Which Heart Rate Monitor...?

aishmartin
aishmartin Posts: 468 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi all,

Just wondering which HRM people recommend getting.

I'm planning to get one in the future as I would like more accurate readings of my exercise since I find that MFP's calculations are sometimes inflated. Am a noob at this, so need some help, please! Am also doing my own research but any advice from people who have actually tried the products would be very welcome. Thanks! :happy:

Aisha

Replies

  • digitz79
    digitz79 Posts: 7 Member
    I highly recommend Polar heart rate monitors. I use the FT-60 and I love it.
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
    .... I would like more accurate readings of my exercise

    What training do you do?
  • gonefishin1282
    gonefishin1282 Posts: 44 Member
    Polar is the only brand I would trust. I personally have the FT7 and love it....its basic and very accurate. If you are looking for all the bells and whistles with training programs then look into the FT40 or FT60!
  • brandiegirl16
    brandiegirl16 Posts: 372 Member
    Polar is the only brand I would trust. I personally have the FT7 and love it....its basic and very accurate. If you are looking for all the bells and whistles with training programs then look into the FT40 or FT60!

    ^^^ This^^^
    I have the same model (FT7) comfortable chest strap/accurate readings/personalized. I use it for cardio. (zumba/treadmill/walking the track).
  • ikn1982
    ikn1982 Posts: 4
    I bought the Polar FT7 off Amazon for a pretty reasonable price, I'm loving it so far! I was hesitant about the chest strap, but I don't even notice it, just feels like a bra strap.
  • thrashkb
    thrashkb Posts: 8
    I just bought a Polar FT4 (2 weeks ago). I didn't want to spend a bunch of money so I went with the FT4. I got it for 47 dollars after a 10 dollar Best Buy coupon. I really like it. The only thing that i sorta wish is had (which i can live without) was data upload to the computer. I manually enter my data into MFP. But that doesn't bother me very much because each workout is an accomplishment that I enjoy documenting and it only takes a few seconds. I do T25 and walk.

    k.
  • aishmartin
    aishmartin Posts: 468 Member
    .... I would like more accurate readings of my exercise

    What training do you do?

    I'm trying to decide if I should get one to track my exercise in Zumba class which seems to change all the time depending on the instructor. I take an hour class at the local Civic Center, so instructors swap a lot of the time.
  • chesnity3
    chesnity3 Posts: 960 Member
    I have the polar Ft7 and I love it.
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
    .... I would like more accurate readings of my exercise

    What training do you do?

    I'm trying to decide if I should get one to track my exercise in Zumba class which seems to change all the time depending on the instructor. I take an hour class at the local Civic Center, so instructors swap a lot of the time.

    OK, in that case it's worth looking into the strengths and weaknesses of an HRM to identify whether it'll give you what you want. They're designed for use in situations where your HR is stable or transitioning reasonably smoothly. From the HR reading, and informed by your age, gender, weight etc they'll extrapolate an approximation of calorie usage. The accuracy of that approximation will vary quite significantly.

    It'll give you a figure, but the more intermittent or stop/ start a session is the less meaningful that figure becomes.

    Notwithstanding that I use a Polar FT60. I run, cycle and row and tend to use it more to monitor my HR as I'm training, judge my recovery time when I finish, and my recovery from higher intensity intervals. The calorie count is always secondary for me.
  • NoMoreStretchyPants
    NoMoreStretchyPants Posts: 307
    I got the Polar FT4 for my birthday a few weeks back, and just started using it. It's a good little gadget I use to gauge my calorie burn; it also tells you if you are 'in the zone' as far as fat burning.

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