Heart Rate Monitor

brown219
brown219 Posts: 7
in Fitness and Exercise
I recently purchased a heart rate monitor and I have a few questions.
I will try to be as concise as I can be as I do have alot of questions.

I have the Polar FT7. I input all my information and my heart rate max per my age.
Upon further investigation I see that this information might not be exactly correct.
From what I gather I need to get VO2 max test. Then and only then will I know my
true heart rate max.

So I am thinking fine sounds good but with that information came alot of other obstacles.
I read that there is VO2 max test and a VO2 Submax test. Which one am I supposed to take?

So once I figure out which one I need to take then I gather that the results will give me my true
HR max not just one based on my age.

From there I am supposed to put that into my HRM but my HRM doesnt have provision for my VO2
only my max. So even if I get the VO2 test done and get my results will I still need to get a HRM that
has provisions for a VO2 amount?

Another question I have it why does it matter what my max heart rate is besides to make sure I dont make
myself pass out. If I have a max HR of say 180 and another person that is the same height and weight as I am
but with a different age has a max HR of say 150. Would we not burn the same amount of calories if both of us
ran with a heart rate of 100?

I hope that I did not go to far off the meter with this post. I just want to be able to get as accurate a reading of calories burnt as piossble I dont care if its not exact but I would like to know its not off by hundreds and hundred of calories.

Thanks for reading. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Replies

  • writetomab
    writetomab Posts: 226
    Personally, I only use a HRM as a guide. At the end of the day only you know what your body can and can't handle. I see no reason to go to the lengths of having a VO2 max test etc unless you are a serious athlete and are trying to improve your VO2 performance. There really isn't a need to get to complex about things... Workout and use the standard settings, eat clean and within your calorie allowance and the results will come.
  • 2ndaccord
    2ndaccord Posts: 5
    You don't need to worry about VO2 max. Your VO2 max helps determine what heart rate zone you can safely train at. Just take it easy for the first couple of weeks and you should be fine. Your heart rate is all that you really need to monitor. Your VO2 max doesn't determine your calorie burn so you should be fine without it. Just make sure you keep your weight up to date on the monitor and your calorie burn should be relatively accurate. It is more of an estimate so don't look too deep into it.
  • CoraGregoryCPA
    CoraGregoryCPA Posts: 1,087 Member
    The HRM is not an absolute. It's a guide. And a good one at that!

    I recommend working out hard with your watch, for example, running fast on a treadmill. This is to the point that you can't talk and feel like you are going to collapse. But don't faint or hurt yourself. Look to see what the watch says. If it says your HR is 195 (at the hardest piont) then add a couple of points to that and you have a better idea of your max heart rate for your particular watch..

    I have the Ft7 too, according to my watch, my Max heart rate is closer to 195, unlike the normal calculation (220-age 32=188). When I set my watch to 195, the figures on my watch seem more accurate. It's still not absolute, but I think my calorie burn is more accurate and the % of max seems more realistic. I'm just saying what worked for me. Good Luck.
  • brown219
    brown219 Posts: 7
    Thanks. I am also 32. I tried what u said a few days ago. I went outside and did a quick run and was able to get my head rate up to 177 or 171 I can't remember which one. But tomorrow I will either run again or get on my bike and run up my heart rate again

    Wether it was 171 or 177 the 188 seems fairly close to my actual max but I will try what u said on the treadmill or my bike or just running outside.

    I read another article on here that stated that at about 80-90 percent of your max you should barely be able talk.
  • brown219
    brown219 Posts: 7
    Thanks. Information just gets so confusing.
  • brown219
    brown219 Posts: 7
    Personally, I only use a HRM as a guide. At the end of the day only you know what your body can and can't handle. I see no reason to go to the lengths of having a VO2 max test etc unless you are a serious athlete and are trying to improve your VO2 performance. There really isn't a need to get to complex about things... Workout and use the standard settings, eat clean and within your calorie allowance and the results will come.

    Yeah i eat clean. And I eat enough calories where I should lose 1.5 pounds a week. Then I try to make up for the other .5 lbs by working out.

Categories