really need some help with heart rate monitor

cindy6264
cindy6264 Posts: 8 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi everyone,
I am new here and would like to ask for some help. This seems like a great group. Very inspiring to see the success here that everyone has.

Okay, so here is my problem. I purchased a sportline s12 heart monitor (wrist watch style) from walmart. I did not want to spend a lot of money, but geez , I am having a hard time using it even though it is supposed to be easy! lol

I thought I had it in the mode to track calories burned while working out, but I don't think it is correct. It only says 70 calories while doing a HARD workout on EA sports active 2 on the wii. (that liked to killed me a few times! lol heart rate up to 180 at one point!) The game said I burned 278 calories, which is more like it.

I want to be able to use hr monitor for other exercises like dance2 and such but am having a hard time with operating it! ( In know, I know, it is the OPERATOR! lol

Can anyone help with this watch? Or maybe I just need something soooo simple ......Like EA sports active 2 >> On the screen of the game it just simply shows you Heart Rate and Calories burned ! Plain and simple......no other info. Is there anything out there for a good price that is THAT simple? I really don't need all the other stuff that is confusing me!

Thanks for any guidance and help with this!

Replies

  • letsgethealthy
    letsgethealthy Posts: 47 Member
    If it doesn't have a chest band then that is probably the problem. I was considering getting one that was just a watch and asked on here for opinions about HRM's. After reading the responses I decided to get a Polar FT7, comes with a chest band and watch. I'm glad I did because now I know exactly how many calories I burn and what my heart rate is. Every response said to get one with a band. Look on Ebay or Amazon. I got mine for $86 new with shipping from Amazon.
  • cindy6264
    cindy6264 Posts: 8 Member
    yeah, I was just surprised at the HUGE difference in calculations. I was gonna say, if I only burned 70 calories in 45 minutes, then I don't know if I would survive trying to loose weight! lol
  • jenebeyer
    jenebeyer Posts: 5 Member
    I agree about the chest strap - that will give you a much more accurate reading. I am a certified Jazzercise instructor and wear the Polar FT4 - this is a basic model and a great one to start with; I recommend this one to my students when they want to know what they are burning.
    Good Luck! :smile:
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,487 Member
    No chest strap = no accuracy. Love my Polar ft4!
  • cindy6264
    cindy6264 Posts: 8 Member
    Can a woman use a man's polar ft4 heart rate monitor? Will the numbers be correct OR is there a difference? Does it matter?
  • cindy6264
    cindy6264 Posts: 8 Member
    Sorry, I mean will the numbers be correct for the amount of calories burned? I figure, of course the heart rate will be correct. Just wondering about calories burned if using a man's watch and chest strap. Thanks!
  • donnam40
    donnam40 Posts: 246 Member
    As long as you can choose the gender as you input your data into the watch. Men will generally burn more cals in a workout than women.

    Donna
  • tz2187
    tz2187 Posts: 250 Member
    I bought a cheap HRM at Wal-mart, it was terrible. I ended up splurging and getting the Polar FT4 and I love it!
  • athenna1869
    athenna1869 Posts: 26 Member
    Not to ask an obvious question but...when setting up the watch did you input your age, weight, height into the settings? That may help for a better read
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    Sorry, I mean will the numbers be correct for the amount of calories burned? I figure, of course the heart rate will be correct. Just wondering about calories burned if using a man's watch and chest strap. Thanks!

    Gender is a stat to setup, no matter who the watch is made for.

    Sadly, women get the short end of the statistics, and with even the nicer Polars with default values, women can be up to 33% off. Correct the stats with tested ones, up to 13% off.

    If that HRM you have now told you the avg HR during the whole workout because you touched it several times during the workout, take the time and reported avgHR to the spreadsheet linked in this topic.

    The HRM tab needs several of your stats, more than the Polar HRM would get, and proceeds to use the actual formula from a Polar funded study.

    Your personalized calorie burn is at the bottom of that HRM tab.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/750920-spreadsheet-for-bmr-tdee-deficit-macro-calcs-hrm-zones
  • SarahSmiles2004
    SarahSmiles2004 Posts: 66 Member
    Sorry, I mean will the numbers be correct for the amount of calories burned? I figure, of course the heart rate will be correct. Just wondering about calories burned if using a man's watch and chest strap. Thanks!

    Gender is a stat to setup, no matter who the watch is made for.

    Sadly, women get the short end of the statistics, and with even the nicer Polars with default values, women can be up to 33% off. Correct the stats with tested ones, up to 13% off.

    If that HRM you have now told you the avg HR during the whole workout because you touched it several times during the workout, take the time and reported avgHR to the spreadsheet linked in this topic.

    The HRM tab needs several of your stats, more than the Polar HRM would get, and proceeds to use the actual formula from a Polar funded study.

    Your personalized calorie burn is at the bottom of that HRM tab.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/750920-spreadsheet-for-bmr-tdee-deficit-macro-calcs-hrm-zones

    Thank you for this - I have been really mad at my HRM (polar FT4) because it's saying I"m burning up to 200 less than I thought I was for the Insanity workout - made me really mad. I was like - you have got to be freaking kidding me!!!! I mean I'm dripping sweat and feel like I"m gonna pass out and that is ALL i burned!?!? Thanks for the link.

    CIndy - definitely splurge for a slightly more expensive model with a chest strap. Polar FT4 isn't too bad. Go to bodytronics.com and use POPO as a code and get 5% off, makes it under $60 with shipping ;)
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    Thank you for this - I have been really mad at my HRM (polar FT4) because it's saying I"m burning up to 200 less than I thought I was for the Insanity workout - made me really mad. I was like - you have got to be freaking kidding me!!!! I mean I'm dripping sweat and feel like I"m gonna pass out and that is ALL i burned!?!? Thanks for the link.

    That is exactly what happens with the Polar's FT7 and below, the ones more expensive have a VO2max stat that takes care of that issue.

    The issue?

    Your lower HR for doing the same amount of work (pace, ect) which means expending the same amount of energy, is misread as not working out as much.
    Fact is, your body can take in more oxygen and supply it more efficiently, so the HR doesn't have to beat as fast to supply that oxygen.

    But the amount of energy expended is about the same. Some efficiency in movement makes it less, less weight of course does too, but mainly the HRM is misreading what is happening.
    Unless it has that VO2max stat, in which case it knows lower HR and higher VO2max stat means you are actually working the same.

    So the spreadsheet does that.
  • brimarie95
    brimarie95 Posts: 81 Member
    Bump, looking to buy one next payday.
  • cmuggridge
    cmuggridge Posts: 58 Member
    Thanks for the great information. I just ordered my Polar FT4 online. I will be taking my cheap wristwatch HRM back to Walmart.
  • diverdiza
    diverdiza Posts: 82 Member

    That is exactly what happens with the Polar's FT7 and below, the ones more expensive have a VO2max stat that takes care of that issue.

    The issue?

    Your lower HR for doing the same amount of work (pace, ect) which means expending the same amount of energy, is misread as not working out as much.
    Fact is, your body can take in more oxygen and supply it more efficiently, so the HR doesn't have to beat as fast to supply that oxygen.

    But the amount of energy expended is about the same. Some efficiency in movement makes it less, less weight of course does too, but mainly the HRM is misreading what is happening.
    Unless it has that VO2max stat, in which case it knows lower HR and higher VO2max stat means you are actually working the same.

    So the spreadsheet does that.
    As an interesting point since I started comparing my HRM burns with your spreadsheet, my Polar F11 tells me my burn is EVEN LESS than the spreadsheet's "current VO2max" figure (which is of course less than the study-related figure).

    For example, having input the same weight, height, age and VO2max (21) settings on the HRM and in the spreadsheet:
    Yesterday I did 64 mins with an average HR of 134.
    According to the Polar I burned 447 cal.
    The spreadsheet says that with 21 VO2max I would have burned 486.
    The figure according to the study (at 25.2 VO2max) was 511.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    As an interesting point since I started comparing my HRM burns with your spreadsheet, my Polar F11 tells me my burn is EVEN LESS than the spreadsheet's "current VO2max" figure (which is of course less than the study-related figure).

    For example, having input the same weight, height, age and VO2max (21) settings on the HRM and in the spreadsheet:
    Yesterday I did 64 mins with an average HR of 134.
    According to the Polar I burned 447 cal.
    The spreadsheet says that with 21 VO2max I would have burned 486.
    The figure according to the study (at 25.2 VO2max) was 511.

    Now on the spreadsheet, you tell it what your restingHR is, on the Polar, it's part of the fitness test or whatever they call it. So best to do that first thing in the morning, no alarm clock (ha, if that can happen) to get heart racing, ect.

    Also, those 2 upper calorie compares, don't take into account your HRmax stat like the table at the bottom does. The Polar formula from the study doesn't use HRmax as separate stat, default is used. Default may or likely may not be correct.
  • diverdiza
    diverdiza Posts: 82 Member

    Now on the spreadsheet, you tell it what your restingHR is, on the Polar, it's part of the fitness test or whatever they call it. So best to do that first thing in the morning, no alarm clock (ha, if that can happen) to get heart racing, ect.

    Also, those 2 upper calorie compares, don't take into account your HRmax stat like the table at the bottom does. The Polar formula from the study doesn't use HRmax as separate stat, default is used. Default may or likely may not be correct.
    One of the things that makes logical sense to me on your spreadsheet is how the PAR number influences the VO2max, compared to the Polar (mine anyway) there is much less flexibility and the options lead to enormous extremes.
    For example: if I tell my Polar I have a low activity level then it gives me my fitness result as <20. If I change the setting to moderate activity it jumps me up to over 50!! I mean, no way!
    Compare that with the spreadsheet: using my details and PAR figures of 1.76 (level 4) I get 25.8. Change it to 3.03 (level 5) and the reading is 29.7 which intuitively just makes more sense.
    Thanks again for a great tool!
  • cindy6264
    cindy6264 Posts: 8 Member
    So, can you choose the gender on the polar ft4? Or does it not have that option?

    The reason I ask is I kinda like the black one better. If it does not have that option, then I should go with the womens.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    So, can you choose the gender on the polar ft4? Or does it not have that option?

    The reason I ask is I kinda like the black one better. If it does not have that option, then I should go with the womens.

    Yes, you must select gender. The male or female watches is purely for style and size.
  • cindy6264
    cindy6264 Posts: 8 Member
    Thanks everyone for your help. I got my polar ft4 and I just Love it!! It is exactly what I needed. Soooooo simple to set up and use!! I find I keep going to grab it again to fit in another little workout to rack up the calorie burn! lol

    And I was surprised how comfortable the strap is. I could almost keep it on all day long, except I don't want to run the batteries down. It's fun though, to find out how much you burn, doing housework at a slow pace, or Rev it up a bit and be in a hurry and burn more!! lol

    and.....for wii Ea sports active 2, I was very surprised that the game heart rate monitor pretty much matches the polar for heart rate. I really expected it to be off a bit.
  • Ichristini
    Ichristini Posts: 66 Member
    So, can you choose the gender on the polar ft4? Or does it not have that option?

    The reason I ask is I kinda like the black one better. If it does not have that option, then I should go with the womens.

    When I did my settings I got to choose all of those things! I just got the Polar FT4. So far I love it! Good luck on your journey!

    25851322.png
    Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Calorie Counter
  • knightreader
    knightreader Posts: 813 Member
    how bulky are the chest straps? can you lay on your stomach with it? want to wear it during a yoga session and some of the poses require laying on your stomach...

    thanks.
  • PetulantOne
    PetulantOne Posts: 2,131 Member
    I was having the same problem with mine. Then I realized you had to put in your V02 max. When it was at default it was saying I only burned about 50 calories, when I got that put in right it was 200 for the same exercise. See if it has that setting. If it does and you fix it, it should be much more accurate.
  • PetulantOne
    PetulantOne Posts: 2,131 Member
    how bulky are the chest straps? can you lay on your stomach with it? want to wear it during a yoga session and some of the poses require laying on your stomach...

    thanks.

    Mine isn't bulky, but the front is hard plastic. Make sure you're on a soft mat. I had to lay on my stomach the other day, and it hurt a little, but I wasn't on a mat. (I was on my bedroom floor, I'm not just like randomly laying down on the gym floor or anything lol.) If you're on something soft it shouldn't give you too much trouble. :happy:
  • jwuchef87
    jwuchef87 Posts: 110 Member
    bump
  • mamasmaltz3
    mamasmaltz3 Posts: 1,111 Member
    Bump to read later
  • knightreader
    knightreader Posts: 813 Member
    how bulky are the chest straps? can you lay on your stomach with it? want to wear it during a yoga session and some of the poses require laying on your stomach...

    thanks.

    Mine isn't bulky, but the front is hard plastic. Make sure you're on a soft mat. I had to lay on my stomach the other day, and it hurt a little, but I wasn't on a mat. (I was on my bedroom floor, I'm not just like randomly laying down on the gym floor or anything lol.) If you're on something soft it shouldn't give you too much trouble. :happy:

    thanks.

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