Other/Mixed Which heart rate chest strap to buy and what software to use?

[slnm]

There are a bunch of folks here who are monitoring their heart rates while training. I see from some of the training journals that some are recording their heart rate at, for example, the beginning and end of every round. That seems tedious to do with just a simple heart rate monitor that can't transmit data to any app. What combination of chest strap transmitter and PC or Mac apps works well for tracking and reporting?

Al Ciampa and I have discussed my doing his Serious Endurance program. I'll be doing 10 one-hand swings at the top of every minute and then resting until the next minute. I'd like to not have to think about recording any data during workouts. Ideally, some app would beep at the top of every minute so I know to start the next round and, after the workout is over, I can review the logged data and record my heart rate at the beginning and end of every round. It would be fantastic to have graphs that I can copy/paste into a doc to review progress over time.

I had placed an order for the Polar FT4 then realized that it doesn't do Bluetooth or ANT+ so I would have to be making notes while working out. So, I cancelled that order before Amazon shipped it.

Thoughts?

Thanks.
Sol

 

[Anna C]

Sol,

I'm with you on that, I love not having to record anything during the session, and it's also good to have more data to look at later. And I can't see how one can even get a meaningful number counting the pulse at a time when it's changing over 10 bpm over the course of 15 seconds.

So just a couple of inputs here... any Garmin device can upload to GarminConnect to give you data such as this: Garmin Connect (scroll down to HR graph, and can zoom in using zoom feature at top right). Polar seems to have a similar software or app that I've seen folks use in the A+A forum, but I'm not familiar with it.

 

[Statia]

Hi Sol,

The Polar H7 heart monitor is very popular. I have one and I can attest that it's a good piece of kit. It's bluetooth 4.0. I don't know what ANT+ is, so I don't know about that. Polar have their own IOS and Android app for monitoring your workouts which you can also view via their website. I use it and it does everything I need. As for timing your intervals, there are literally tonnes of apps out there to do that for you, gymboss type apps.

 

[ali]

Whatever you choose to buy the great benefit of a monitor is to use it to teach you. To learn about you and let it teach you the quantitative measurement of heart rate relative to the qualitative data of your breath and how you feel. That's how I use it and used it for s&s. Try not to be its slave, use the info and apply. There are many others things you can do with them of course. I'm very low tech with the tech, just a watch and strap but all things considered, and from others' recommendations, the polar h7 Bluetooth with all the apps is a pretty good option to use for other stuff, ie snatches, as the watch needs to be removed and for all the hrv monitoring should you want to delve into that. OTOH, a watch wins for running, I would think, if you run that is. And if you do, you can set parameters for maf running. You probably can do that with the h7 but I don't know personally. As for removing the strap when snatching, I just check in with it pick it up and look, no big deal. The whole process of using a monitor has really helped me get to grips with my demons, as in the beginning what I thought of my hr relationship to breathing was not at all similar to what the monitor was telling me. It was a worthwhile investment certainly. That said, if money is tight and it's a monitor v a new kettlebell and you go for the monitor then it is not such a good choice!

 

[slnm]

Thank you, everyone, for your input. I've looked at the Garmin offerings and at the Polar H7 and I just ordered an H7.