Chest strap heart rate monitor

tcsteeves
tcsteeves Posts: 59
edited September 27 in Fitness and Exercise
Hey everyone,

I just got my new heart rate monitor and it's one where you have a chest strap. If you are a woman, where do you wear it? Below the breast, or above? I read somewhere that this person wears theirs on their hip...really? The picture on the manual shows where a guy wears it, but that doesn't help me much. I keep having a problem with it picking up my heart rate so I think I'm doing something wrong.

Replies

  • HungryMom
    HungryMom Posts: 280
    I wear mine just below my breasts, under my sports bra band. It took 3-4 workouts to figure out how to get it comfortable, but I don't even know it is there now. Just a thought on the trouble getting a reading, are you wetting the transmitter before putting it on?
  • dhiggins8
    dhiggins8 Posts: 466 Member
    Hey everyone,

    I just got my new heart rate monitor and it's one where you have a chest strap. If you are a woman, where do you wear it? Below the breast, or above? I read somewhere that this person wears theirs on their hip...really? The picture on the manual shows where a guy wears it, but that doesn't help me much. I keep having a problem with it picking up my heart rate so I think I'm doing something wrong.

    They sell a gel or you can just use saliva and wet the contactors and your skin where it willl touch your skin once you start sweating your sweat will act as the conductor. that is what i had to do with mine at least. good luck
  • MissingMinnesota
    MissingMinnesota Posts: 7,486 Member
    under the breast, under the bra strap is the best place for it on a woman.
  • JennLifts
    JennLifts Posts: 1,913 Member
    i put my bra strap over it
  • kymarai
    kymarai Posts: 3,728 Member
    I wear mine just below my bra strap.
  • tcsteeves
    tcsteeves Posts: 59
    I wear mine just below my breasts, under my sports bra band. It took 3-4 workouts to figure out how to get it comfortable, but I don't even know it is there now. Just a thought on the trouble getting a reading, are you wetting the transmitter before putting it on?


    Yes, I am wetting the transmitter. I'll just have to keep trying and if I can't get it to start working correctly, I'll have to return it and get a better brand. I bought the Oregon Scientific.
  • anner53108
    anner53108 Posts: 103
    I do the same as all the other women here do: Just below the breasts, under the bra band.
    Mine says to put connector pads under running water before putting the strap on (ONLY the strap, not the monitor thingy you snap on to the strap -- and, yes, I believe that is the proper terminology for it! :tongue: .
    So I've done that, and it's working great. Then I rinse it off after every use, and wash it as directed after every five uses.
  • sherrymo6
    sherrymo6 Posts: 79
    Same here. I wet it before use and wear it just below the bra strap on my chest. I thought I read to also take the monitor off after each use.
    If you are doing that already and still having problems, then I would return it. I use the Polar FT4 and love it. Good luck.
  • nyctraveler
    nyctraveler Posts: 305 Member
    Right below the sports bra strap
  • maybemarina
    maybemarina Posts: 24 Member
    Awesome, I was wondering how to do it properly! The directions say you should wear it on the upper chest...and of course, that's a bit difficult with breasts. So in everyone's experience, it works properly under the breasts instead of upper chest?
  • mfpcopine
    mfpcopine Posts: 3,093 Member
    (Deleting double post.)
  • mfpcopine
    mfpcopine Posts: 3,093 Member
    Below the breasts. I think I read that it's good to moisten the strap contacts with saliva. After you're done exercising, you should unsnap the transmitter from the strap and rinse the strap. Leave the transmitter off the strap until the next exercise session.

    Most people seem to think highly of the Polar brand.
  • aimx2e
    aimx2e Posts: 1 Member
    question about fitting!!!!

    the xsmall/small is 20 to 30 inches, the med/xl is 30-45 inches. Standing up totally relaxed is about 28 - 28.5 inches.... I'm not sure which way to go! Any tips?! I don't want it sliding all over the place but I want to be able to breath...
  • spectralmoon
    spectralmoon Posts: 1,179 Member
    question about fitting!!!!

    the xsmall/small is 20 to 30 inches, the med/xl is 30-45 inches. Standing up totally relaxed is about 28 - 28.5 inches.... I'm not sure which way to go! Any tips?! I don't want it sliding all over the place but I want to be able to breath...

    The material is stretchy, so I'd go with the smaller size. The larger will be a pain in the butt when it keeps sliding down and losing connection.
  • Franccescaf
    Franccescaf Posts: 1 Member
    I want to get a heart monitor but I do not know my size... can someone help?

    Should it be my bra size for the chest strap?
  • inkedchiclifts
    inkedchiclifts Posts: 2 Member
    I have a polar ft60 and a suunto m4. I have bad issues wearing both. It always cuts out especially when doing anything seated as in leg press or bike. Useless things. Breasts/belly/clothing get in the way I wear mine below breasts. I am trialling above the breast and will let you know. Other than that am thinking about alpha by mio which doesn't require a chest strap. Also my daughters heartrate gets picked up by treadmill when she is next to me at the gym instead of mine no matter which watch I am wearing at the time. She has a polar ft4f.
  • I wear mine just below my breasts, under my sports bra band. It took 3-4 workouts to figure out how to get it comfortable, but I don't even know it is there now. Just a thought on the trouble getting a reading, are you wetting the transmitter before putting it on?

    ^^ This
  • Kickinkim418
    Kickinkim418 Posts: 257 Member
    Hey everyone,

    I just got my new heart rate monitor and it's one where you have a chest strap. If you are a woman, where do you wear it? Below the breast, or above? I read somewhere that this person wears theirs on their hip...really? The picture on the manual shows where a guy wears it, but that doesn't help me much. I keep having a problem with it picking up my heart rate so I think I'm doing something wrong.


    ^^^^^It goes right under my sports bra. Sometimes it helps to wet the sensors on the chest strap and then put it on. HTH!
  • jjkarnitz
    jjkarnitz Posts: 55
    I wear mine just below my breasts, under my sports bra band. It took 3-4 workouts to figure out how to get it comfortable, but I don't even know it is there now. Just a thought on the trouble getting a reading, are you wetting the transmitter before putting it on?


    Yes, I am wetting the transmitter. I'll just have to keep trying and if I can't get it to start working correctly, I'll have to return it and get a better brand. I bought the Oregon Scientific.

    I also had trouble with it picking up the very first time I used mine. But once I got it to work (after doing a couple minutes of exercise) it's been working. Maybe try that?
  • inkedchiclifts
    inkedchiclifts Posts: 2 Member
    Well I tried it out above the beasts and not one dropout. Excellent reading. Woo hoo.
This discussion has been closed.