What heart rate monitor do you use?

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2

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  • sheepotato
    sheepotato Posts: 600 Member
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    I have a polar FT4, it was cheap and I can wear it while swimming. It seems to be fairly accurate for most cardio if not a little high when walking.
  • shadesofidaho
    shadesofidaho Posts: 485 Member
    edited December 2014
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    I was looking at Fitbit . Am I correct you can only get the information through uploading it to your cell phone and not your computer? I am not good at understanding some of this. I do not use cell phone. GASP I know so old but I just have no one I want to talk to bad enough to carry a fricking phone for. I bought omron step and it seems to be motivating. It is for walking which on my old fat bad knee body is all I m up to. The Omron gives steps ,miles.calories and some thing else, g, no idea what that is. Guess I should try to look it up. I will keep an eye o this thread and save my $$$ Anyway if it is true info had to be uploaded to a phone then I need some thing that does not use a phone for input.

    Chris
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    For gym cardio - Polar FT60. Allows custom setting of my tested VO2 max and HR max. Very pleased with it.

    For cycling I use a Garmin Edge with HRM, cadence monitor and navigation. Works well.

    I liked my old Polar FT7 as a watch but wasn't impressed with its reliability and longevity.
    Even older Polar FT1 was dreadful (really basic) but had a good chest strap.
  • sheepotato
    sheepotato Posts: 600 Member
    edited December 2014
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    shadesofidaho wrote: »
    I was looking at Fitbit . Am I correct you can only get the information through uploading it to your cell phone and not your computer? I am not good at understanding some of this. I do not use cell phone. GASP I know so old but I just have no one I want to talk to bad enough to carry a fricking phone for. I bought omron step and it seems to be motivating. It is for walking which on my old fat bad knee body is all I m up to. The Omron gives steps ,miles.calories and some thing else, g, no idea what that is. Guess I should try to look it up. I will keep an eye o this thread and save my $$$ Anyway if it is true info had to be uploaded to a phone then I need some thing that does not use a phone for input.

    Chris

    A fitbit is just a step counter, it doesn't track Heart Rate. You can sync it at your computer with it's charging station. They have a phone app so I guess you can sync it that way, but it's not how the one I have works.

    You may want to get a polar instead if you want a heart rate monitor, they can cost less than a fitbit and you can read right from the watch without syncing it at all. The one I have saves my workouts on the watch, but I have to manually long everything instead of it automatically syncing.
  • shadesofidaho
    shadesofidaho Posts: 485 Member
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    Thank you sheepotato. I will look into it. Heart rate would be good to know. The orem does work for steps. Appreciate the computer information.
  • ahoier
    ahoier Posts: 312 Member
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    I wear the fitbit DAILY.

    But I use a cheap-o "Crane" brand HRM I picked up from ALDI Market, for like 18 bucks....a couple months ago. lol. It seems to work for me......I'd imagine most of these things all run off similar "technology" anyways.....by now.....provided they are set up and calibrated to your age, weight, gender, etc.....

    Biggest thing is remembering to "recalibrate" them everytime you weigh in lol.


    But yea, I also use the fitbit for day to day activities.....I still log my cardio into MFP....but I've been taking the "average" of the elliptical + HRM + MyFitnessPal value.....divided by 3....and I'll over-ride MyFitnessPal's output (which is usually 100 calories higher....for some reason.....but the HRM is usually 60 calories lower....) lol. So I feel with the "average" of the 3....I get a pretty good picture of what I'm burning during my cardio.

    Weight lifting is a little bit harder.....unless you're doing serious high intensity reps/sets LOL.....obviously, if you take a lot of breaks.....it won't be as accurate...but again, I'll enter it. Add the HRM and MyFitness value, and divide by 2......to get the average. and log it that way.

    But I barely ever "eat" my exercise calories.....just too hard.....when I workout in the evening, I'd be eating like 500+ calories.....within 2 hours of bed.....no bueno lol/
  • Kellyfitness128
    Kellyfitness128 Posts: 194 Member
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    I just put the Garmin 920xt on my christmas list :)
  • cowbellsandcoffee
    cowbellsandcoffee Posts: 2,975 Member
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    Garmin Edge 500 for cycling. Everything I need. Nothing I don't.
  • turtlez23
    turtlez23 Posts: 156 Member
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    I just feel that a chest strap is going to be uncomfortable especially for someone like me who is on the heavier side.
  • GauchoMark
    GauchoMark Posts: 1,804 Member
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    turtlez23 wrote: »
    I just feel that a chest strap is going to be uncomfortable especially for someone like me who is on the heavier side.

    http://www.jabra.com/products/bluetooth/jabra_sport_pulse_wireless/jabra_sport_pulse_wireless

    I've been very curious about these lately. I am not heavy, but I hate wearing a chest strap nonetheless... makes me feel like I'm wearing a bro!

    Anyone used them? I'm curious if they only work with their app or if I could pair them to a polar watch just like any other bluetooth chest strap. Anyone know?
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    Be aware... an HRM (polar, garmin, etc) is most definitely NOT the same thing as an activity tracker (up, fitbit, etc).

    They are trying to bridge the gap with some of the newer models, but make sure you get one that will do what you want it to do. I've been through 2 HRMs and a fitbit flex - they do not do the same thing, they are not meant to do the same thing.
  • dopeysmelly
    dopeysmelly Posts: 1,390 Member
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    I love the HRM that came in a bundle with my Garmin Vivofit. The two work extremely well together. I bought a smaller chest strap for the HRM after a couple of months and found that improved the accuracy. Both the Vivofit and HRM sync very well with the Garmin Connect website which is accessible through my iphone. I've had a few occasions when it hasn't sync'd (notably just after the NY Marathon!!), but it came back on. The HRM was easy to set up and worked out of the box. The Vivofit has worked like a dream. No charging, no taking it off to swim/shower and it shows more useful information than just those flickering lights on the fitbit, quite frankly.

    I'm seriously considering upgrading to Garmin's HRM-Run and getting a Forerunner at the same time. Never too many gadgets IMO..
  • dopeysmelly
    dopeysmelly Posts: 1,390 Member
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    turtlez23 wrote: »
    I just feel that a chest strap is going to be uncomfortable especially for someone like me who is on the heavier side.

    There's only one way to find out if it's uncomfortable, and that's to give it a try.

    Having said that, I have a small chest (now), and there is very little "clearance" between the lower edge of my sports bra and the bottom of my rib cage, so in theory, it should dig in. BUT I still forget I have my HRM on sometimes. Adjusting the strap to work for you and making sure you have the correct size will make a big difference.

  • Jennloella
    Jennloella Posts: 2,287 Member
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    polar. had a fitbit, hated it. My hubby just got an under armour hrm that pairs up with his iphone, he likes it so far.
  • rachels1977
    rachels1977 Posts: 3 Member
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    I use the Polar FT4 when working out the Fitbit Flex for daily use... It's also nice to have two just in case my Polar's strap has issues during a workout... then I have a better guestimate....

    Also, with the chest strap, I'm a bit heavier and don't notice it too much. If you're a lady, it fits pretty good under the sports bra...
  • Jennloella
    Jennloella Posts: 2,287 Member
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    turtlez23 wrote: »
    I just feel that a chest strap is going to be uncomfortable especially for someone like me who is on the heavier side.
    you get used to it, really my polar one is soft and flexible. It's so much more accurate.
  • lmr0528
    lmr0528 Posts: 427 Member
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    Polar FT60. Had a Fitbit Force last year and hated it.
  • Ellencas1974
    Ellencas1974 Posts: 13 Member
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    Polar FT7 - the strap has never bothered me and I love it!
  • princessofredrock
    princessofredrock Posts: 382 Member
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    Totally psyched to get the new fitbit's when they come out! I have tried HRM's but just did not like them! One I can wear on my wrist and has all the other fitbit features will be awesome I think! ; ) I have the fitbit one now (had it for 3 yrs) love it! ; )
  • sarahsmiles2013
    sarahsmiles2013 Posts: 42 Member
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    Love my Garmin VivoFit! It's been the best purchase for me!

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