Heart Rate Monitor

[sammibabbi]

Hello everybody-
New to the site, although familiar with cathe! She has been a lifesaver for me. I am a fairly recent single mom-son 12 daughter 5 1/2. I wanted to get back in shape, but really didn't want to drag the kids around at night to the gyms (although , they are starting to have some good programs to keep them entertained) so my Cathe dvd's have given me the chance to feel like I can get a real workout without having to leave the home.(I workout in the early am)

I was wondering if anyone wears a heart rate monitor during workouts. I have read a lot of posts and haven't seen much on it.

Hope everyone has a good Holiday

 

[naughtoj]

Hi!!

I have a heart rate monitor and have found it mostly "fun" to wear just to see how hard I am working. However, I always work out hard so it isn't much real use to me. I actually use it on low intensity days to make sure I don't get too overzealous!!! With Cathe tapes, it really is unneccessary, I think, to put the HRM on, since you can be sure you are getting a good workout. But if you exercise with other less advanced tapes and question the quality of these workouts, it can be useful. I like to wear it sometimes for different activities...biking, rollerblading, hiking, running, step aerobics...just to see how these compare with each other in intensity. If you can afford it, it is a wonderful "toy". But that is about all it is, assuming you are not training for a particular even where heart rate monitoring would be very useful...Good Luck...my HRM is a Polar A3 and it does the job. Get a simple one, many of the other features are not worth the money!!!

 

[elaine123]

I love mine! I got mine from Bike Nashbar. Their brand. I agree w/ the prev. post. Don't get all the bells and whistles. All you need is one that tracks hr. I use mine or interval cardio and to track my heart rate while I lift. You'd be surprised how high Cathe can get you hr! I wouldn't workout w/o one. Course I am a bit compulsive/obssessive!

 

[sunsetbeach]

I wear a Polar monitor also and love it. I used to hate getting my heart rate up but the monitor gives me confidence and helps me to push myself harder. It is also helpful in keeping track of your recovery. When I run I use it also.

 

[jillybean]

Hey ladies, I just wanted to ask - how do you know what your THZ is? I have a heart rate monitor but haven't used it yet. I have a calculation on how to figure it, but all you need is your resting heart rate. Shouldn't age and weight come into play? Thanks!

 

[naughtoj]

Jillybean,

Weight does NOT come into play. However, age does. I use the standard formula: 220-age in years. For me, I am 26, so that would be a maximum HR of 194 BPM. But you must multiply that number by the lower end of your training zone, and then the higher end. Aerobic "zones" are considered 65%-85%MHR.

So, for me, I would take 194 X .65= something like 132 BPM.
And then, for my higher end, 194 X .85= something like 167 BPM

Cathe tapes often send me into the 170-175 BPM zone. Sometimes over 180. People don't always adhere to this HR rule so there is another one out there where you figure in your resting HR to come to a more accurate determination of your MHR. Usually this only varies 10 BPM or so, and I don't care that much so I have not done this variety. Basically, it is a calculation that figures the better aerobic shape you are in, the higher your MHR for your age..See??

The nice thing about your HRM is that it should just have to be programmed with your age and then it will display your "zones". Like mine, it constantly displays the HR, but will beep when I am either too low or too high. Therfore, I know whether I should slow down or speed up.

If you are interested in the other calculation for accuracy, I can get it for you. They are pretty close though. Your calculation must have been wrong because I have never heard of only needing your RHR to calculate..Do you know what the formula was???