Heart monitor recommendations

[Randy & Robyn]

I have done quite a bit of running in my life but I have never felt the need to use a heart rate monitor. Now that I've gotten a little older and have had AVR I think it might be time to reconsider.

What monitors would you recommend?

I'm a bit of a gadget freak and have been looking at the Garmin Forerunners that incorporate GPS as well. It would be great to be able to pace myself and get an exact distance after every run since I vary my route occasionally. Has anyone used one of these?

I am five weeks postop and chomping at the bit to get back out there. I figure another three weeks and I will start jogging and work up from there.

Randy

 

[msiwik]

I have done quite a bit of running in my life but I have never felt the need to use a heart rate monitor. Now that I've gotten a little older and have had AVR I think it might be time to reconsider.

What monitors would you recommend?

I'm a bit of a gadget freak and have been looking at the Garmin Forerunners that incorporate GPS as well. It would be great to be able to pace myself and get an exact distance after every run since I vary my route occasionally. Has anyone used one of these?

I am five weeks postop and chomping at the bit to get back out there. I figure another three weeks and I will start jogging and work up from there.

Randy

Randy: Continued good wishes on your recovery. We are counting on you for the 2007 relay team! I use a Polar - get the flexible strap. Using a heart rate monitor is very important for not working too hard in the first year. My docs/physiologists have limited me to a 75% MHR - 156 bpm for the first year (now at 10:00 mo. mark). Mark

 

[tommy]

Randy,

Sonds like you are doing real well. Congratulations.

I use a Polar RS100. It was about $100. I use mine to discipline myself to keep my heart rate down.

I'd love to have the GPS kind, but decide not to spend the dough. I've already mapped out a dozen courses in my area and use the bicycle to map new ones.

Keep tabs with your doctor about your activity level. Make recovery a one-way street. My cardiac rehab taught me the virtues of very gradual increments.

 

[mntbiker]

Polar, they are the leader for a reason. Check the bike websites like pricepoint.com performancebike.com nashbar.com etc, they are running spring sales right now and you should be able to get a good deal.

 

[MarkU]

I started heart rate training just about a year ago. At that time I bought an entry level Timex Marathon HRH for $40 online. It has basic sports watch functions (split/lap, countdown timer, etc.) and one setable HR zone with alarms. My current unit has worked well for all my zone 2 base training, but it doesn't have memory functions for lap/split, average & peak HR, time in zone, etc. I'm shopping around for an upgrade replacement. Don't think I need the GPS, but would like one that allows downloading workout data.

 

[Bionic Valve Tim]

I have been using a Polar RS200 for a couple of months now and love it. It has an optional footpad to track pace and distance, but I don't have that. When I researched for buying, many people love the Garmin units; trail runners and hikers don't, since the GPS doesn't work well in forests and such.

The RS200 does more than I really need, but I'm also a gadget freak. I do like being able to upload basic HR data to the computer to look at how I'm doing. I got mine through amazon/road runner sports.

Polar's website is very good for comparing features:

http://www.polarusa.com/

Tim

 

[Gemma]

Jim's got a Polar S series (I forget the number - 720i or 520i I think) - it's a cycling specific one which tells you your speed, altitude, plus the usual stuff. You can buy extras such as a cadence monitor which attaches to the bike.

Polar also sell an infrared port which hooks up to your computer so you can download training info. Bought this for Jim for Christmas but he's yet to set it up! Once he does he should be able to monitor his fitness - it shows on the computer screen as graphs/charts.

The reason he wanted that one was that he's also a gadget freak! Why just measure your HR when you can keep track of so much other stuff too .

 

[Randy & Robyn]

Thanks for everyone's suggestions. The weather is getting better here in Wisconsin so I'm going shopping soon.

Randy

 

[aussiemember]

Hi everyone,

Have been reading this thread with interest and am totally new to the idea of using a heart rate monitor. I wonder if someone could help me with some really basic questions - how do they work????? As in how do they measure your heart rate?? How accurate are they?? Are they hard to setup/use?? Forgive my complete ignorance but I've never considered using one before when exercising. But have just been told by my cardiologist to not overdo things so thought it might be an excellent idea to get one.

 

[DLH]

They are pretty simple to use, you usually wear a strap with a wireless transmiter around you chest. For women they even make some that go inside a specific sports bra. It measures your heart rate and transmits it to a wrist watch receiver where you can see it. There are a lot of different types with many features. The simplest ones will allow you to set some upper and lower ranges and will beep if you go below or exceed the set heart rate. Other features on some are stop watches, max hr, avg hr, calories burned, % of max hr for workout, etc... Some allow you to download to a computer for tracking purposes. Set-up may require you to set the time, some limits, age, weight, etc.. the manual walks you through all of the details. They are pretty accurate, I use mine while riding and occasionally just to see what my heart rate is while relaxing.

 

[aussiemember]

They are pretty simple to use, you usually wear a strap with a wireless transmiter around you chest. For women they even make some that go inside a specific sports bra. It measures your heart rate and transmits it to a wrist watch receiver where you can see it. There are a lot of different types with many features. The simplest ones will allow you to set some upper and lower ranges and will beep if you go below or exceed the set heart rate. Other features on some are stop watches, max hr, avg hr, calories burned, % of max hr for workout, etc... Some allow you to download to a computer for tracking purposes. Set-up may require you to set the time, some limits, age, weight, etc.. the manual walks you through all of the details. They are pretty accurate, I use mine while riding and occasionally just to see what my heart rate is while relaxing.

Thanks heaps for that DLH - Sounds like they are a good idea - time to go shopping!!

 

[Jas0n]

well im pretty sure almost everyone will recomend polar, but i would go a bit of different route. i have managed a top 100 bicycle pro shop for the last four seasons, so i've tried almost everything. the timex gps system is actually pretty good; from what i could tell, it was very accurate and the latest model has gotten a bit smaller i believe.

as for the polar, they are very reliable. if you also swim, i would highly recommend one because of the way polar's heart transmitters (as well as their wrist piece) are sealed. this is also a downside. when the battery needs to be replaced in your transmitter, you need to send it back to polar to do so. not so bad if you have another hrm, but if its your only hrm and it fails mid season, your without a hrm for 3 weeks or so.

note: i believe this is true of all thier hrm's, but i think some of the low end hrm's introduced last year were different. this is vague speculation, i dont very much like dealing with polar given their horrible internet sales policies (this is an ethical valuation, not one based upon thier product).

 

[epstns]

Well, I hope their (Polar) lower end monitors allow user replacement of batteries. I just ordered one (forgot the model, about $100 USD retail) because my old Timex Iron Man just quit. If this thread is still up here when my monitor arrives, I'll post my findings.

Of course, I guess that there are different definitions of "user-replaceable" for different folks. I have my tiny screwdrivers and wrenches, as well as various magnifiers, so I just might try it myself. . .