8 Bit WWBG
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Post by 8 Bit WWBG on Dec 31, 2012 8:31:19 GMT -5
My mother has had good success using a heart rate monitor during her workouts. I'm considering one myself. Does anyone here use one regularly?
I've looked at Polar, which seems to be the standard. There are lots of models ranging from $60-$200+. I don't need water proof. I want one that also has the web component where I can input my days calories eaten, and it will store my progress.
If you do have one, do you wear it all the time, or just for workouts? I would wear it all day a few times to get a sense of what I burn on a "normal" day. I'm not sure I want to buy something that I have to have on 24/7/365. Is it OK to take it off, or does that defeat the purpose?
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Post by Deleted on Dec 31, 2012 8:33:31 GMT -5
My mother has had good success using a heart rate monitor during her workouts. I'm considering one myself. Does anyone here use one regularly? I've looked at Polar, which seems to be the standard. There are lots of models ranging from $60-$200+. I don't need water proof. I want one that also has the web component where I can input my days calories eaten, and it will store my progress. If you do have one, do you wear it all the time, or just for workouts? I would wear it all day a few times to get a sense of what I burn on a "normal" day. I'm not sure I want to buy something that I have to have on 24/7/365. Is it OK to take it off, or does that defeat the purpose? if you plan on wearing it all day, a regular HRM will not work. You would need something like a Fitbit.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 31, 2012 8:53:58 GMT -5
You've come to the right place. I have a Polar FT7. I have to use it during workouts if I want to get credit under our wellness plan for my workouts. Since that gives us a substantial discount on our insurance, it's important, and I also find it a great motivator to make sure I'm getting a good enough workout. When it works. Which leads me to the subject of reliability. The thing is flaky. For two months it worked pretty well, then it would "stick" at some ridiculous level (either too high or too low) and then suddenly shift to another level. Did my heart rate really go from 94 to 162 in 10 seconds? Should I call 911? It turned out that the chest strap actually has to be aundered every week or so (I was just hand-washing it vigorously), it has to be tight around your chest, some machines at the gym can interfere with it, it has to be wet enough to conduct the electric pulses from your heart to the transmitter, etc. I ended up buying a second chest strap and some electrode cream with slightly better results but there are still times my heart stops in the middle of a workout. Or at least that's what the monitor says- my heart rate is zero. Unfiortunately, from my research this is a typical issue with heart rate monitors- the best ones all work with chest straps and they're very picky. Here's a very good link on the subject. Ratings on Amazon.com are also useful. www.dcrainmaker.com/2010/04/troubleshooting-your-heart-rate.htmlBut I would be THRILLED to hear from someone who has a heart rate monitor that doesn't give them any trouble. Tell me what it is and I'll buy two of them! To answer your questions- I wear mine only during workouts. I do like the fact that this one works in water so I can use it while swimming. DH uses a Fitbit pedometer, which is far simpler and more relaible, but not very useful for activities such as the stationery bike since it's measuring steps and not heart rate.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 31, 2012 8:54:28 GMT -5
Message deleted by athena53.
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milee
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Post by milee on Dec 31, 2012 9:03:52 GMT -5
I've had both Polar and Garmin. Both worked OK for what I needed and both had some issues. You don't need to wear it any time other than when you exercise and maybe first thing when you wake up but before getting out of bed to see if your HR is elevated (indicates sick or overtraining.) If you really want to increase your running and cardio fitness, there's a good book (no longer in print, but still available since it's a cult favorite called "Heart Monitor Training for the Compleat Idiot" Yes, misspelling intended.) www.amazon.com/Heart-Monitor-Training-Compleat-Idiot/dp/1891369849If you want to PM me, I'll look in the closest and see if I can find my older Polar, which I'd be glad to give you. It's been sitting in the closet for a while since I'm at the point where I like to just enjoy the run and don't really care what my HR is.
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swamp
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Post by swamp on Dec 31, 2012 9:05:20 GMT -5
I find the whole "tracking heart rate" thing to be a distraction from exercise. If I can still talk but can't sing, that's a good enough workout.
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milee
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Post by milee on Dec 31, 2012 9:21:03 GMT -5
I find the whole "tracking heart rate" thing to be a distraction from exercise. If I can still talk but can't sing, that's a good enough workout. Yeah, I got mine when I was training for a marathon and it was very helpful for that. As a newer runner then, I had big problems with pacing myself and without the HRM, I'd go out way too fast and not be able to complete the long runs. The HRM kept me at a level of effort that I could sustain. Very helpful.
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swamp
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Post by swamp on Dec 31, 2012 9:21:59 GMT -5
Since I will never, ever, ever do a long run, I don't have to worry about that. I'm built for comfort, not speed.
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milee
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Post by milee on Dec 31, 2012 9:26:05 GMT -5
Since I will never, ever, ever do a long run, I don't have to worry about that. I'm built for comfort, not speed. Me, too. I can run for a very, very long period of time... it just all happens very, very slowly. IMHO, that's actually an advantage for long runs, though. I was getting into trouble when my competitive nature pushed me to run more quickly than I really should be running. Just seemed like if I wasn't on the edge of death I wasn't working hard enough and it killed me to see anybody running faster than me. Now I understand that's not only not necessary, but counterproductive for most types of exercise. But it took the HRM, some injuries and some research to really get that.
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wvugurl26
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Post by wvugurl26 on Dec 31, 2012 9:28:54 GMT -5
I find the whole "tracking heart rate" thing to be a distraction from exercise. If I can still talk but can't sing, that's a good enough workout. Yeah, I got mine when I was training for a marathon and it was very helpful for that. As a newer runner then, I had big problems with pacing myself and without the HRM, I'd go out way too fast and not be able to complete the long runs. The HRM kept me at a level of effort that I could sustain. Very helpful. I found the 5k training program helpful for building up my endurance. I know some people hate the treadmill but I'm really bad at pacing myself outside. I've also had breathing issues that make running outdoors in the pollution and now cold a problem.
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swamp
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Post by swamp on Dec 31, 2012 9:29:10 GMT -5
See, that's the problem. If I were to do a long run, I want to keep up with those people who were made for running, and I can't.
I'm made for hockey, wrestling, skiing, and powerlifting.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 31, 2012 9:32:47 GMT -5
My running partner wears a heart monitor, so when I run with him I wear mine too. But otherwise I don't wear it. He likes to pace himself off of his heart rate, but I just run where I feel comfortable. he may have a point, though. On long runs, for instance, you are supposed to go slower than your normal pace, so the heart monitor helps with that. But I just don't think I am elite enough for that need.
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tskeeter
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Post by tskeeter on Dec 31, 2012 11:54:05 GMT -5
I used to use a heart rate monitor with a chest strap for indoor training during the winter, back when I was racing bicycles. These were sweat dripping off your nose, high intensity workouts, so having reliable heart rate information was a key element of my training regimen. I learned that the key to maintaining a reliable signal from the sensors was keeping the components clean. The accumulation of salts from dried sweat will cause the eletrical circuits to short and deliver irratic and obviously incorrect readings. Cleaning your heart rate monitor according to the instructions in your owner's manual (I did a quick cleaning after every use and a thorough cleaning every few days) will help keep your heart rate monitor working properly.
By the way, I used a couple of different Polar monitors over the years and found they worked just fine for me.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 31, 2012 13:15:32 GMT -5
Cleaning your heart rate monitor according to the instructions in your owner's manual (I did a quick cleaning after every use and a thorough cleaning every few days) will help keep your heart rate monitor working properly. Yeah, that's definitely part of it. I also had a heck of a time with it Saturday (20 minutes on the bike with my heart rate at zero) and had pretty darn good results yesterday and I think the only difference was that I had it pulled tighter yesterday. There's a definite learning curve.
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Post by BeenThere...DoneThat... on Dec 31, 2012 13:19:33 GMT -5
...fwiw, I don't train to the HRM... but it is useful (especially on race day with the adrenaline going) in that if I push too hard and notice it spike too high, I pull back a bit...
eta ...and I currently use a timex ironman triathlon...
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steph08
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Post by steph08 on Dec 31, 2012 13:33:00 GMT -5
I find the whole "tracking heart rate" thing to be a distraction from exercise. If I can still talk but can't sing, that's a good enough workout. Yeah, I got mine when I was training for a marathon and it was very helpful for that. As a newer runner then, I had big problems with pacing myself and without the HRM, I'd go out way too fast and not be able to complete the long runs. The HRM kept me at a level of effort that I could sustain. Very helpful. Ditto this. I have a Garmin 110 GPS with heart rate monitor. During training runs, I watch my heart rate a lot more than I watch my pace (pace doesn't really matter on long runs). I like to keep my heart rate at a certain level or I know I am working myself too hard.
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goldensam
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Post by goldensam on Dec 31, 2012 17:19:53 GMT -5
This thread is such good timing. FedEx just dropped off the Polar FT60 I ordered from Amazon. It was recommended to me by a friend who is a personal trainer. I am trying to lose some weight and get back into shape and joined MyFitnessPal last week per several recommendations, including Meghan here on YM. A lot of users on there recommended getting a HRM to really get an accurate count of calories burned.
I'm excited to try it. I've found some bad reviews, but the rest were overwhelmingly good.
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steph08
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Post by steph08 on Dec 31, 2012 17:28:13 GMT -5
A lot of users on there recommended getting a HRM to really get an accurate count of calories burned. Great point! Most people and calculators (like myfitnesspal, etc.) assume that you burn 100 calories/mile when running, but using my heart rate monitor, I discovered I only burn around 75 calories/mile on most runs.
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8 Bit WWBG
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Post by 8 Bit WWBG on Jan 1, 2013 22:12:33 GMT -5
...:::"For two months it worked pretty well, then it would "stick" at some ridiculous level...":::...
This has me thinking of that SNL skit from 2000. "Mr Cheney... I think you're dead!" "Why yes, I am!"
...:::"I'm made for hockey, wrestling, skiing, and powerlifting.":::...
I'm strangely attracted by this statement.
...:::"A lot of users on there recommended getting a HRM to really get an accurate count of calories burned.":::...
This is definitely my priority. I'd probably not wear the thing all the time since it would be a nuisance and unfashionable. But I absolutely want to know what I'm burning during a run or use of a machine or something. I've done what I feel are similar workouts on different machines and gotten very disparate information. Knowing for sure would help a lot.
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goldensam
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Post by goldensam on Jan 2, 2013 7:50:57 GMT -5
Agreed. It's a big plastic purple watch, so not very chic However, maybe it will be best in conjunction with something that can track all day activity? I wanted the Fitbit One, but my DF ordered a Misfit Shine for me. It won't be here for a while, but the concept looks cool www.misfitwearables.com
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8 Bit WWBG
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Post by 8 Bit WWBG on Mar 3, 2013 15:24:58 GMT -5
My HRM arrived last week and I got to try it out. I did 3 laps of my normal 1 mile route: a warmup walk lap, a jog lap, and a cool down walk lap. I had also done some stretching and a few mountain climbers and situps. My heart rate was between 130 and 150 for the brisk walking (which includes some hills) and between 175-190 for the jogging portion.
The HRM says that in 54 minutes of exercise, I burned 800 calories.
I really really REALLY want to believe that is true. But since it takes me 45 min to 1 hour of pretty intense elliptical work for the various elliptical machines I use to get into that range, I am very skeptical and a tad disappointed. I don't expect the thing to be accurate to the 100th place, but I'd like it to get a lot closer. I did input my age, sex, and weight.
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milee
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Post by milee on Mar 3, 2013 15:37:26 GMT -5
If your HRM says you burned 800 calories running 3 miles, then I'm guessing you weigh 355? (One of the common measures is that the number of calories burned per mile running is .75 x your weight) So if you're a big guy, good for you for getting out there. If you're a little less than 355, your HRM is maybe not so accurate...
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Post by Deleted on Mar 3, 2013 16:30:42 GMT -5
If your HRM says you burned 800 calories running 3 miles, then I'm guessing you weigh 355? (One of the common measures is that the number of calories burned per mile running is .75 x your weight) So if you're a big guy, good for you for getting out there. If you're a little less than 355, your HRM is maybe not so accurate... Are you sure about that calculation? I weigh 160 and I am sure that I burn much more than 120 calories when I run for an hour. WWBG's heart rate was really high at 175-190 so I could see that he burned through a lot of calories.
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milee
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Post by milee on Mar 3, 2013 16:37:30 GMT -5
Well, it does vary by how fast you run... so maybe?
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susanb
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Post by susanb on Mar 3, 2013 17:27:21 GMT -5
If your HRM says you burned 800 calories running 3 miles, then I'm guessing you weigh 355? (One of the common measures is that the number of calories burned per mile running is .75 x your weight) So if you're a big guy, good for you for getting out there. If you're a little less than 355, your HRM is maybe not so accurate... Are you sure about that calculation? I weigh 160 and I am sure that I burn much more than 120 calories when I run for an hour. WWBG's heart rate was really high at 175-190 so I could see that he burned through a lot of calories. Archie, I took Milee's calculation to be how many calories you burn per mile, not per hour. If you run for an hour and cover six miles, that would be 120*6=720 calories.
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milee
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Post by milee on Mar 3, 2013 17:29:54 GMT -5
It was per mile. So you take that calc and multiply by 3 since WWBG ran 3 miles.
Now, I do know that the per mile calc does vary slightly depending on how fast you run as well.
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8 Bit WWBG
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Post by 8 Bit WWBG on Mar 3, 2013 17:42:07 GMT -5
Heh, no I weigh about 197. I might have lied to the heart rate monitor and bumped it down to 195 when I filled out my data. Yes, I lied to an inanimate object.
I don't think I was clear in how I articulated what I did -- one mile walking (the warmup), one mile jog (nothing too brisk) and the last mile walking (the cool down). So only 1 mile was actually ran. I figured the actual amount was closer to 300 calories burned, putting the HRM at WAY off. Also, I said almost an hour (about 54 minutes) so if it took that long to jog 3 miles, I'm in trouble!
I would like to believe that it is more accurate at reading my heart rate, seeing as I was wearing the chest strap and all.
When I get back into regular routines, I want to burn fat. I know the fat burning zone is lower than the aerobic zone, so perhaps going back to the intervals will be a good way to get what I am trying to accomplish.
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steph08
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Post by steph08 on Mar 3, 2013 17:50:59 GMT -5
My HRM arrived last week and I got to try it out. I did 3 laps of my normal 1 mile route: a warmup walk lap, a jog lap, and a cool down walk lap. I had also done some stretching and a few mountain climbers and situps. My heart rate was between 130 and 150 for the brisk walking (which includes some hills) and between 175-190 for the jogging portion. The HRM says that in 54 minutes of exercise, I burned 800 calories. I really really REALLY want to believe that is true. But since it takes me 45 min to 1 hour of pretty intense elliptical work for the various elliptical machines I use to get into that range, I am very skeptical and a tad disappointed. I don't expect the thing to be accurate to the 100th place, but I'd like it to get a lot closer. I did input my age, sex, and weight. Your heart rate seems awfully high for two walking miles and then a jogging lap. 190 is probably closer to your max heart rate than what it should be for a nice jog. Is your HRM just something you wear on your wrist or does it have a chest strap?
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8 Bit WWBG
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Post by 8 Bit WWBG on Mar 3, 2013 18:34:03 GMT -5
It has the chest strap, which I was indeed wearing. Maybe I have it a tad too tight, I don't know. I wasn't at 190 for the whole time, just trying to give a range. I probably hit the 190 after jogging up the hill. I'll pay more attention next time.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 3, 2013 19:45:04 GMT -5
Does it give you an average heart rate throughout the workout? If you really had a heart rate at 150 while briskly walking, I can see how you would burn through a bunch of calories. Chest strap monitors are known to be problematic in the winter during the first few minutes of wearing them. Static electricity can build up and cause them to show erroneously high results. But that usually stops after a few minutes.
Also, the fat burning zone heart rate is misleading. You do not burn more fat by staying at a lower heart rate during a work out. You burn more by having a higher heart rate, but having too high a rate will cause other problems. You really just want to work out in the heart ate range that is right for you and your body.
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