Heart Rate Monitor Question

NoeHead
NoeHead Posts: 516 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I got a HRM about a month ago (the one that straps around your chest and comes with watch) and LOVING it. But I wonder how long after your workout do you remove it. My heart rate is still up for awhile so I would really like to keep it on after the workout for awhile but don't know if that would be considered "cheating". How long do you keep your HRM on after the workout?

Replies

  • McCelmer
    McCelmer Posts: 99 Member
    I take it off as soon as I finish the cool-down :smile:
  • dotknott
    dotknott Posts: 88 Member
    If I'm done with my work out, the HRM gets turned off. Often I take it off right away, but sometimes it stays on (but not logging) until I get home.

    If you have a model with a removable transmitter that snaps on to the strap, take it off the strap or it still technically stays on. When it's snapped in its sensing and transmitting even though the watch isn't listening.. so it can wear down the battery.

    Really though, unless you're talking about walking home from the gym, or keeping it on during cool down exercise you should turn it off.
  • NoeHead
    NoeHead Posts: 516 Member
    If I'm done with my work out, the HRM gets turned off. Often I take it off right away, but sometimes it stays on (but not logging) until I get home.

    If you have a model with a removable transmitter that snaps on to the strap, take it off the strap or it still technically stays on. When it's snapped in its sensing and transmitting even though the watch isn't listening.. so it can wear down the battery.

    Really though, unless you're talking about walking home from the gym, or keeping it on during cool down exercise you should turn it off.

    Thanks for the tip about removing the transmitter. I never take that part off. I have to do that from now on. Yeah I was wondering if could keep it on until my HRM is back to normal since the fitness classes I'm in only have a couple minutes for cool down. I should just add an extra cool down i guess.
  • Justkeepswimmin
    Justkeepswimmin Posts: 777 Member
    I agree, once I'm done working out I take it off. However, my hr does drop super fast. Either way I unsnap it habitually b/c of A) the battery as said already and B) I sweat a lot and wash it every couple days.
  • jody664
    jody664 Posts: 397 Member
    I usually stop my HRM when I get to the locker room and take it off. I figure the extra 30 seconds it takes me to walk from the equipment to the locker room isn't going to make that big of a difference. I agree, though, about taking off the transmitter to conserve the battery.
  • jimceez
    jimceez Posts: 3
    Noe,

    I have used them for years. One of the key figures of your fitness is your recovery time. Mine has a recovery timer mode that I utilize. So I leave mine on until I am at a more normal heart rate.

    Since cardiac disease runs in my family, I have stress tests done yearly. The staff is amazed at my recovery times back to normal heart rate. As they said that's the best indicator that there's nothing wrong.

    You can read up on it on any website that deals with working out in heart rate zones. Goo luck.
  • UrbanLotus
    UrbanLotus Posts: 1,163 Member
    I stop it as soon as I'm done/my heart rate drops out of my target zone. I actually take it off when I get home.
  • Fat2FitACE
    Fat2FitACE Posts: 34
    I usually take it off when I am in the locker room changing. I did wear it all day on Saturday just to see what my burn for the day would be....I burned 209 calories taking a nap :bigsmile:
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    Calorie burns are only increased while exertion is increased, so if you aren't working out you shouldn't be counting cals burned, regardless of how hard you are breathing or how much you are sweating.
  • NoeHead
    NoeHead Posts: 516 Member
    I usually take it off when I am in the locker room changing. I did wear it all day on Saturday just to see what my burn for the day would be....I burned 209 calories taking a nap :bigsmile:

    you know, Fat2Fitface, I want to do the same thing! I wouldn't count it of course, but out of curiosity :) hahah. Not to be gross but my husband and I want to keep ours on during "sassy time" to see how many calories are burned..it's a form of cardio after all
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    Calorie burns are only increased while exertion is increased, so if you aren't working out you shouldn't be counting cals burned, regardless of how hard you are breathing or how much you are sweating.

    ^^^
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    I usually take it off when I am in the locker room changing. I did wear it all day on Saturday just to see what my burn for the day would be....I burned 209 calories taking a nap :bigsmile:

    Its not accurate at all. The HRM bases its calorie estimates on a known correlation between VO2 max during steady state cardio activity and heart rate. There is a low correlation at low level intensity so the formula does not apply and is not accurate.
  • meribethd
    meribethd Posts: 92 Member
    I take it off after my cool down/stretching (which I absolutely consider part of the workout).

Categories