Heart Rate Monitors?

Just looking for a recommendation. I've never had one before, don't really know how they work or what to look for etc. I just want to make sure I don't go over 140bpm. That's really all I need it for.

Thanks in advance for your wisdom!

Just grab a basic Polar Heart Monitor. They're great. I think mine is a T13 or something - very basic - it was thrown in when we bought our treadmill. It tracks how long you've exercised for, calculates the average heart rate, and also has the ranges so you can make sure you're between two values ie if you want to make sure your heart rate is between 100 and 150 beats per minute. I love it. Have a look on Ebay. I have thought about getting one to calculate calories and distance as well but can't justify it at the moment.

HTH

MG

So how do they work? How will it know what my heart rate is? Does it go off your pulse, or just guesstimates, or what? What I'm worried about is that it turns out like a pedometer. Some of them are great, but others will rack you up 4 steps just for pulling your pants down.

I'll be watching this thread... would like one to monitor my resting heart rate. I have a thyroid condition which major symptom is a fast resting HR.

You wear a strap around your chest just under your bra line. The front is a plastic (only about 10cm long) and the rest is extendable elastic. It is actually pretty comfy. The plastic bit has sensors on it which picks up your heart beat. You wear a watch that, when turned on to the correct setting, reads your pulse. Really quiet simple. And it is very accurate. The equip at the gym I go to also picks up my HR when I wear my belt thing... Soooo, no weighing down of pants ;)

HTH

MG

So can I just buy one of the hundreds available on ebay? Or should I go somewhere else?

I just typed up this big long post and lost it :(

I was trying to say that I have a Polar Heart Rate monitor, which I love (and mine is pink).. I started off with a very basic polar which only read my heart rate, but I have since upgraded and the one I have now also tells you how many calories you have burnt (and it also keeps a record which you can download) it also has a few other features, like Ownzone.. so if you are using equipment at the gym it wont pick up other peoples machines etc.

You can lot lots of different brand etc on ebay, but with Polar if you buy on ebay you wont get your warranty (has to be purchased from an authorised polar dealer). I got mine from an authorised dealer online, prices for Polar start at about $100 depending on what features you want / need.

There are certainly cheaper ones out there though, even at the likes of kmart / big w. All sports stores will also sell them

I bought a Polar Heart rate Monitor!!! And am getting a tad obsessed! :redface: I have it on right now and can tell you that I am doing 98 bpm (beats per minute). I cracked 180 bpm while walking my DS to school this morning!!!! Pushing the pram up a steep hill. I know it's high... I have an over active thyroid which makes my heart go faster than most peoples. When i relax though it can get as low as 66 bpm. So it really varies.

I bought a mid range one... $199. Calculates calories and has OwnZone. It's red and has a pretty design framing the LCD reading that matches my diary! LOL Oh and it's comfy like MG said. Highly recommended :)

Bath - my aim is to crack 180!!!! I like to push it high when I'm training. The best I've managed is 171. I average about 150 during my training sessions... Glad you love you monitor! They rock! But now I'm jealous and want a pretty red one ;)

LOL yesterday I ended up ringing my GP and asking how safe it was to do 180bpm given that I have Graves. He said it depended on lots of things, how fit I was and whether I started to feel any symptoms like pain/light headedness etc at the time. I "do" that hill twice a day on the school run... and I would say I have probably nearly reached 200bpm on other days when walking harder. But it's not something I want to try to test out ATM while I have all this extra thyroid hormone in my system.

Another thing that I am finding interesting is the continuous calorie counter on my HRM. I have never dieted but I am surprised to learn that walking 2km each day on the school run only covers my 2 cups of coffee that I have each day. I would have thought it would have covered more. I wore my HRM for 15 hours straight yesterday and used just over 5000 calories. I averaged 105 bpm over the 15 hours.

MG: now that I have a HRM I can really understand how mortified you must have been when you lost your strap! I wonder if you can buy them separately?

I also wonder how long it will be before I get over my new toy? LOL I hope to keep a record for at least a week of my average daily HR. Just to see which way it's trending.

Hehe - I was so devestated when I lost it! I don't know if you can buy them seperately because I think they're linked to individual "watch" components (the bit on your hand). Although the equipment at the gym picks up my strap and displays on the equipment I'm using...

I'm wishing I had a calorie counter on mine. Perhaps if I get a new contract at work, I'll buy one...

Before i started PT, I went through phases using my HRM... got bored with it and stopped. But now I feel naked without it if I'm doing any sort of exercise!

And your GP is right - a heart rate alone is just a number. It depends on various other symptoms as well such as the ones he mentioned. A heart rate of 200 can be just as bad as 120 if you're having other symptoms such as light headedness, nausea etc. But I think tracking it for a few weeks is a brilliant idea!

Where did you get your pretty red one?

MG: just sent you a PM with a link to Polar's site and a piccy of my red one. I bought it at Rebel Sport at Melbourne Central.

Current bpm: 91

ETA: This morning I had my first shower wearing my HRM :) It's waterproof to 50m. The strap felt a bit damp for a while but dried eventually.