HRM wearers--anyone willing to expirement?

bushidowoman
bushidowoman Posts: 1,599 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I am considering buying a HRM, but I'd like to know if it's really necessary to spend the money.
Right now, when I work out, I have the timer going on my iphone. When I slow down between exercises to catch my breath, I do a quick 6 second pulse check. Then I take the average HR and plug it in here: http://www.shapesense.com/fitness-exercise/calculators/heart-rate-based-calorie-burn-calculator.aspx
I have this on my home screen, so it's just a matter of clicking on it and plugging the numbers in. Before I got pregnant, I calculated my VO2max and used that calculator. Now that I am pregnant, I use the calculator for unknown VO2max.
I'm just wondering how much of a variation between doing it this way and using a HRM? Anyone willing to compare the two for me and let me know what you get?
I'd be extremely grateful. :flowerforyou:

Replies

  • loveYOUmore319
    loveYOUmore319 Posts: 79 Member
    I just started using an HRM and I absolutely love it. Mainly because it's so accurate. Believe me I wanted the Nike Fuel Band or the FitBit but I shopped online at Walmart and got one for $40. I wear the HRM around my chest and I wear the watch and it tells my calories I've burned and all kinds of other things. I absolutely love it and I'm happy I didn't spend a ton of money!! It's also fun to pass the HRM around the family and see what their resting BPM are. I think it's a good purchase. :)
  • bushidowoman
    bushidowoman Posts: 1,599 Member
    Oh, I know people who have them seem to like them. I'm just wondering how the calories burned compares to what I am calculating as calories burned. If what I am already doing is fairly accurate, no need to spend any extra money. :wink:
    If I were going to get one, I think I'd want one that figures in VO2max.
  • charbella118
    charbella118 Posts: 5
    My sister recently surprised me with a Polar FT7 HRM a few weeks ago and I LOVE IT! The first day that I used it I want to compare the elliptical calories vs my HRM calories. I was shocked to see the difference. The elliptical said that I burned 472 calories whereas my HRM said that I burned 796. It's a HUGE difference!
  • arizonaladybug
    arizonaladybug Posts: 91 Member
    wow. I would really like to try one of these.. neato.. it would be really nice instead of all this guessing.
  • chedges9090
    chedges9090 Posts: 208 Member
    I love my HRM (which is not really what this post is about.. ;) ) But, I found that I was estimating calories burned based on what was int he Fitness database or averages on line. I found that I wasn't burning quite as many as I thought. But.. that's ok. It's accurate.. and that is what I needed. It was also interesting for me how consistent my calorie burn is in Spinning and Running.

    Good Luck with your comparison. I won't be able to help you there.
  • knwitall
    knwitall Posts: 420 Member
    I would say go for the HRM. To me it seems it's more accurate.
  • holly3585
    holly3585 Posts: 282 Member
    I also LOVE LOVE LOVE my HRM...but answer to your question...NO you don't need to spend the $. If you have extra $ and want to get one for a present for yourself, they ROCK, but if you are working out (not to mention you already know how to take your HR and figure a caloric burn which is just as accurate) and eating well, you do not NEED a HRM. Honestly I thnk mine is more for motivation and fun :) Just my opinion. LOL that being said I LOVE my Polar4!
  • genefabes
    genefabes Posts: 132
    not only have I loved mine for the accuracy, i find it motivating. it's helps me push myself to make one day better than the last. plus I think it's fun to know how many calories I can burn for activities outside of standard exercise. like...hand washing,waxing, and sweeping out my car.
  • SJCon
    SJCon Posts: 224
    Hey Eyes, you may find it easier to borrow someones where you work out. If you are friendly with someone look at their wrist and see if they have one on. should not take long for you to do a comparison yourself.
  • BenChase
    BenChase Posts: 169
    i too just bought a polar ft7 (3 days ago) and so far this is what i found.....

    my guess for insanity logged as 55 minutes of calisthenics - vigorous effort : 566 calories
    my actual amount according to my HRM :615
    my guess for my bootcamp i do : 638
    my actual bootcamp per HRM : 698
    MFP for a 7 minute mile :126
    my actual (6:59) mile : 133

    so for mine so far it is fairly close to what MFP says, slightly less than actual amount on everything, but i still love it even if the guesses get me close enough to the actual :wink:

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