The best fitness monitor for a martial arts practitioner?

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I want to start a workout regimen that will help me build my abs and cardio, and I'd like to use one of those fitness/activity monitor things that you wear that will keep track of heart rate, calories burned, and electrolyte levels. I practice martial arts which involves a lot of intense, full body workouts. I've been researching some of the trackers online, but I'm not sure which one would work for me. I've heard a lot of buzz about Fitbits, but it sounds like it's more of a pedometer than something that would accurately track heart rate, electrolytes, and calories for the type of activity I'm doing... or am I wrong?

But yeah, I've searched dozens of different types of devices, and I don't know which one would be right for me.

Does anyone have any suggestions of good devices that are on the market today that would be an ideal fit for someone like me? Thanks in advance.

Replies

  • TAsunder
    TAsunder Posts: 423 Member
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    Never heard of an electrolyte monitor.

    What kind of martial arts? I do a grappling art and have yet to think of / find anything suitable since an HRM strap would be a burden and would come loose constantly. If you are doing more of a striking art where you won't be wiggling around a lot, an HRM strap probably would be fine.
  • Knuxchan
    Knuxchan Posts: 8
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    I wasn't sure if an electrolyte monitor existed, but it would be nice if one did.
    And I do Tae Kwon Do. I forgot to mention that I also do Parkour as well. Not really martial arts, but something else I'd like to track my activity, as well.

    HRM = Heart Rate monitor?

    We do a lot of hard contact punching and sparring in TKD class, and pretty much moving around a lot. How does an HRM strap fit?
  • hoffmanchristina
    hoffmanchristina Posts: 22 Member
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    I am taking Hapkido classes. The way I am being taught, the only difference between us is you have forms and I have techniques. I have a polar ft7 with a chest strap to monitor my heart rate. It gives me the length of my "workout", calories burned, and what my max and avg heart rate was. I love it for logging in individual workouts. But that is all it does. It isn't a 24/7 monitor. But extremely accurate for measuring a workout.
  • YearsWorthOfFAT
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    I'd buy a sports watch. It's less expensive (friend had one for about 30 euros) so it's not a big deal when someone kicks you on there by accidents and it breaks. Tracks calories burned and heart rate, depending on what you buy. It's not super accurate but it works. It also doesn't fall off, which is nice.