Polar Heart Rate Monitors

[Karl Kennedy]

Has anyone ever used heart rate monitors?
Does any have a Polar Heart Rate monitor?
Which is the best one for running? Not just laps but testing for speed/sprinting etc

[Tyrones own]

Has anyone ever used heart rate monitors?
Does any have a Polar Heart Rate monitor?
Which is the best one for running? Not just laps but testing for speed/sprinting etc

Garmin products are the way to go!

[imtommygunn]

Garmins the way to go in my view too.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Heart-Monitor-Training-Compleat-Idiot/dp/1891369849/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1321304104&sr=8-1

Great book on heart rate training. I would use it for long runs and tempo runs.

[Karl Kennedy]

Garmins the way to go in my view too.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Heart-Monitor-Training-Compleat-Idiot/dp/1891369849/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1321304104&sr=8-1

Great book on heart rate training. I would use it for long runs and tempo runs.

So GARMIN a lot better than POLAR?
In what way? What are tempo runs?

[mannix]

I have a polar 100 monitor. It's a basic model that I use for keeping heart rates inside certain ranges. It's fine but I am thinking of upgrading to a unit that does heart rate,timing and distance and can be downloaded.  There are a lot on the market, suunta,timex  and garmin seem to be the popular ones and what model depends on the budget. the thing about these units is that you cannot kid yourself, you are either doing the hard training or you aren't.

[imtommygunn]

Tempo = a specific kind of run to improve our 10k / 5k times etc in running. 20 -30 duration at ~ 85 % heart rate,

Polar are probably ok. I have a garmin for the GPS mainly. If you don't use the GPS then maybe a polar as good - I don't know any who have one and know a lot who swear by a garmin but it has GPS which a lot of ones I train with use.

The book has very good theory for heart rate training.

[mc_grens]

I've been doing heart rate training at the most basic level for a couple of months now. Ive found my fitness has gotten dramatically better, a massive difference from when I started, although without perceptive big shifts from session to session. I can just do a little more every time.

However if you compare where I was when I started to where I am now the difference is colossal.

[J70]

I use a Polar FT1. Its a basic model, but I'm only interested in the heart rate function, so I didn't go for any of the other bells and whistles.

[guy crouchback]

i have a polar one and its only Ok from time to time it loses the connection with the strap and you have to stop to get it right again or else  reset the watch.. its the kind of thing that you get what you pay for with.

[Sky Blue Gael]

Got myself a Garmin Forerunner 210 i think it is. It has the HRM and the GPS. Seemed like good value for money compared to all the other prices.

[Denn Forever]

There was a discussion about Watches in December in the Running thread.  I wonder what Santa's opinion is?

http://gaaboard.com/board/index.php?topic=12559.msg1185864;topicseen#msg1185864