Heart Rate Monitors

[Jenn38]

I have a Timex but the last couple of times I used it it gave me a zero reading. What type of hrm do you use?

Jenn

 

[RapidBreath]

Polar F4. But, its not perfect either, sometimes it will give a 00 reading even though I know for a fact my heart is beating

 

[MidgetDogg]

Garmin Forerunner 350. I love it, but unless you're doing outdoor exercising it's overkill.

 

[Jenn38]

I tried my hrm today. I did Patrick's Play Ball workout and after 30 minutes it gave me a reading of 17 calories burned. WTH!

 

[fox2star]

Hi,

I have a polar F6 and an FT4. They are both consistent, I keep going back and forth with them, because I feel I am burning more calories than the reading says, but they come up with the same. One has the solid type chest piece, and one the newer soft fabric one.

 

[gillianorr]

Polar RS300X...easy to use and read. I'm never convinced any machine/monitor tells us accurate calories burned so I just ignore that function...

 

[RunninTeach]

I have (and am happy with) my Polar FT40.

Sorry about the issues you're having. Maybe this will help:

Timex Heart Rate Monitor Troubleshooting

By: Shawn Landis
Break Studios Contributing Writer

Timex heart rate monitor troubleshooting tips is a simple process that has many steps in common with troubleshooting any electronics device. Some of the steps listed here can also be applied to computers and stereos. However, if you are reading this article, you either need the device for medical reasons or to see what your work out.

1. Check to see if the back of the chest strap is still moist. Apply a few drops of water to the contact areas if the contacts are dry.
2. Check cables. A cable that is connected improperly or not at all does not allow the user to monitor a heart rate. Check the connections to make sure they are adjusted properly.
3. Check for damaged wires. Replace any damaged electrical cords.
4. Check where the transmitter is placed on the chest. If the patches are placed in areas where there is a lot of chest hair, the wires may not be able to transmit the electrical signal properly. Move the patches to a less hairy spot.
5. If you live in an area prone to cold or dry weather, a Timex heart rate monitor may just take some time to warm up. Give it a few minutes to see if the problem sorts itself out on days that fit either or both of these criteria.
6. Batteries. If the signal seems faint or inconsistent, check the heart rate monitor's battery
7. Signal strength. If the signal is weak or interrupted, the Timex Heart rate monitor may suffer from interference. In rare cases, you may get someone else's signal. If this happens, reset the monitor and start over.

The process of troubleshooting any piece of equipment involves tracking down the problem and attempting something to correct it. If a particular part of the monitor is bad, you can confirm that it is the problem by replacing it with a piece of equipment from another Timex Heart Rate monitor that is known to be good.

 

[112toGuru]

I'm using a Garmin FR60, I really can't recommend because I did a lot of searching to find the one that would suit my needs, and some features, like using it underwater while swimming, I'd be a little hesitant to try (I probably wouldn't need that info if I went lap swimming anyway). Notwithstanding, I do think it's really cool.

It keeps a constant read out of HR throughout that I can check at a glance, records & graphs with desktop software so I can log & compare workouts. It does everything I need and so far has worked very well. There is a huge difference between perceived exertion and actual HR stats or there can be, let's say. The other thing I record is morning & evening HR, mostly for signs of over training and adequate recovery. Even at my level I think it's important & necessary, to reach my goals.

If you're smart phone enabled, you may want to check out this app, ithlete....it does, or says it does a more accurate account of energy expenditure & recovery rate, I would imagine runners would find it particularly useful.
http://www.ithlete.net/

Alas, I have the Flintstone Fone, and live in a cave, so my methods suit me for now, and I'm quite happy with the results...