Polar FT4 HRM

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jeffmi
jeffmi Posts: 10 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Ok, so I have seen the great reviews on the Polar FT4 and decided to pick one up yesterday.

My question is after setting it all up for myself 33 yr old, 193 lbs I decided to hit the gym. I walked on the treadmill for 65 mins @ 4.0 mph with an average heart rate of 140. Now this is my normal workout, and what i was shocked to see was that the treadmill which ask for age and weight displayed a total calorie burn of 470, however my FT4 said I burned 800 calories!!

So which one do I believe??

Replies

  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
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    The FT4 doesn't sound right... Did you put all info in, weight, age, height and gender?

    Also was the strap tight enough/wet enough and it didn't lose signal at all?

    I would double check the settings and try again... but I'd take the treadmill number for now because I highly doubt you burned 800 calories.
  • BrandyontheRun
    BrandyontheRun Posts: 204 Member
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    I'm planning on getting the same monitor... strange though because that does seem like a ridiculously high burn for that workout... I'll be back though to see other responses!
  • jeffmi
    jeffmi Posts: 10 Member
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    Yes, I did ensure that all the settings are correct as well as the band was wet and tight. Just find it very odd for the polar to be higher than the treadmill.
  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
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    Yes, I did ensure that all the settings are correct as well as the band was wet and tight. Just find it very odd for the polar to be higher than the treadmill.

    I've had two Polar Monitors(Ft7 and now FT60) and both have been higher then the machines at times, but never double.

    So it can happen but I don't think to that extent.
  • jeffmi
    jeffmi Posts: 10 Member
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    I wanted to update everyone...

    I spoke with Polar as well as my nutritionist to find out what the truth really is.

    As it turns out the polar is actually very accurate on the calories I burned. Due to my heart rate average of 142 during the activity along with being a male that is 190-195 lbs the level of activity on the heart is exactly where the highest burn would occur.

    Take a look at the calculator for heart rate burned calories.

    http://www.shapesense.com/fitness-exercise/calculators/heart-rate-based-calorie-burn-calculator.aspx

    I guess I answered my own question, however thought it would be good to share since this topic does seem to come up.
  • maieranne77
    maieranne77 Posts: 191 Member
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    Thank you so much for posting this and especially the update! I used my new polar last night for the first time and it showed that I burned about 75 more calories than my treadmill. I was happy but sceptical that it was right as it seems most time people are finding that the HRM are showing less burn than what the machine or MFP says.
  • ssmom
    ssmom Posts: 128 Member
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    I have this same HRM...for about 3 weeks now. I love it! I have found that the treadmill and the bike I burn more than the machine says, but on the elliptical and the arc trainer I burn less than the machine says. It is good to know because I was using the elliptical and arc trainer more thinking they were doing more for me.
  • morkiemama
    morkiemama Posts: 894 Member
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    I have this same HRM...for about 3 weeks now. I love it! I have found that the treadmill and the bike I burn more than the machine says, but on the elliptical and the arc trainer I burn less than the machine says. It is good to know because I was using the elliptical and arc trainer more thinking they were doing more for me.

    They could be "doing more for you" just in a different way. :) The treadmill and bike might provide you personally with better cardio and higher burns, but the elliptical can work muscles the others do not hit depending on your settings and resistance. Just food for thought <3

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