Something I wish I'd known re: Polar FT7

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Graciecny
Graciecny Posts: 303
in Fitness and Exercise
I purchased a Polar HRM last week and finally got it set up and went to the gym, all ready to see how the numbers compared to what I have been using (the equipment numbers where I put in my weight and age). Well, got on the treadmill only to see my heart rate pop up on the display of the treadmill I was on AND the one next to me. The guy on that treadmill was like "WTH?!" I basically got off, removed the HRM sensor/chest strap and did my workout. Total zero for being able to get an accurate read on calories expended.

Apparently the HRM signal is picked up automatically by certain equipment when you are within 3 feet of it. Since the treadmills, ellipticals, EVERYTHING at the gyms I go to are set really close together, the signal will always be showing up on neighboring devices. Makes this thing totally useless in the gym, for me. I know for some people this would be a boon, but not for me.

So be aware that, if you purchase a Polar FT7 (or, apparently, most Polar HRMs with chest strap) that it is entirely possible gym equipment will pick up the signal automatically. I don't know for certain that it would do this if I had started the HRM prior to entering the gym, but I think that was the way I had done it. It is convenient in one way, and annoying as h*ll in another. I want to be able to disable it somehow, but I searched and searched and can't find a solution other than to just not wear it.

Take two: late at night, the gym is really quiet so I WAS able to finally get in with the HRM on and see how things compared. I did 5 minute tests with and without to see where I was. Turned out the walking was pretty much spot-on. I tried 3mph since that was my most frequent pace. The Precor elliptical was spot-on as well, but the Lifestyle (I think that is the name) elliptical was off by about 10% (elliptical readout showed 10% higher than HRM).
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Replies

  • Captain_Tightpants
    Captain_Tightpants Posts: 2,215 Member
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    Interesting info. I was just about to buy one. Thanks.

    How do the machines pick up the signal? Through the metal handle grips?
  • MacSkillz
    MacSkillz Posts: 417 Member
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    I have an FT4 and noticed the same. What I've also noticed, it only happens to the machine on the left of me. I just let people know if they get on a machine next to me that I have a HRM on and it may pick it up because it has a wireless connection. They usually move to another machine. I don't really care. Is it annoying, a little, but I gotta do what I gotta do.
  • Graciecny
    Graciecny Posts: 303
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    Interesting info. I was just about to buy one. Thanks.

    How do the machines pick up the signal? Through the metal handle grips?
    Some kind of wireless signal (5khz or something like that, maybe?). Anyways, you don't touch anything, the machine just picks up the signal and displays it.

    And Mac, thank you for that info! I'll try to get the treadmill all the way on the left next to the wall next time and see if the one to my right picks up the signal. If not, that will solve a LOT of issues for me. I just hate having my HR displayed all over the place, since it takes about four paces for me to be up over 100. I'm in bad, bad physical shape and hate it being displayed (any more than it normally is!) for all the world to see.
  • jenny95662
    jenny95662 Posts: 997 Member
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    Same thing happened to me too but no one seems to use machine numbers at my gym so no one got mad lol
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,326 Member
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    i dont see how this feature makes the HRM useless for you? it still displays your heart rate right?

    and the other person on the machine next to you can delete info by using the hand grips to check their own heart rate.
  • texastango
    texastango Posts: 309
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    On a different but slightly related subject of HRM:

    Heart Rate Monitors are a good investment for some. If interested, take your time looking into them. No rush. Make sure you ask lots of questions and that it will meet your needs.

    In most cases it will help you work out more efficiently to meet your goals if you use it that way. Example below.

    Most people DO NOT KNOW - there are different exercise zones, that you burn calories differently in the different zones, and that these zones and the ranges they represent can change depending on your resting heart rate.

    Quick Example:

    Zones First:
    Fat Burning Zone 60-70 percent of HRmax
    Cardio Zone 70-80 percent of HRmax
    Extreme Training 80-90 percent of HRmax

    Fat Burning Zone - of the calories burned 80 percent are fat burn calories (what most people at this site want), 15 percent Carbs, 5 percent protein.

    Cardio Zone - Instead of 80 percent of calories burned being from fat, only 50 percent are from fat, and 50 percent from carbs

    So to work out more efficiently, if you want to burn fat weight, you want most of your workout in the fat burning zone and don't get your heart rate too high.

    If your HRM figures out how much time you spend in a particular zone...then you can follow your workouts more closely and see how you are doing compared to prior workouts. Some HRMs (Garmin and Timex) keep this kind of data and Garmin even downloads it free to their website to allow you to plot your workouts and improve them. Might be a lot of work for most people, but it's available if that's what you want to do.

    Better yet, some monitors calculate the zones based off of the Karvonen Formula which takes into account what your resting heart rate is to start. (ie someone with a resting heart rate of 48 (me) would have lower zones than someone with a resting heart rate of 70). In fact, the lower end of my Fat Burning Zone (FBZ) using this formula would be ((HRmax - HRrest) x 0.6) + HRrest or 119. For someone with a resting heart rate of 70 the lower end of the zone would be 128 (9 bpm higher).

    Again, this only becomes important if you really want to use the HRM to efficiently use it to work out more effectively to reach your goal of weight loss or cardio conditioning.

    Some watches allow you to track more than one workout without having to upload the information. Helpful for tri-atheletes who want to know the data for their bike, run, and swim. I like to know the data for my dancing, my swimming, my running, or weightlifting. I don't want to have to sync my data between workouts (ie run home to the computer or bring it with me).

    Some watches let you display the data as you run..which is nice to see what pace you're keeping.

    Some watches - you can't easily read the display in bright (sun) light.

    Some watches have batteries you can't replace - not cool because you have to buy a new watch when the battery dies.

    Some come with better straps that hold up over time.

    Cheap models can work well and be fairly inexpensive, but just make sure if you get one, that it will meet your needs. Ask around like you are doing before you invest.
  • Amairee
    Amairee Posts: 71 Member
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    I own the same device and noticed the same issue, although only machines designed to pick up electronic signals from HRMs will be able to do so. The pieces of equipment that can all have an override ability to stop it (at least they do at my gym). I would not consider your purchase a loss at all, just go about using it and people can adjust the machines to read their own hand-grip monitor when needed.

    As an aside, for the information posted above about exercise zones, although the FT7 model does give you this information, scientists have pretty much disproved the existence of said zones.
  • nz_deevaa
    nz_deevaa Posts: 12,209 Member
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    Both my husband and I have FT7's and we've found if we are both wearing them and on machines next to each other, it only picks up the heart rate of the person on the machine,
  • paulwgun
    paulwgun Posts: 439 Member
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    Why are you getting yourself in a spin about others seeing your HR ? This happened with my FT4 when a guy came on the treadmill next to me, he asked me if i had a HRM on and he moved further down the line to be able to get his HR displayed on the machine
  • MaryEffingPoppins
    MaryEffingPoppins Posts: 371 Member
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    I have an FT7 and I've never encountered this issue. I also recently had my 2 girlfriends purchase them and we work out side by side and this has never occurred. Maybe you should send it back to the manufacturer. It's a GREAT investment. You should definitely be getting your moneys worth!!
  • Misiaxcore
    Misiaxcore Posts: 659 Member
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    i dont see how this feature makes the HRM useless for you? it still displays your heart rate right?

    and the other person on the machine next to you can delete info by using the hand grips to check their own heart rate.

    ^

    ETA: Really don't see how this is an issue.
  • gdr1976
    gdr1976 Posts: 460 Member
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    I know at my gym it says right on the equipment that it is compatible with wireless heartrate monitor or wireless HRM receiver. I've noticed a few pieces that even say compatible with Polar HRM. But I've never had a problem with the next machine picking up my signal and the equipment is right on top of each other. I love mine, best investment ever. It is a FT7. Good luck with yours and on your journey
  • kryptonitekelly
    kryptonitekelly Posts: 335 Member
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    Most of the time people don't even use the hand grips to check their HR...
  • Misiaxcore
    Misiaxcore Posts: 659 Member
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    Most of the time people don't even use the hand grips to check their HR...

    If they don't use the handgrips and don't have an HRM it says to me they don't care about their HR.
  • meerkat70
    meerkat70 Posts: 4,616 Member
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    the 'heart rate zone' things is a bit of a myth. One of those 'kind of true, but do we really have to care' things that circulates on weightloss boards.
  • fittertanme
    fittertanme Posts: 259 Member
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    I dont know if it will be of any help to you but I use sports tracker HRM and its now wireless like most have on here it uses bluetooth so it dont interfer with any of the gym equipment or any other HRM's but have to say they are worth the cost and only wish I had got my one early ut good luch and keep up the good work
  • Ladyiianae
    Ladyiianae Posts: 271 Member
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    I knew this actually and it's not such a big deal, if he is wearing a monitor his will over-ride yours and if he's not then why would he care? He obviously doesn't want to know what his HR is and if he DOES then he'll use the built in feature of the machine where you hold those handles and wait, when he does that it will over ride yours (or who ever elses might be showing up)

    I have a Polar FT4 and have never had a complaint ever in the gym and i know mine does it. My husband gets a kick out of using the treadmill next to mine to follow my heart rate, he doesn't wear a monitor so mine will display on his machine as well.

    Wear and enjoy!!! It's worth it!
  • PoleBoy
    PoleBoy Posts: 255 Member
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    I'm not sure what the problem is - are you concerned that people can see your heart rate?
  • netchik
    netchik Posts: 587 Member
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    I have an old polar, about 10 years old now and the same thing happens,. It's no big deal, as most people around you are probably wearing them as well. My husband's Polar has a stronger signal than mine so if we work out side by side my machine takes his measurement. I don't really care, because I'm interested in the numbers once I've finished my workout. They aren't going to change, they are hard-coded to the strap.
  • n8na
    n8na Posts: 76 Member
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    bump

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