No wonder it's a bit of a loss when deciding which heart rate monitor to buy – there are literally hundreds of styles, each of the different features and sports applications that enter the entry level on-board computer, the basic requirements for monitoring the performance of world class athletes.
What is your heart rate monitor that will be used?
When assessing a pacemaker, it is imperative to think beyond the most obvious factor and consider the goals of sport and probably a year later . There is nothing worse than setting up a $ 50 monitor, which is a basic feature of jogging in the neighborhood. You just find that you can not monitor the more complex things you want to do voluntarily and you want to know within six months.
A good starting point is to ask yourself the following questions:
- What sport (s) will you use for your monitor?
- Want to see the workout on a wrist monitor, device screen, or computer screen? Is this likely to change over time?
- Do you need basic, moderate or complex data on training performance?
- Do you have to track distance and / or speed?
- You will pay attention to the distance to a fixed area, e.g. Will you be on a treadmill, standing on a bicycle, track or velodrom, or on the road / open country / water?
- Do you need to continuously monitor your performance continuously or at intervals during training?
- Want to pay attention to workout performance over time?
- Do you have to collect your training data for analysis or forward to a trainer?
- Do you need the monitor to double up an outdoor navigation device that includes functions such as altimeters, compasses and barometers? It is possible to buy a monitor that is capable of being able to consider one of these investments, buy additional accessories, when and when you need them.
Chest Strap v. Shoulderless Heart Rate Monitors
Is the simplest decision you need to take when selecting which heart rate monitor best suits your needs will be chest strap or chest strap?
chest pulse monitor
is the most commonly used heart rate monitor. The heart rate sensor detects the heart rate and sends wireless data to the monitor via wireless technology. Precise ECG will provide continuous pulse monitoring through a session. They are available in both analogue and digital format (the digital signal is stronger). Wear wearing means that your monitor will keep you informed about what your heart is doing.
- Some models can be used to connect to the gym, so information from the chest strap can be transmitted wirelessly to the treadmill, stepper or standing bicycle for viewing on the screen.
- Chest heart rate testers maintain a good relationship between the electrodes on the strap and the user's chest. Some activities, such as swimming, prevent this constant binding, and as a result, the heart rate can be read.
- Analog chest straps are prone to "crosstalk" interference when used by other users in the immediate vicinity, meaning they may interfere with signaling if others use HRMs at a distance of 3ft / 1m for example in a gym or during a tournament. There is less risk that this will happen to encoded transmissions.
- While most HRMs are waterproof from 20 to 100 meters, this only means that water is not damaged. They can not be used to further measure heart rate during swimming because water interferes with the transmission of analogue radio waves.
- If you need to constantly monitor your performance under water, consider purchasing Suunto Smartbelt that can store and transmit accurate reading of training without using a wrist monitor for use with your Suunto software.
- goals for fat burning, cardio-vascular and endurance. More sophisticated monitors have multiple target zones.
- Heart Rate Zone Alarm – Indicates a higher or lower targeting zone.
Unlocked Monitors
Provides readability when placing your finger on the sensors. For accurate reading, avoid the cheaper motion / optical monitor that only reads the blood pump, but on a calibrated monitor that captures the heart rate ECG value of your fingers, watch, and chest.
Shoulderless monitors do not provide permanent reading so they can not be used to collect accurate data from the entire workout. It is possible to purchase dual mode monitors that are used in both strap and shoulder mode.