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Heart rate monitors: worth the investment?


emmzies

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Ever since i took up running more seriously I've wanted a heart rate monitor to measure my cardio fitness improvements, give myself feedback and keep me on track throughout the workout. BUT they're damn expensive (particually for a poor student)

Has anyone got any advice as to whether its worth actually buying one of these? Anyone got one? If so, do you use it much? Has it helped you reach your training goals, or do you regret buying it?

I think I'd get it off ebay if i did decide to splurge on one.

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I reckon they're worth it, and here's why.

A. Consistency - you can be sure that the HR readings you get are always the same. My personal experience is that gym heart-rate readouts from cardio equipment are inconsistent;

B. Portability - you can gauge your training effort in any exercise - running, biking, group classes, weights, at any gym;

C. Training Effort - until you've actually built a baseline, do you REALLY understand how hard you're going? When you're out on a run despite not wanting to go, your HRM will tell you whether you're going as hard as you should. They also track calorie expenditure.

I've only really had experience of Polar, but I wouldn't be without one now.

I'd also be inclined to recommend SUUNTO, which has a good rep.

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I have one and I reckon they are worth it. As TFB says, training effort is the main reason for me.

For example, if you have been running along for about ten minutes and you think you are getting a bit tired but you look down at your HRM and it only reads 120bpm so you know you can definitely push yourself harder. A lot of the time fatigue is in the mind.

Check out the Polar F3 and F4.

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Hmmm that all sounds positive, good to know, thanks for the feedback.

Yeah i totally agree about the gym equipments HR measurements not being accurate, and the whole calorie expenditure element too, its just random, every machines different.

Do you guys have the ones with the transmitter belts? Those annoy me, so i was hoping to get one that didn't require it, although i'm sure the best ones do still require it.

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I've only ever used the Polar ones with chest straps, but even the women I know who've used them have gotten used to it quite quickly.

Polar do two types of chest strap - a long one (the T31, about 20cm of soft-ish plastic) and a much shorter one (the Wearlink) but both seem comfortable enough.

You might find this link helpful.

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I had a polar moniter from about 1996? (ages ago anyway) it lasted until last year when i bought a new F4. Totally worth it, these things are really smart. Good for motivation and seeing your progress. It will total up your burnt KJ for the week, give your average training heart rate and even cook you bacon and eggs for brekkie. The best use I find, if you are cross training, is to compare various exercises and their effectiveness ... I think you can get el cheapos for just over a hungey

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Just wondering how accurate are the wrist wear ones without the chest strap on?

What ones are these? If you dont have a chest strap then where does the transmitter sit? :?

Like this one i found on trademe, it does not mention anything about the chest strap. :-s :-s

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Sports/Exercise-equipment-weights/Heart-rate-monitors/auction-216097898.htm

or this

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Sports/Exercise-equipment-weights/Heart-rate-monitors/auction-216978821.htm

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At $15 it looks like a bit of a crock. I assume the seller has just failed to mention the chest strap as I dont know any other accurate way of transmitting the signal short of clipping the transmitter to your ear. :?

The Polar range is pretty sharp. :nod:

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STRAPLESS HRMs - NO CHEST STRAP

These units work with ECG accuracy to provide heart rate "on demand". That means as and when you press the buttons on the front. For light / moderate exercise, and for use throughout the day, this is convenient and often preferred to a chest strap type. However, for continuous monitoring of heart rate, especially throughout shorter duration, higher intensity exercise, the chest strap type is often preferred.

I'd reccomend one with a chest strap...

but it depends on what you want to use it for...

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IMO, the problem you would likely encounter with 'strapless' HRMs is not so much the accuracy, but the usefulness, of the reading.

Without a strap, a lot of them tend to rely on touching/ pressing a sensor. That will give you a spot reading at the time you touch it/press the button or whatever - but won't tell you much else.

A HRM with a monitor that's on all the time, often with a beeping audio alarm, will give you clues to under/over exertion, or being in the zone you specify..

So, if you take the spot reading right after a hard sprint, it'll tell you X, but if you wait 'til you've had a drink and a rest, it'll tell you Y...

Conclusion: strapless are useful, but the others are more useful.

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IMO, the problem you would likely encounter with 'strapless' HRMs is not so much the accuracy, but the usefulness, of the reading.

Without a strap, a lot of them tend to rely on touching/ pressing a sensor. That will give you a spot reading at the time you touch it/press the button or whatever - but won't tell you much else.

A HRM with a monitor that's on all the time, often with a beeping audio alarm, will give you clues to under/over exertion, or being in the zone you specify..

So, if you take the spot reading right after a hard sprint, it'll tell you X, but if you wait 'til you've had a drink and a rest, it'll tell you Y...

Conclusion: strapless are useful, but the others are more useful.

Ohhh i getcha! thanks for clearing that up. I totally thought the watches somehow measured your heart rate by just being around your wrist or something.... stupid, i know.

Yeah i'll definitely get one with a strap, by the sounds of it the ones without are useless. It would be okay if the telemetry strap was cloth instead of plastic i guess. The only one i tried was plastic and that’s probably why it sucked so bad.

The Polar brand seems to be the best reviewed overall from my research and competitively priced compared to the rest, so i may begin my ebay hunt… at least the NZ dollars increasing. :D

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Oh, and since you mentioned Ebay, try Amazon.

Interestingly, they have the strapless Mio brand - I know nothing about them, but FWIW

Thanks for that I'll check it out, although last time i tried to buy anything that wasn't a book off amazon they rejected me. NZ wasn't on their international ship list or something lame.

I had a perve at them in rebel today.... far out, prices there are mental.

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Yep, Amazon's a bit flakey - I think some of their suppliers insist on a rule that stops Amazon selling into someone else's market (so the US distributor of Polar doesn't steal business from the Aus/NZ distributor by undercutting them on price). Also some of the people who sell-through Amazon are separate businesses who can't be bothered dealing with foreign folks.

There's always these guys, although I've never dealt with them.

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Yep, Amazon's a bit flakey - I think some of their suppliers insist on a rule that stops Amazon selling into someone else's market (so the US distributor of Polar doesn't steal business from the Aus/NZ distributor by undercutting them on price). Also some of the people who sell-through Amazon are separate businesses who can't be bothered dealing with foreign folks.

There's always these guys, although I've never dealt with them.

Far out, a site dedicated to HR monitors in our tiny country. Thats awesome. Will be a good reference point, cheers for the link!

Dammit..sooo wanting this now....

http://www.heartratemonitor.co.nz/PolarF55aluIce.html :think:

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Ain't never bothered me none... :grin:

Things that have set the HRM off include HV power lines - if you're living under a pylon, forget it!

The ones I've used DO rely on moisture to conduct - run the strap/sensor gismo under the tap to ensure it's fine.

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Damn.

I thought I'd saved the URL for a firm down in Christchurch that seemed to be quite cost-effective, but it must be at work. If I can find it, I'll post it.

Other than that, Polar's official website lists stockists if you want to pay retail....

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