Heart Rate Monitors

[Firehawk]

Hey guys,

I was thinking about picking up a heart rate monitor to better judge calories burned during workouts. I was thinking of getting one that had the band that goes around your chest, and the watch that goes on your wrist.

Can anyone tell me how accurate these are? Are they more accurate than say a heart rate monitor on a stationary bike or treadmill? Is it worth spending 70-100 bucks for it?

I'm just looking for a better way to judge calorie burning in a workout. Do these monitors base anything off of your body fat % or do they strictly go off of height, weight, age, and heart rate?

I own a Polar F6 heart rate monitor which I really like and have recommended it to others. It allows you to enter various information personal to you such as your age, weight, resting heart rate (can't remember what else) and using that information and your workout session, tells you how many calories you burned and the percentage of those calories that were fat. I pay less attention to that information than to the average and highest heart rate readings it gives me, and the time I spent within a heart rate training zone (for example, 160-170 bpm).

I have noticed that the total calories burned per my heart rate monitor is a heck of alot less than what the treadmill unit reads. This doesn't bother me as, like I said, I am more interested in my average and highest HR readings.

I personally believe you can't go wrong with a good heart rate monitor. They are your silent coach. Being analytical, like me, I think you'd like the information a heart rate monitor would provide you, and that by using it smartly, you'd take your superfitness to the next level.

[LiftGirl]

Originally Posted by pierini

I have noticed that the total calories burned per my heart rate monitor is a heck of alot less than what the treadmill unit reads. This doesn't bother me as, like I said, I am more interested in my average and highest HR readings.

Not to sound like a conspiracy theorist, but I have read that the manufacturers of gym machines like treadmills and ellipticals boost up the calorie count so you'll want to use them more. There might be ten or more machines in a health club all competing for you to use them. The gym will buy more of the popular ones. Boosting the calories burned count might make them more popular.

Kind of like making jeans bigger but still saying they're the same size.

[gymgirl]

Liftgirl, i've heard that too.

Pierini, good info on the polar watch. We recently got a new machinea at our gym some polar body age machine. and we are going ot start carrying the f6 watches as well. glad to know you find it helpful, i've never really been a fan of HR monitors so interesting to learn more about them and others experiences with them.

[Firehawk]

How much is the F6? Does it base any calculations off of your body fat level?

I paid $100 for mine at Sports Authority about 1.5 years ago. Maybe the price has come down a little since then but I don't know.

I don't know how the calculations are made. I don't think it makes it off bodyfat though because I don't recall ever entering that data.

Polar has a website so there may be some answers there. Sorry I can't be of more help.