Has your heart rate monitor acted up??

[CDPotier]

I am doing step on an eight inch step, working very hard, and it says my pulse is 78 to 80.
This is really crazy, and I also have electrode cream under the strap.

Thank you all.

 

[Zbridget]

Are you alone or in a group of people?
Is there too much cream? Too little?
Have your measurements changed? Does it need to be tighter?

I love my HRM, and hate working out without it, there is something in me that needs to quantify what I do.

Sometimes when I get a wacky reading, I run my fingers along the underside of the strap to "reset it". I don't use cream, I have a Polar FT60, and I moisten the chest strap with water before I apply it.

 

[LauraMax]

When do you put it on? I've found a cold chest strap won't read right. I put the chest strap on right when I get up, have my coffee, put on my workout clothes, & by the time I get to the basement it's my body temp & reads correctly.

 

[eriley99]

Try changing the battery. I had one that would read anywhere from 210 (!) to 45 until I realized the battery needed to be changed.

 

[exercise-lover]

Do you clean it off after exercising? My manual says to wipe off the part that touches your skin. It can get dirty and malfunction. Just a thought.

 

[WD]

I ordered electrode cream from Amazon but did not get it. I can use the hard strap with that but would worry about my Polar FT60.

I sent mine in to Polar and had the battery changed. It would go up to 228 HR. I knew I was still alive! If you are really working hard and know it, I would not trust the HR monitor. They all vary somewhat but I find them close. Polar FT60 does not have as good of reads as F-6. The strap makes a difference, I think. I have mixed my straps up with the watch. It is still not the same. I think all of the fitness devices are a guidline. I love mine, but sometimes I could just let it go and know by how hard I feel I am working out. Probably not much help.

Laura Max that is what I do. I get up and put everything on including the strap and go have some coffee. I hate those mornings when I cannot do that. It seems to work well.

 

[iron-mom]

I bet you changed the setting to read percentage instead of actual heart rate. The polars let yu look AT&T your heart rate by percentage rate. Check the settings.

 

[fox2star]

Hi,

I have 2 Polar HRM's, and have had the same kind of issues. Strange readings, or very low calorie burn when I know I was really working hard.

I tried the creams, but did not notice any difference and with the fabric type strap, it can be messy, I do wash mine after each use, ( hand wash with soap), Maybe will try putting it on a little before starting out, I usually put it on and jump right into the workout.

I have the F4 and the F6, did not know about a setting that gives you percentage instead of heart rate, have to look into that. Would work really well with Cardio Coach workouts.

 

[LauraMax]

I think you jinxed me Deb. This morning it read zero for the first 10 minutes of my workout. I gave up & took it off. I'm tired today, but I know I'm not dead!

 

[Ronne]

Mine does that all the time - usually when I'm doing cardio. It's really erratic - I just ignore it and add on extra at the end!

 

[CDPotier]

Thanks for your reply. I have not gained or lost any weight in a year, and I am only 5'2" amd about 110. IMy heart rate moniotor is only a few months old. I am watching Cathe's Low IMpact Step Challenge, and the workout is good, but the music is awful. I don't know why the music is not better.

 

[CDPotier]

Mine is new, and I have the Polar Ft HRM, and I ordered the strap in size small, because I am small myself. Thanks for your replies.