HEART RATE MONITORS

kswizzy
kswizzy Posts: 15 Member
edited September 25 in Fitness and Exercise
I need some guidance about what exactly the point is... what is a good one/bad one... how they work... do they require extra calculations?

PLEASE ADVISE.

*thank you in advance*

are these like...watches? if so that would be best for me ... something in a watch form.

SW: 146lbs
CW: 143.2lbs
GW: 135lbs
Height: 5' 5.5"
Female age 28
runner at heart.... after my hiatus :)

Replies

  • newdaydawning79
    newdaydawning79 Posts: 1,503 Member
    I'd like to know too! I see relatively inexpensive ones some places but a lot of people seem to be getting the pricey ones...does it make a difference??
  • pat21532
    pat21532 Posts: 34 Member
    mine is a pro-form one that i got at walmart for 47 dollars and it works great
  • Sasha_Bear
    Sasha_Bear Posts: 625 Member
    As far as I know the Polar ones are suppose to the best. Whatever kind you get make sure it has a chest strap those give a more accurate reading. You'll have to enter your age weight height in order for it to calculate correctly.

    They monitor your heart rate, and let you know how many calories you burn and how many grams of fat. I simply love mine!
  • lhuber1105
    lhuber1105 Posts: 72 Member
    interested in answers--just looking for a good priced one with a calorie counter!!
  • Sasha_Bear
    Sasha_Bear Posts: 625 Member
    I'd like to know too! I see relatively inexpensive ones some places but a lot of people seem to be getting the pricey ones...does it make a difference??


    I purchased the Bowflex it was 45.00 bucks and mine seems to work great has all the calculations and the chest strap.
  • Sexymomma76
    Sexymomma76 Posts: 37 Member
    I want to get a Heart Rate Monitor too, but I'm not sure what kind to get myself. I want one that tells me how many calories I've burned.
  • ladybug1620
    ladybug1620 Posts: 1,136 Member
    As far as I know the Polar ones are suppose to the best. Whatever kind you get make sure it has a chest strap those give a more accurate reading. You'll have to enter your age weight height in order for it to calculate correctly.

    They monitor your heart rate, and let you know how many calories you burn and how many grams of fat. I simply love mine!
    Yep. Entering your calories burned from the database here may be incorrect. As an example, one workout I did calculated to 400-ish calories burned per MFP. When I did the same workout with my HRM, it calculated to 752. So you could be short changing yourself, or over estimating calories burned as well. Calculating from the database doesn't take into account the intensity of what you do. It would calculate the same whether you half-assed it or gave it your all. So get one with a chest strap. I have a Polar F6. It has chest strap, which syncs up with the watch. The watch will show you calories burned, time worked out, etc. I love it.
  • AdamATGATT
    AdamATGATT Posts: 573 Member
    Read this: http://www.rei.com/expertadvice/articles/heart+rate+monitor.html

    The point? So you know what you're burning during an exercise. Using MFP's calculator, for 45 minutes of aerobic exercise, you may burn "400" calories. Well, you do it again another day that week for the same amount of time, you still get "400" calories. But did you have the same intensity both days? I know I never do. With a HRM, you can determine how many calories you are burning for that workout...not what some generic calculator is telling you what you MAY be burning. I know MFP's calculator was off by a few hundred calories for what I do during a workout.

    Good / Bad is subjective. Timex, Garmin & Polar are some of the more popular brands around here. I have a Polar and it works well for what I need it to do.

    Whatever you do, get a HRM with a chest strap. Stay away from the purely watch-style ones. The Polar models with a chest strap still have a watch monitor that you can see, but the chest strap makes it a hell of a lot more accurate.

    What is your primary use for the HRM? You didn't mention that.
  • kao708
    kao708 Posts: 813 Member
    Check Amazon...I got a Timex with the chest strap for around $40 after shipping. I like it and it was really easy to set up.

    Make sure you read the user feedback on them and check the descriptions to make sure it includes a chest strap & displays calories burned (so you don't have to calculate that yourself).

    Also, make sure you get one that is designed for all activity. There are some that are geared more toward walking and/or running so they may not work the same if you were to where it during an aerobics class or machine workout.
  • W0zzie
    W0zzie Posts: 262 Member
    Point is - accurate count of calories burned. Many other forms are not accurate like MFP exercise database, some gym machines and for me xbox kinect biggest loser. The others often don't take into account age, weight, gender and most don't know your heart rate while active which affects the burn.

    Good one - easy to use, comfortable and accurate.

    More accurate ones have a chest strap to more accurately monitor your heart rate - you can get wrist only ones but they are generally much less accurate.

    The two I looked at closely was a Timex (very very popular on Amazon) & Polar FT7

    With a bit of research it turns out the Times cal count has some complaints of inaccuracy plus "some" complaints of durability problems.

    The FT7 came highly recommended by many inc one of my MFP friends. It is comfortable, accurate and pretty easy to use.

    Hope that helps you...

    Cheers
  • Sasha_Bear
    Sasha_Bear Posts: 625 Member
    As far as I know the Polar ones are suppose to the best. Whatever kind you get make sure it has a chest strap those give a more accurate reading. You'll have to enter your age weight height in order for it to calculate correctly.

    They monitor your heart rate, and let you know how many calories you burn and how many grams of fat. I simply love mine!
    Yep. Entering your calories burned from the database here may be incorrect. As an example, one workout I did calculated to 400-ish calories burned per MFP. When I did the same workout with my HRM, it calculated to 752. So you could be short changing yourself, or over estimating calories burned as well. Calculating from the database doesn't take into account the intensity of what you do. It would calculate the same whether you half-assed it or gave it your all. So get one with a chest strap. I have a Polar F6. It has chest strap, which syncs up with the watch. The watch will show you calories burned, time worked out, etc. I love it.


    That was my experience to I was really under estimating going by what MFP database said.
  • Noz7
    Noz7 Posts: 59 Member
    How do the ladies find wearing it on their chests? And doesn't it get all wet?
  • smilebhappy
    smilebhappy Posts: 811 Member
    bump
  • milehighcritic
    milehighcritic Posts: 199
    Top three according to Consumer Reports
    Timex Personal Trainer T5G971 Amazon had this for around $35 retail 50
    Timex Personal Trainer T5J031
    New Balance N5


    Here is the link to the article. You may need an account to access

    http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine-archive/2011/february/health/heart-rate-monitors-/ratings/index.htm

    I purchased a Timex t5k143. Had a few more features.This weekend will be the first time I use the device on a run.
  • AdamATGATT
    AdamATGATT Posts: 573 Member
    How do the ladies find wearing it on their chests? And doesn't it get all wet?

    I'm not a lady, so I can't answer the first one...but, if you're really worried about it, some makers have sports bras with the sensors embedded so you can try that.

    And yes, it gets wet. Completely covered in sweat. The units are waterproof, so that doesn't matter. I wash off the unit and my chest strap after every use. I'll toss it (the strap, not the unit!) in the washer every week or two.
  • Sasha_Bear
    Sasha_Bear Posts: 625 Member
    How do the ladies find wearing it on their chests? And doesn't it get all wet?


    It's very comfortable I can't even tell I'm wearing one. Yes it gets sweaty but it's water resistance so all you do is clean it when your done.
  • karensoxfan
    karensoxfan Posts: 902 Member
    I've been interested to know some of these questions too. For now, I'm just glad to be getting any exercise squeezed into my schedule at all, but if I get into a more regular habit of it, I might look into investing in one.

    Is the chest strap just a fabric or nylon adjustable strap with a buckle and the device itself attached? Do women wrap it above the cleavage, or below? Do you put it on before your sports bra, or after?
  • WinKitty
    WinKitty Posts: 119
    *bump*
  • doitday
    doitday Posts: 59
    As far as I know the Polar ones are suppose to the best. Whatever kind you get make sure it has a chest strap those give a more accurate reading. You'll have to enter your age weight height in order for it to calculate correctly.

    They monitor your heart rate, and let you know how many calories you burn and how many grams of fat. I simply love mine!



    Where, when, and how much did you get you're for? Are there different models?
  • rovake
    rovake Posts: 3
    Here is a great article with a lot of information on HRM's. Hope this will help.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/Azdak/view/the-real-facts-about-hrms-and-calories-what-you-need-to-know-before-purchasing-an-hrm-or-using-one-21472
  • Rastrohman
    Rastrohman Posts: 4 Member
    My wife and I both have the Polar FT7. She has the women's model, but we haven't found any difference between the two. The chest strap fits her well. I've yo-yo'd for years with my weight, and I've found that the times I haven't had it, I'd gain weight. They do a great job of accurately counting calories and telling you how hard you are working out. I walked for months without one and only lost a few pounds. As soon as I got one, I realized I just wasn't being active enough. In the past month since I've had it, I've lost 23 lbs by just stepping up my routines and getting my heart rate a little higher. Ours were around $100. I've had some cheaper Reebok and Timex ones, and they worked well, but the Polar ones I've had were the best.

    HT: 6'1"
    SW: 340 (1/1/2011)
    CW: 313
    1st GW:275
    2nd GW: 225
  • newdaydawning79
    newdaydawning79 Posts: 1,503 Member
    Here is a great article with a lot of information on HRM's. Hope this will help.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/Azdak/view/the-real-facts-about-hrms-and-calories-what-you-need-to-know-before-purchasing-an-hrm-or-using-one-21472

    That article is excellent...and has led me to determine whether or not I'm going to go out and get one, actually. So you just saved me money! Thank you!
  • kswizzy
    kswizzy Posts: 15 Member
    WEll I couldnt say what the point of wanting one was because I was asking what they do and what the point of getting them is.

    I"m worried about wearing it and it looking like this big bulky thing around my midsection...
    how do women weigh in the on how comfortable they are, and where/how they wear them?
  • bluespring
    bluespring Posts: 201 Member
    I've been interested to know some of these questions too. For now, I'm just glad to be getting any exercise squeezed into my schedule at all, but if I get into a more regular habit of it, I might look into investing in one.

    Is the chest strap just a fabric or nylon adjustable strap with a buckle and the device itself attached? Do women wrap it above the cleavage, or below? Do you put it on before your sports bra, or after?

    I've got a Polar FT60....it has training mode which I wanted...I got it for $160 at Amazon...
    The chest strap is worn below your bra....and I put it on last. It's made of leather and a stretchy material. The transmitter clips to the front of this strap. You rinse it off after every use... It can go in the washer as well. The strap is comfortable...and most times I forget it's there. My bra gives me more grief than the strap does. :bigsmile:
    It's well worth the price. I'm working out the proper way and tracking the calories burned correctly.
    You won't regret your purchase.
    Good luck!
  • amber_hanners
    amber_hanners Posts: 388 Member
    i have a polar FT4 ( purchased from ebay for $70) and i love it has a chest strap and watch very comfortable and i cant even tell its on under my workout clothes
  • Nomomush
    Nomomush Posts: 582 Member
    WEll I couldnt say what the point of wanting one was because I was asking what they do and what the point of getting them is.

    I"m worried about wearing it and it looking like this big bulky thing around my midsection...
    how do women weigh in the on how comfortable they are, and where/how they wear them?


    The purpose (or point) of getting one is to monitor your calorie burn and it shows if you are pushing yourself and keeping yourself in the heart rate range that you want to be.

    As for the chest strap, mine is very comfortable. I goes right under your breast and my sports bra goes right on top of it. Mine is a bowflex hybrid and it is the most comfortable out of the other models I tried on. It does calorie count, target heart rate below and above targets.

    Hope this helps you some. It really is a great tool. I wouldn't work out without one after I've had mine for 3 months now.
  • W0zzie
    W0zzie Posts: 262 Member
    "Is the chest strap just a fabric or nylon adjustable strap with a buckle and the device itself attached?"

    Depends on the make/model - Polars, at least FT models - are fabric/elastic + nylon type section; they are adjustable & the transmitter attaches/detaches. Polar straps can be washed.
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