on the Instructor and I weigh 133 at 5'8.

skylark94

If your HRM is properly set to your stats and you are using it properly (thoroughly wetting the contacts on the chest strap), then it should be correct. Do not compare your results to anyone else. She is not you.