Heart Rate Monitor Question

wareagle8706
wareagle8706 Posts: 1,090 Member
edited October 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
Ok, so I have two Heart Rate Monitors. One with a chest strap and one without.

Last night I did p90x plyo for about 20 minutes to experiment with the HRMs at the same time. With the one WITHOUT the chest strap you have to place two fingers on it and let it get a read every so often (the more often the more accurate, I suppose). The heart rates were dead on with each other; it's good to know that they are both accurate.

By the end of the 20 minutes My chest strap HRM read 145 calories and the non-chest strap HRM read 104 calories burned.

Which do you think is more accurate and why????? I am interested in hearing people's opinions on this because I have yet to form my own.

Replies

  • MrsFusion
    MrsFusion Posts: 156 Member
    I have one with the chest strap. I think most will tell you they are more accurate. I love mine!
  • Nigelmouse
    Nigelmouse Posts: 22 Member
    The chest strap one will constantly monitor your heart rate by detecting electrical impulses on your chest when your heart beats, and the other one will detect those same impulses in your fingers when you touch it.

    I think the chest strap one will be more accurate because it will monitor your heart rate the whole time while the other one will have to rely on the averages for the time you're not touching it.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    The chest strap is more accurate because it's constantly reading your HR.

    I have a wrist watch only HRM and I used it only once. It's not convenient to put my fingers on for a read every five seconds, and that's pretty much how you have to do it for it to be close to accurate. My chest strap HRM gives me a MUCH different read.
  • TimeToWork
    TimeToWork Posts: 50
    I think the one with the chest strap is more accurate because it is constantly monitoring, rather than leaving it to you to touch the button for a couple of seconds. IMO, having to touch the watch is distracting.
  • TheCats_Meow
    TheCats_Meow Posts: 438 Member
    Chest strap, no doubt.

    It's strapped to your body for the entire duration, so of course it's going to get a more accurate read than one you have to let "read you" every few minutes. What if you have a spike in intensity when you're not checking in with your other one?? That's valuable calories burned lost.
  • mmuzzatti
    mmuzzatti Posts: 704 Member
    I just bought the Polar FT7 and the good thing about Polar is it syncs with the gym equipment. It seems to work but the numbers are tiny. Oh and the best part....very simple!
  • wareagle8706
    wareagle8706 Posts: 1,090 Member
    Yeah, I agree with you guys. I was thinking that same thing I just wanted more opinions.

    Thanks y'all!!
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