What type of Heart Rate Monitor do you use ?

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dan323
dan323 Posts: 271 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Here's a question for you all. What type of Heart Rate Monitor do you use ? I ask because mine seems to score me really high in calories after a run. I use a Timex. When I run according to MFP, and I use RunKeeper to track my run's, they are usually very close with the calorie count. My HRM after a 40 minute run is always 200+ calories more the RK and MFP.

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  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
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    Timex's are known for being inaccurate... mainly because they ask for the very basics, don't take Vo2max into consideration or max heart rate.

    I'd personally scrap it and get a Polar... You'll be better off in the long run!
  • sarahgallienne81
    sarahgallienne81 Posts: 14
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    I use a Polar FT4M, its brilliant, and it syncs with the machines at local gym too
  • laineylynnfit
    laineylynnfit Posts: 369 Member
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    I just purchased a Garmin FR70 but haven't used it yet. Can't wait to use it. I heard that POLAR is a really good brand too!
  • Nicola0000
    Nicola0000 Posts: 531 Member
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    I use a Polar FT4M, its brilliant, and it syncs with the machines at local gym too

    Agree with this. My treadmill was freaking me out that the HR was the same as my watch, then realised it uses bluetooth!!
  • BrandyontheRun
    BrandyontheRun Posts: 204 Member
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    I have a timex as well- I wanted a Polar but the cheapest one they had was a hideous colour (yea yea... I know lol). But my timex allows me to enter max HR and weight... just not my age, height, or gender. I also think it might be over shooting the cals.. But I have no idea sometimes... lol I'll have a tough workout and the cals burned seems reasonable.. but then I do the shred and it says I'm burning just over 200 cals ... in 22 mins.. hhmmmm
  • leenites
    leenites Posts: 166 Member
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    I use Polar FT40. Does anyone know how having VO2 max affect the accuracy of the calories burned or the max heart rate?

    I was using it for some strength training today and it recorded 417 Calories, as opposed to MFP's 150. I got so confused if I should EAT EAT more or if the number is inaccurate.

    When people say "this HRM is inaccurate", does it mean it recorded lower or does it mean it recorded higher number? Either way, what kind of range of error are we walking about Calories +/- 10% error?
  • dgallienne
    dgallienne Posts: 30 Member
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    I also have a Polar FT4...excellent bit of kit.

    Highly recommended!!
  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
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    I use Polar FT40. Does anyone know how having VO2 max affect the accuracy of the calories burned or the max heart rate?

    I was using it for some strength training today and it recorded 417 Calories, as opposed to MFP's 150. I got so confused if I should EAT EAT more or if the number is inaccurate.

    When people say "this HRM is inaccurate", does it mean it recorded lower or does it mean it recorded higher number? Either way, what kind of range of error are we walking about Calories +/- 10% error?

    Generally HRM's that use Vo2max are more accurate then ones without.

    HRM's are inaccurate for strength training though, so for that I would use MFP's estimate.

    When set up correctly(age, weight, height, gender, max heart rate and V02) and used for steady state cardio(walking, running, etc) HRM"s are about 80% accurate. With strength training that accuracy goes down significantly.
  • stephabef
    stephabef Posts: 936 Member
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    Love my Polar FT7
  • Elen_Sia
    Elen_Sia Posts: 638 Member
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    Love my Polar FT7

    ^THIS. I use the same HRM.

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