I need help with HRM please

wannagetfit02
wannagetfit02 Posts: 49 Member
edited December 25 in Fitness and Exercise
My husband and I looked at heart rate monitors for me today. We were so confused. The ones that we saw by Polar, you had to wear something on your chest. I don't know if that would work for me with sweating etc. I would like one to do Zumba, Spinning, and swimming mostly until I find another class that I like. And of course the time I spend with my trainer once a week. Do you wear it all day? I teach school and I am on my feet all day. Should I wear it while teaching or only when I exercise? I just started. What would you recommend? I would like to get one soon. Thank you in advance for your help.

Replies

  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
    Polar is the best... and you need the strap for accuracy. If you don't want a strap, then don't buy an HRM.

    If you want something to wear all day then you are going to need to invest in a fit bit or a Body Bugg/Body Media Fit.

    HRM's are designed for exercise only.. and not for all day use.
  • wannagetfit02
    wannagetfit02 Posts: 49 Member
    I already have a fitbit and I do not need to wear it all day. What type of Polar should I get? There were several. I really want it to be accurate. Can you swim with it?
  • tniemeyer
    tniemeyer Posts: 321
    Wear it while exercising, you won't even notice the chest strap after a while. I have the Polar FT7 and love it!
  • weeblex
    weeblex Posts: 412 Member
    The strap needs to be wet in order to work, so you wet it before putting it on, and sweating helps. You just put it on while your exercising, the Polar one I use reports heart rate all the time it is in range of the strap, but you can then hit "Start" on it and it will calculate Calories and your 80% of maximum and lots of other things.
  • wannagetfit02
    wannagetfit02 Posts: 49 Member
    Can you swim with the polar on?
  • weeblex
    weeblex Posts: 412 Member
    Can you swim with the polar on?

    There are waterproof ones, I don't think mine is though
  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
    All Polars are water proof up to 30 meters or something like that.

    It really depends on what you want.. HRM's when used correctly are only 80% accurate at estimating calories burned.

    I started with a Polar FT7 and now have a Polar FT60.. both are great HRM's.

    If you have a fitbit, then I would wear that during teaching and not the HRM.
  • weeblex
    weeblex Posts: 412 Member
    All Polars are water proof up to 30 meters or something like that.

    It really depends on what you want.. HRM's when used correctly are only 80% accurate at estimating calories burned.

    I started with a Polar FT7 and now have a Polar FT60.. both are great HRM's.

    If you have a fitbit, then I would wear that during teaching and not the HRM.

    80% is closer than the machines, My treadmill says I burned 180 calories, MFP said 282, the heart rate monitor, 557!
  • Tropical_Turtle
    Tropical_Turtle Posts: 2,236 Member
    I have a Polar Ft7 and I LOVE it!! I wear it doing water aerobics and swimming laps.
  • missfelicia6
    missfelicia6 Posts: 174 Member
    I use a wrist watch from New Balance. I paid $75.00 for it. I can swim with it. It's easy. I love it. I wear it every time I leave the house!!!
  • irisheyez718
    irisheyez718 Posts: 677 Member
    I have the Polar FT4, and you really don't notice the chest strap. I wear it in the pool, yes.
  • hdsqrl
    hdsqrl Posts: 420 Member
    I'll toss another vote in for the Polar FT4. The FT7 has a few more bells and whistles, but is also a little more expensive. The 4 delivers what I need and works great.
  • jyuubi
    jyuubi Posts: 109
    I just bought a Polar FT4, the pink one for ladies. I got it on Amazon for $65. You need the chest strap, but to be honest, I don't feel it when I have it on, despite being a big girl that sweats A LOT. It's very comfortable. Read the booklet that comes with it, and it'll be very easy to program. I would wear it just for exercise. And I read on a review that someone wore this very same HMR when they were swimming, and it was fine in use of water. The booklet even says to just not press buttons in water, and to wash your chest strap after every pool use.

    I was confused too, but I hope this helps.
  • wannagetfit02
    wannagetfit02 Posts: 49 Member
    So when it says water resistant that is ok to swim laps? Does it have to be waterproof?
  • hollyNhollywood
    hollyNhollywood Posts: 426 Member
    I already have a fitbit and I do not need to wear it all day. What type of Polar should I get? There were several. I really want it to be accurate. Can you swim with it?

    I have a fitbit and wear it all day. It only comes off when I'm in the shower.
    Curious why you don't need to wear it all day?
    Do you take it off while you exercise or something? As I know its not meant to track certain exercises, like cycling. But I use the stopwatch timer and sync it when I log my exercise in here. Which works out great. I love how it automatically adjusts my calories on here all day, if I'm rather active but not necessarily "exercising".

    I have my fitbit and I have a Mio petite HRM watch. It doesn't have a chest strap, so you have to take your pulse. I try to do it often during cycling, running, working out to my Body Revolution DVDs, to get as accurate as I can. But I'm debating another HRM. Don't think I can do a chest strap though. I saw one on Amazon that was a velcro arm cuff. Thinking about it.
  • wftiger
    wftiger Posts: 1,283 Member
    This is what I have -- http://www.scosche.com/consumer-tech/product/2218

    I didn't want a chest strap so this one fit the bill. It straps to your lower arm and seems to match up to the machines. It works through my iPhone and I can go back and track my activities through the program.
  • babygurl48
    babygurl48 Posts: 1,237 Member
    I'll toss another vote in for the Polar FT4. The FT7 has a few more bells and whistles, but is also a little more expensive. The 4 delivers what I need and works great.

    Same
  • darlilama
    darlilama Posts: 794 Member
    So when it says water resistant that is ok to swim laps? Does it have to be waterproof?

    You should really call the Polar people. I'm sure there is a number on their website and I'm sure they'd be glad to help and you'll get the correct information, if it's not obvious on their website. I have an FT7 and am really happy with it.
  • mrkennethjay
    mrkennethjay Posts: 88
    Loving my FT7.
  • jnhu72
    jnhu72 Posts: 558 Member
    I had the FT7, and when it stopped working I bought the FT4 to save $10. I don't really know what the difference is, it does everything for me that I need it to do.
  • seamonkey789
    seamonkey789 Posts: 233
    My heart rate monitor is not water proof (I use the pyle) but I only wear my heart rate monitor at the gym or dance classes and i wear my fitbit for normal every day stuff.

    One thing that helps with the heart rate monitor that I've found is even when I wet mine, it doesn't get a good reading till I've worked up a good sweat. I purchased some ultrasound gel off amazon and now i get a reading right away
  • andreamkelly
    andreamkelly Posts: 169
    I have a fitbit I wear unless I'm in the shower or in the pool. I wear a Polar FT7 when I'm working out or for water aerobics or playing in the pool with the grandkids. The polar FT7 works well in the pool, you just can't touch any of the buttons on the watch part while it is wet.
  • MeRoBi
    MeRoBi Posts: 127 Member
    Yes the Polar F4 is waterproof (you can wear it in the pool). The only thing you can't do is push the buttons on the watch while you're underwater. I love my F4 and I wear the chest strap right below my bra, and forget it's even there.
  • wannagetfit02
    wannagetfit02 Posts: 49 Member
    Thank you so much for all of your help. I will order off of Amazon tomorrow.
  • dinos
    dinos Posts: 1,390 Member
    Several watches are waterproof, but the ONLY watch that can record heart rate underwater is the Polar RCX5.
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