Heart Rate Monitors

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Peter Jones
I have been told to get a good heart rate monitor, but
first, are they worth getting ? I mean I know when I am
pushing myself, Do I need a monitor to tell me that ?

What is the benifit of one ? And are they easy to use and
set up ? And finally, whats a good one and what should I
pay. Thank you all.

HRMs give you an idea of how hard you are working on the
way to achieving your particular goals. E.g. you can work at
a certain pace for longer if you don't go too hard too early - the
HRM helps you control the tempo as it indicates your intensity.
Possibly more importantly, they let you control your intensity when you are recovering. E.g. you need recovery rides in
between hard efforts. Failing to recover properly, by working
too hard, will reduce the training benefit you are trying to get.
You might know when you are pushing yourself, but you don't
always know how hard, unless you've been training for a while.
They are also a funky piece of kit you can play with 🙂
I like Polar HRMs. I have a rather expensive S710 unit, but they
make much cheaper ones (A and M series?).

What are you trying to achieve with one?
Why were you told to get a good HRM? Are you training for something specific? Lose weight, racing, weight-lifting?

hippy

"Peter Jones" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

I have been told to get a good heart rate monitor, but
first, are they

worth

Quoted message said:

getting ? I mean I know when I am pushing myself, Do I
need a monitor to tell me

that

Quoted message said:

?

What is the benifit of one ? And are they easy to use and
set up ? And finally, whats a good one and what should I
pay. Thank you all.

I got a Polar combined bike/hrm the other day. It is
great. Lets you know how hard you are really working on
the bike. Also gives you an idea of what your resting
heart rate is and how fit you are. I am fairly new to all
this but I am really happy I spent the money. I got it off
www.scalesgalore.com and was really happy with their
service. Landed an S150 cost me about $195 and the best my
LBS could do one for was $295. Most places had them at
around the $320 mark. I love the internet with the aussie
dollar at the moment. They are pretty to use and setup.
Just put the bike bits on like any bike computer and put
the chest strap on like some sort of wierd man bra and
away you go.

Fraser

I gotta s710 (2nd hand off mate) and only really starting to get the hang of it.

It certainly does help you ease up on longer rides and not be tempted to go too hard. Its been interesting recently seeing my HR lower as i lose weight/get fitter

I havent got the software tho which is a real pain. Must reset my Altitude reading as currently Beach Rd is -27m!!!
(now that's wet!)

"Peter Jones" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

I have been told to get a good heart rate monitor, but
first, are they

worth

Quoted message said:

getting ? I mean I know when I am pushing myself, Do I
need a monitor to tell me

that

Quoted message said:

?

Nup (o: However, a HR monitor will tell you allow you to
know which training zone you're in. Depending on how
serious/pedantic you are about your training this may or may
not be of any use. HR monitors provide excelling information
about your HR. Training HR is often used as an approximation
for your training zones. This information, like any
information, is only any good if you're going to do
something, or make a conscious decision to continue doing
something, based on that information. For example - if
you're riding along, and you find your HR is 120, and your
training diary had this down as a u1 ride, are you going to
go harder in an effort to get your HR into the right
training zone? If not, then what's the point of knowing.

otoh - a HR monitor may make exercise more enjoyable because
of the added interest factor. As I say to my wife, anything
that makes exercise enjoyable is a good thing (tm).

Quoted message said:

What is the benifit of one ? And are they easy to use and
set up ?

yep, pretty painless on the whole. Obviously the more
advanced features you want to use, the more you'll need to
know. But the basic "what is my HR" is a piece of cake.

Quoted message said:

And finally, whats a good one and what should I pay.

Polar are the benchmark brand, and depending on what you're
after prices vary greatly. I wouldn't have a clue what they
cost thesedays.

cheers dim

if youre undecided you get get a feel with a cheapie at DickSmith or i think Hitchy mentioned a cheapy on Spencer St a week or so back...

sometimes its amazing how much you can enjoy just riding and turning the HRM over (so you cant see it) and just go by feel.
Less depressing up hills too :-P

They are good for finding your maximum heartrate. From this
you can work out your training rates as a percentage of
max.heart rate etc. I found my maximum heart rate was way
above that predicted by several of the "formulas" in
training books (for my age) . I don't use mine any more as I
have found, after wearing one for a while, you can judge
your heart rate approximately by how you feel. bristan

"Peter Jones" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

I have been told to get a good heart rate monitor, but
first, are they

worth

Quoted message said:

getting ? I mean I know when I am pushing myself, Do I
need a monitor to tell me

that

Quoted message said:

?

What is the benifit of one ? And are they easy to use and
set up ? And finally, whats a good one and what should I
pay. Thank you all.

Peter Jones said:

I have been told to get a good heart rate monitor, but
first, are they worth getting ? I mean I know when I am
pushing myself, Do I need a monitor to tell me that ?

What is the benifit of one ? And are they easy to use and
set up ? And finally, whats a good one and what should I
pay. Thank you all.

I bought a 520 recently with the cadence sensor, shipping
and exchange rate, cost $395 which is a bargain. The web
site is heartratemonitor.bizhosting.comheartratemonitor.bizhosting.comOpen ↗ a friend
also ordered from there with no problems (we are in Perth
BTW).

I like having cadence, speed and HR all visible at one time
when riding, it gives a good view of how you are pushing.
Also when you hang back in the bunch you can wait for the HR
to drop before jumping out again.

davidp.

--
David Pascoe, [email hidden], Western Australia

When u r training what should u be aiming to do with thr
monitor......... What exercises should u do as the book
that comes with it does not say much of the application
to training

BG

"Peter Jones" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

I have been told to get a good heart rate monitor, but
first, are they

worth

Quoted message said:

getting ?

Not really

Quoted message said:

I mean I know when I am pushing myself, Do I need a
monitor to tell me

that

Quoted message said:

?

No. listen to your body

Quoted message said:

What is the benifit of one ?

It tells you your pulse.

Quoted message said:

And are they easy to use and set up ?

Strap it on

Quoted message said:

And finally, whats a good one and what should I pay.

If you really want one pay as little as possible, but polar
make the best ones.

Quoted message said:

Thank you all.

Heart rate monitors started being fashionable about 10-12
years ago as it was the only device that could give any
feedback about how hard you are working. It was found that
heart rate almost followed power at low intensities.

The problems with using this as gospel are there is a time
lag between effort and heart rate (eg when climbing a short
hill your heart rate will peak after the effort has eased),
or if you are tired your heart rate will be lower for a
given effort, or if you are dehydrated your heart rate will
be lower for a given effort, or the amount of cooling you
are getting affects heart rate (especially on an indoor
trainer) or the position you are sitting in affects heart
rate (mine varies 6 beats per minute if I ride on bar tops
compared to drops while at a constant power) or if you ride
hard for a few days in a row your heart rate will be lower
for a given power.

Peter

"Peter Vesel" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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[snip]

Quoted message said:

or if you are tired your heart rate will be lower for a
given effort, or if you are dehydrated your heart rate
will be lower for a given effort,

really? lower? I have absolutely nothing to back this up
with, but I would have been pretty confident saying the
reverse was true. where'd you get this info from?

cheers dim

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I have been told to get a good heart rate monitor, but
first, are they

worth

Quoted message said:

getting ?

Not really

Quoted message said:

I mean I know when I am pushing myself, Do I need a
monitor to tell me

that

Quoted message said:

?

No. listen to your body

Um... isn't that what a heart rate monitor does..?

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Peter Jones
I have been told to get a good heart rate monitor, but
first, are they worth getting ? I mean I know when I am
pushing myself, Do I need a monitor to tell me that ?

What is the benifit of one ? And are they easy to use and
set up ? And finally, whats a good one and what should I
pay. Thank you all.

I started using a Polar HRM last year, and I think it's worth every penny. Given that I already had cyclocomputers that gave me the info I needed, I opted for one with HRM features only. What guys are saying above about it's value in training is valid. I do not race, and hence, I don't have an intensive training program. However, I use the combination of HRM and computer info to monitor my progress. I also use HR and cadence values for maximising my efficiency and minimising possible damage. In a simple comparison, I keep an eye on these values during a ride as I do for the tachometer while driving.

Any driver may question the value of having a tachometer. The answer goes back to individual's perception of driving. I beleive the same argument is involved in HRM, cyclocomputers and riding.

I hope it helped.

Cheers,
Amir.

Quoted message said:

Originally posted by Dmitri Colebatc

Quoted message said:

"Peter Vesel" <[email hidden]> wrote:
or if you are tired your heart rate will be lower for a
given effort, or if you are dehydrated your heart rate
will be lower for a given effort,

really? lower? I have absolutely nothing to back this up
with, but I would have been pretty confident saying the
reverse was true. where'd you get this info from?

I have always used the advice that 'if your resting HR is
elevated, say more than 10bpm, you are not recovered
from the last session'.
I used to measure my resting HR (RHR) every morning to
watch for this - don't bother now.
I've also heard that, if your RHR is suddenly lower than
usual, you might be heading for a cold or virus or similar.

hippy

Quoted post said:

I have always used the advice that 'if your resting HR is
elevated, say more than 10bpm, you are not recovered
from the last session'.
I used to measure my resting HR (RHR) every morning to
watch for this - don't bother now.
I've also heard that, if your RHR is suddenly lower than
usual, you might be heading for a cold or virus or similar.

hippy [/B]

when you say RHR in the morning, are you talking as you lie bleary-eyed in bed kinda morning or just AM?

as for the last sentence, i have this nagging doubt that Im coming down with something; hasnt reared its head yet but that's just my superior aerian genes at work :-)

DF
feeling flat, changeing down...

Quoted message said:

Originally posted by flyingdutch
when you say RHR in the morning, are you talking as
you lie bleary-eyed in bed kinda morning or just AM?

As soon as you wake up. But I have also heard that you
should wake, lie still and measure it a little later.

Quoted message said:

as for the last sentence, i have this nagging doubt that Im >coming down with something; hasnt reared its head yet but >that's just my superior aerian genes at work :-)

Not sure about this, I've never noticed it myself, it was
something I was told.

hippy
- leaving tomorrow :-)

"Dmitri Colebatch" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

"Peter Vesel" <[email hidden]> wrote in
message news:N89ac.131158$Wa.57181@news-
server.bigpond.net.au...

[snip]

Quoted message said:

or if you are tired your heart rate will be lower for a
given effort, or if you are dehydrated your heart rate
will be lower for a given

effort,

Quoted message said:

really? lower? I have absolutely nothing to back this up
with, but I

would

Quoted message said:

have been pretty confident saying the reverse was true.
where'd you get this info from?

cheers dim

My personal experience is if I'm dehydrated my pulse won't
get very high. The point is it changes wrt the power
output, and the power output or effort is what you are
trying to measure.

Professor Andy Coggan wrote this which is a good read
midweekclub.comcoggan.pdfOpen ↗

(no he doesn't sell powermeters)

and see also

midweekclub.compowerFAQ.htmOpen ↗ is a good starting
point with plenty of links then
topica.comwattageOpen ↗ for more information.

Peter

"hippy" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Originally posted by flyingdutch when you say RHR in the
morning, are you talking as you lie bleary-eyed in bed
kinda morning or just AM?

As soon as you wake up. But I have also heard that you
should wake, lie still and measure it a little later.

Quoted message said:

as for the last sentence, i have this nagging doubt that
Im >coming down with something; hasnt reared its head yet
but >that's just my superior aerian genes at work :-)

Not sure about this, I've never noticed it myself, it was
something I was told.

hippy
- leaving tomorrow :-)

I used to look at morning pulse as well but found some of
the days my pulse was elevated and I even felt pretty rough
once I got out on the bike I was actually riding better than
when I felt great.

Conversly I've had days where I felt great but got dropped
on the first hill

Peter

"blah" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I have been told to get a good heart rate monitor, but
first, are they

worth

Quoted message said:

getting ?

Not really

Quoted message said:

I mean I know when I am pushing myself, Do I need a
monitor to tell me

that

Quoted message said:

?

No. listen to your body

Um... isn't that what a heart rate monitor does..?

No. I tells you how fast your heart is beating

No. listen to your body

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Um... isn't that what a heart rate monitor does..?

No. I tells you how fast your heart is beating

Touche. Well done.