Heart Rate Monitors and Heart Rate Calculations

[Tatyana]

I just got a new toy, a watch that is also a heart rate monitor.

There is a band you put around your chest, program in a few things into the watch.

It is fairly high tech, not the most high tech (maybe next year when I get more advanced using this technique.

It does tell me how many calories I have burned, and also tracks the progress of my weight loss for me.

A few interesting things I have discovered.

The calories that the cardio machines display are ALWAYS about 200-300 kcals more than my heart rate monitor reads, unless it was one that constantly read heart rate, not one that just has your weight and age.

I burned nearly 600 kcals doing legs, 400 kcals doing chest.

My heart rate was not that high when doing walking on an incline, not that many calories burned for the time.

I think my body has adapted to that workout, so I have recently switched to a x-trainer.


I am also going to figure out what is the optimum range for me for fat burning.

I do think for what I am trying to achieve, trying to do cardio without a heart rate monitor is the same as trying to diet without counting calories or working out my macronutrients, just not going to work as well as I need it to.


This is advanced, for a lot of people it would just be DO SOME CARDIO

Found this, I was hoping for some of the fab input from our advanced trainers on this board.

How to Calculate Your Target Heart Rate



Do you want to get the most out of those 30 minutes on the treadmill, or any kind of cardio exercise? You maximize the benefits of cardiovascular activity when you exercise in the zone of your target heart rate (THR). In general terms, your THR is 60-80% of your maximum heart rate. The Karvonen Method of calculating THR is one of the most effective methods of determining target heart rate because it takes into account resting heart rate. Here's how to find your THR.



Find your resting heart rate as soon as you wake up. You can do this by counting your pulse for one minute while still in bed. You may average your heart rate over three mornings to obtain your average resting heart rate (RHR). Add the three readings together, and divide that number by three to get the RHR. For example,

(76 + 80 + 78) / 3= 78.
Find your maximum heart rate and heart rate reserve.


Subtract your age from 220. This is your maximum heart rate (HRmax). For example, the HRmax for a 24-year-old would be

220 - 24 = 196.
Subtract your RHR from your HRmax. This is your heart rate reserve (HRmaxRESERVE). For example,

HRmaxRESERVE = 196 - 78 = 118.
Calculate the lower limit of your THR. Figure 60% of the HRmaxRESERVE (multiply by 0.6) and add your RHR to the answer. For example,

(118 * 0.6) + 78 = 149.
Calculate the upper limit of your THR. Figure 80% of the HRmaxRESERVE (multiply by 0.8) and add your RHR to the answer. For example,

(118 * 0.8) + 78 = 172.
Divide the values obtained in steps 3 and 4 by the number 6 to obtain your THR in beats per ten seconds. For example,

149 / 6 = 25 (lower limit)

172 / 6 = 29 (upper limit)

 

[EastBeast]

I've had one for about 4-5 years. Awesome. I have to get a new battery for teh chest strap, though. I use mine right now to tell me when it's time to eat (every 2-2 1/2 hours). The HR monitor comes in handy when doing outside activities. Also, many treadmills and other cardio equipment has a receiver built in that will pick up the signal from the strap. Cool!

 

[blondecrazygaij]

The unit you have is prooooobably a POLAR unit, right? The electronic features are VERY robust, but unfortunately every one of their models still requires the chest strap.

Other ones out there are cheaper, and while their electronic features aren't nearly so deep, the advantage those others pose is that they require no chest strap (which you can forget, or whatever).

I used to leave that chest strap everywhere....

 

[Tatyana]

Yes it is the POLAR.

I did pick it up quite cheap, and I do think now for what I want to achieve, not checking how my cardio is going is almost like trying to diet for a competition without counting calories and macros.

I know I have been at that tipping point of body fat where I start to be more ripped, but I do really think that adjusting my cardio as a result of getting a HRM has made a difference.

Great toys, the newest models are really pretty, which is always important as well.

 

[Sasa]

well thanks for that . I knew how to do the highest one not the once after that lol

 

[blondecrazygaij]

When one of the high-end Polar models do away with the chest strap I'll pick one up FOR SURE.

I really enjoy tweaking around with data, and most Polar models permit for quite a bit of that.