Polar Heart Monitor

FueledByAisling

I'm considering getting a FT4 for my birthday in the next few weeks, although €80 seems a bit extreme! It would be nice knowing if I'm pushing myself too little or too much and whether I'm burning fat or carbs.

Do you have one or know of anyone who does? Please share me your thoughts!

Stench Blossoms

FueledByAisling wrote: »

I'm considering getting a FT4 for my birthday in the next few weeks, although €80 seems a bit extreme! It would be nice knowing if I'm pushing myself too little or too much and whether I'm burning fat or carbs.

Do you have one or know of anyone who does? Please share me your thoughts!

The Polar's are good and so are Garmins.

I'm not sure about this 'fat burning zone' malarkey though and never use my HRM for it.

Someone else might be able to dive a bit more into it.

gymfreak

I've always found the Polar HR monitors to be very good and I'd recommend them. I was using a Polar FT4f before I lost it I currently have a FT40f which I really like.

Polar makes lots of different models to suit differing needs..you most certainly can get one for cheaper than 80euro.

Check out this website :

http://www.fitnessdigital.ie/showProducts.jsp?cc=54&cm=3&mftxt=Polar

It appears that the model you quoted is 69euro here

Kite Runner

I have an ft4 and find it ok. It is a basic model. I dont put too much store by its calorie expenditure reading tbh.good for recording data, basic zone setting, if you do not want to invalidate the warranty, battery replacement can be expensive as has to be done by an authorised dealer, about 17euro for waterproofing. I also have 2 cheapo ones from aldi and lidl and find them just as reliable and offering nearly as much functionality at a quarter of the price. I run, cycle and row and have used them in all settings. I do like the more comfortable strap on the ft 4, but thats a personal choice. You need to be clear what you want a hrm for, zones, tempo, fartlek, intervals etc. If it is just to get a sense of how you are working and recovery and you havent used them before, buy a cheapo and then go for a higher end garmin or polar etc when you are familiar with them. Hope this helps.

FueledByAisling

gymfreak wrote: »

I've always found the Polar HR monitors to be very good and I'd recommend them. I was using a Polar FT4f before I lost it I currently have a FT40f which I really like.

Polar makes lots of different models to suit differing needs..you most certainly can get one for cheaper than 80euro.

Check out this website :

http://www.fitnessdigital.ie/showProducts.jsp?cc=54&cm=3&mftxt=Polar

It appears that the model you quoted is 69euro here

thank you for that link

FueledByAisling

Kite Runner wrote: »

I have an ft4 and find it ok. It is a basic model. I dont put too much store by its calorie expenditure reading tbh.good for recording data, basic zone setting, if you do not want to invalidate the warranty, battery replacement can be expensive as has to be done by an authorised dealer, about 17euro for waterproofing. I also have 2 cheapo ones from aldi and lidl and find them just as reliable and offering nearly as much functionality at a quarter of the price. I run, cycle and row and have used them in all settings. I do like the more comfortable strap on the ft 4, but thats a personal choice. You need to be clear what you want a hrm for, zones, tempo, fartlek, intervals etc. If it is just to get a sense of how you are working and recovery and you havent used them before, buy a cheapo and then go for a higher end garmin or polar etc when you are familiar with them. Hope this helps.

What makes you doubt the calorie burning accuracy?

Hanley

FueledByAisling wrote: »

What makes you doubt the calorie burning accuracy?

They seem VERY high

Ryder

FueledByAisling wrote: »

What makes you doubt the calorie burning accuracy?

calorie count is based on HR elevation and weight. The weight is inaccurate because it depends on your percentage body fat - muscle is metabolically active, fat largely isn't
Your heart rate elevation is an indicator of training load, but a loose one. Elevation can depend on lots of factors, not just the amount of work you do......dividing the count by glad or 2/3 might be a letter indicator.

Assuming your weight is static, the calorie count is a good indictor of the amount of work you e done in a session so that you van compare yourself week over week

Kite Runner

FueledByAisling wrote: »

What makes you doubt the calorie burning accuracy?

As hanley says, they seem generous, what I should have said was, the perceived calorie expenditure is based on the stats you enter, which is age, height, weight. I assume that this then is derived from the mhr formula of 220 -age = mhr. There are far more experienced posters here than I who can expand on this , but this is a very generic calculation and a lot more variables can come into play during a session (training not drinking) which impact the intensity and perceived effort. (I.e intervals, tabata, crossfit)I accept it for what it is a broad indicator, but its not a weightwatching tracking tool and thats a potential downfall if you focus on perceived calorie used. I use iphone apps when on a run or cycle and both will also give indicated calorie used. There ia an avg difference of up to 20% in readings, who is to say the gps based apps are no less accurate. Thats what I meant, its just complete accuracy for calorie s used is difficult,
Maybe read transforms website, www.dominicmunelly.ie for more info, or others can suggest some other sources.

JimmyCrackCorn

I use a Heart Rate Monitor while running and it allows me to control how hard I'm pushing myself.

For running its epic I know where to hold my heart rate and when to back it off. I also know if I'm not pushing hard enough so I cant lie to myself.

I bought a Wahoo fitness HRM that i use with my iphone. Since I had an Iphone it made the most sense as opposed to buying another standalone unit.

heybaby

FueledByAisling wrote: »

I'm considering getting a FT4 for my birthday in the next few weeks, although €80 seems a bit extreme! It would be nice knowing if I'm pushing myself too little or too much and whether I'm burning fat or carbs.

Do you have one or know of anyone who does? Please share me your thoughts!

Polar are very good, the most important piece of advice I could offer would be to purchase one of its models that allows you to change the battery yourself. I have the FT 7 model , it costs about 115 euro, which is more expensive than the FT4 but, with the FT4 you cant change the battery yourself, which means sending the watch back to polar to have the battery replaced. With a previous model I attempted to have the battery replaced by jewellers around town but none would guarantee the watch would still be waterproof after the battery was changed, a total nuisance and really a waste of money unless ur happy to send the watch abroad. Bypass all of that and opt for something like the FT7 and its a simple battery change when needs be.

tommyombomb

A bit off topic but I know someone who wore one of those heart monitors during a session(drinking, not gym) by accident and the results were shocking the following day. Their heart rate was through the roof at the later end of the night

Mellor

What do you call "through the roof". A moderate raise should be expected afaik.

Alcohol relaxes blood vessels, whichs lowers blood pressure. The heart then pumps faster and more blood goes to organs and skin. Raising body temp.

FueledByAisling

heybaby wrote: »

Polar are very good, the most important piece of advice I could offer would be to purchase one of its models that allows you to change the battery yourself. I have the FT 7 model , it costs about 115 euro, which is more expensive than the FT4 but, with the FT4 you cant change the battery yourself, which means sending the watch back to polar to have the battery replaced. With a previous model I attempted to have the battery replaced by jewellers around town but none would guarantee the watch would still be waterproof after the battery was changed, a total nuisance and really a waste of money unless ur happy to send the watch abroad. Bypass all of that and opt for something like the FT7 and its a simple battery change when needs be.

How much is a battery change?

heybaby

Five euro

heybaby

tommyombomb wrote: »

A bit off topic but I know someone who wore one of those heart monitors during a session(drinking, not gym) by accident and the results were shocking the following day. Their heart rate was through the roof at the later end of the night

Certainly the following day both blood pressure and heart rate will be elevated.

Hedgecutter

Got the T31 polar for my stairmaster. Used it for the first time tonight. Heart rate would go from 77 to 177 and back down. Gave an average of 101, I'd 40 minutes of fairly hard training mostly same pace. I'm I wearing it wrong, it strips to my chest.
Thought heart rate would stay up once I got going.

breadmonkey

Could anyone link to a reliable source for how to actually use a heart rate monitor? i.e. how to interpret its output to help with your training?

Thanks

Hedgecutter

breadmonkey wrote: »

Could anyone link to a reliable source for how to actually use a heart rate monitor? i.e. how to interpret its output to help with your training?

Thanks

Would be a great help. I was confused with my readings.