Heart Rate monitor (Read 1012 times)

I use the HRM w/ the Garmin 305 and love it. There are various theories about how to train w/ one... most involve finding your max heart rate and then targeting a certain percentage of your max during training. I have used it mainly as a tool to guage my effort on any particular run and keep my pace in check during long runs.

I now use my Garmin's HRM, but prior to that I used Timex's Ironman HRM's. I liked it because the wrist piece looks just like a regular Timex Ironman watch so I could wear it while not training and it didn't look dorky like some of the Polars do. But I have owned a Polar in the past and the work well too. Here is a link to the Timex HRM I would recommend. http://www.heartratemonitorsusa.com/Pages/TIMEX/5C401-hrm.html

Inexpensive Polar is fine if you just want to look at it and see HR. Combined with a simple Timex Ironman watch you can get times for intervals, recovery, etc, but it's not combined with the HRM, so you would have to remember or record or whatever yourself (kind of a pain.) The higher-end Polars (like 625x) have really fine software for analysis, graphing, displaying, etc. With hundreds or thousands of workouts/races downloaded to your computer (PC, XP or earlier OS...) there's a lot of comparison and tracking you can do on that history. Other Polar users I've talked to have been very satisfied with reliability. FWIW the 625x has an "inertia-activated" footpod which can be added for speed recording. Needs to be calibrated but is apparently pretty accurate, and some say it works for different paces fine once it's set up (I dunno, haven't used one myself.) I don't know anything about Garmins, but one triathlete told me they (some models?) could have trouble with water. I'm told the Polars are ok with water (but never tried it.) Check all that out first if you want to swim with your HRM. I don't think you should be pushing any buttons underwater unless the manufacturer says that's ok (good place for water leaks?)

I love my Polar 710i... been going strong for 7-8 years now. I'm on my third Garmin in 14 months. Not so happy with Garmin. I'm just a study of one though, your results may vary - Chris

I had the opposite experience - went through 2 polars and now am happy with the Garmin 305.

I can't run without it. When I start, I can't go more than 165 bpm or i'll hit a wall. I gradually up my speed once I'm warmed up then I'm fine.