RunningAHEAD - Topic: stupid chest-strap question (Garmin heart-rate monitor)

RacingSlug

Speediest Slug There Is!

posted: 9/21/2008 at 11:01 PM
modified: 9/21/2008 at 11:02 PM

I just bought a Garmin 305 (!!!! Big grin

) with a chest-strap heart rate monitor. This is going to sound really n00b, but I have no idea how to wear a chest-strap monitor. I'm female. It says to put it ''under the breast plate.'' I'm assuming this means underneath my boobs? Is it supposed to fit under the lower strap of my sports bra or what? I have a rather large chest, therefore a rather heavy duty sports bra. I'm not sure if it's supposed to be underneath or over-the-top. Does anyone have a photo or something of a girl wearing the strap? Thanks, Christy

Fall seven times, stand up eight.
Goals:
*Complete a 5K (no walking)
Tortoise and Hare 5K, 42:05, 13:35 pace PR
*Weigh 160 lbs 5 to go!!!
*15 mpw base

Ennay

A Saucy Wench

posted: 9/21/2008 at 11:14 PM

It wont work over the top of your sports bra - it has to contact your skin. I found that placing it UNDER the sport bra band gave the best HRM performance, but increased pinching and chafing and decreased bra performance. I put it directly below the band but with large boobs also I had troubles with it slipping out of place alot. Hence my purchase of a 205 when my 301 died. good luck.

I have become Death, the destroyer of electronic gadgets

"When I got too tired to run anymore I just pretended I wasnt tired and kept running anyway" - dd, age 7

BadDawg

posted: 9/22/2008 at 7:38 AM

Quote from RacingSlug on 9/21/2008 at 11:01 PM:

Does anyone have a photo or something of a girl wearing the strap?

Now this is a post to start the week off right, send your emails with attachments to...

E.J.
Greater Lowell Road Runners
Cry havoc and let slip the dawgs of war!

May the road rise to meet you, may the wind be always at your back, may the sun shine warm upon your SPF30, may the rains fall soft upon your sweat-wicking hat, and until you hit the finish line may The Flying Spaghetti Monster hold you in the hollow of His Noodly Appendage.

zoom-zoom

rectumdamnnearkilledem

posted: 9/22/2008 at 7:56 AM

Quote from Ennay on 9/21/2008 at 11:14 PM:

It wont work over the top of your sports bra - it has to contact your skin. I found that placing it UNDER the sport bra band gave the best HRM performance, but increased pinching and chafing and decreased bra performance. I put it directly below the band but with large boobs also I had troubles with it slipping out of place alot. Hence my purchase of a 205 when my 301 died. good luck.

This is why I have had my 305 for almost a year and have yet to use the HRM. My bra has underwires, so I'm not sure where I'd put the band that wouldn't leave the wires just hangin' there and make the bra ineffective...which means no running, which renders the HRM pretty useless. Tongue

Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.

~ Sarah Kay

dgb2n

Dave

posted: 9/22/2008 at 8:06 AM

I've heard of people wearing the sensors in the back and then routing the straps on top in the front. Might work. At least worth trying. Don't they make a sports bra with the sensor built in?

I ran a mile and I liked it, liked it, liked it.

dgb2n@yahoo.com

zoom-zoom

rectumdamnnearkilledem

posted: 9/22/2008 at 8:09 AM

Quote from dgb2n on 9/22/2008 at 8:06 AM:

Don't they make a sports bra with the sensor built in?

Polar does, but it's for "little" girls. Apparently they don't care to market anything to women over a B or C cup. Roll eyes

Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.

~ Sarah Kay

JennerVT

posted: 9/22/2008 at 8:13 AM

I've always had good luck putting the strap under the lower strap of my sports bra, I've never had a problem with chafing or anything that way...even the sports bras I have with underwires have that bottom thick strap to hold the girls in, I just tuck it right under there.

2009 Goals:
PR 5K (Ha, current 43:10)
Run a 10K
Meet Seasonal Weight Loss Challenges
Complete my first Sprint Tri

happybarb

Cellcom 2012

posted: 9/22/2008 at 12:13 PM

Polar sells a sports bra made for chest straps.......... http://www.amazon.com/Polar-Heart-Bra/dp/B000GK61L6 I just wear mine under the lower edge of my underwire bra ( I don't wear sports bras.)

RunCheffyRun

posted: 9/22/2008 at 2:13 PM

RacingSlug, You should join us in the Ladies Locker Room! Zoom? Email Zoomie for information.... You would fit in nicely with us crazy ladies! Smile

Life Goal- Stay Cancer Free, Live my Best Life

" Choose Joy, Today and ALWAYS"

Phidippides

posted: 9/22/2008 at 3:13 PM

Quote from RacingSlug on 9/21/2008 at 11:01 PM:

Does anyone have a photo or something of a girl wearing the strap?

Where are the photos???? Evil grin

Champions are made when no one is watching

backstretch

posted: 9/22/2008 at 10:52 PM

Quote from Phidippides on 9/22/2008 at 3:13 PM:

Where are the photos????

I too am waiting........ upload to photobucket. If not sure how to upload pics, I'll explain it. Big grin

"The drops of rain make a hole in the stone, not by violence, but by oft falling." - Lucretius

KathyRunning

posted: 9/23/2008 at 2:33 PM

No photos here, but I typically wear mine with the front half just under the band of my sports bra, and the back half below the band of my sports bra. I've also worn it just below all around, but sometimes lost contact. One odd tip I read here, it works better when contact is wet, i.e. sweaty. However, I don't typically start my runs all sweaty. A quick lick of your finger, then a swipe across the contacts and voila, better contact and readings from your Garmin. Oh, and some strange looks from passersby if you do it just before your run. Blush

http://www.runningnotes.net

celiacChris

3Days4Cure

posted: 9/23/2008 at 10:18 PM

Quote from zoom-zoom on 9/22/2008 at 8:09 AM:

Polar does, but it's for "little" girls. Apparently they don't care to market anything to women over a B or C cup.

Which is pretty stupid, if you think of it. "Little" girls can get away running it under the front of the bra and screwing with the support factor. I don't ever run with my HRM, too much of a pain. When I do other workouts, I put it on below my bra (physically on my body, not under the material), but have to keep sliding it up as it tries to fall. Annoying, yes, but the best I've come up with. I only use it periodically to check in on my fitness level and typical calorie burn doing certain activities, and then estimate it for a few months.

Chris
PRs: 27:26 5k/ 49:52 5mi/ 58:17 10k/ 2:09:24 half/ 5:13:17 Full

Post-Bipolar PRs: 38:35 5k/ 1:09:34 8k/ 1:09:39 5mi/ 1:33:03 10k/ 3:20:40 Half

2022 Goals

Back to 10k

hathorne

posted: 9/26/2008 at 12:09 AM

Quote from JennerVT on 9/22/2008 at 8:13 AM:

I've always had good luck putting the strap under the lower strap of my sports bra, I've never had a problem with chafing or anything that way...even the sports bras I have with underwires have that bottom thick strap to hold the girls in, I just tuck it right under there.

Yeah, I just tuck mine under the bottom band of my bra, and it works fine. I don't wear underwire bras for running though, just super restrictive normal-style sports bras. (And I'm fairly well endowed, for what it's worth.)

galberras

fear the Col Sanders

posted: 9/28/2008 at 11:57 AM
modified: 9/28/2008 at 11:58 AM

Quote from KathyRunning on 9/23/2008 at 2:33 PM:

No photos here, but I typically wear mine with the front half just under the band of my sports bra, and the back half below the band of my sports bra. I've also worn it just below all around, but sometimes lost contact. One odd tip I read here, it works better when contact is wet, i.e. sweaty. However, I don't typically start my runs all sweaty. A quick lick of your finger, then a swipe across the contacts and voila, better contact and readings from your Garmin. Oh, and some strange looks from passersby if you do it just before your run.

Just as an FYI, spit really isn't that great of a conductor for the HR monitor. Whenever I do it, I get all sorts of crazy, inaccurate readings. I now put a little liquid soap on each of the sensors and I am good to go. It sounds crazy but try it out! I can't take credit for this idea. It was Jesse (Formation Flier) over on the Low Heart Rate group: http://www.runningahead.com/groups/LOWHRTR/Forum/1475a9caca4547128e0d6e3a6abaded4

Just because I look dumb doesn't mean I'm not...

stupid chest-strap question (Garmin heart-rate monitor) (Read 12943 times)