HRM review
The heart rate monitor was an unmitigated failure. Sure, it looks hot, but the dang thing doesn't read my heart rate. Pissed me off this morning and I couldn't even forget about it because every time I looked at my watch I'd see the HR reading telling me that my heart rate was either 00 or around 46. My max heart rate for the (sprint) workout: 60. Lame. Then I got even more pissed off because I was pissed off about something as stupid and inconsequential as a heart rate monitor. Something is wrong when what should be a sweet workout is a bad ski. Argh.
Then a rainstorm started and somehow that put me in a good mood today. So if anyone knows a good way to fix this problem let me know. Otherwise there will be a very nice very new HRM on the market next week. (Obviously I have tried getting the strap wet-- water, spit, sweat, tears, nothing worked.)
I don't even want to try to take it on our 2-3hr OD run tomorrow. Possibly knowing my HR is not even worth probably being frustrated by my brand new watch not working.
Then a rainstorm started and somehow that put me in a good mood today. So if anyone knows a good way to fix this problem let me know. Otherwise there will be a very nice very new HRM on the market next week. (Obviously I have tried getting the strap wet-- water, spit, sweat, tears, nothing worked.)
I don't even want to try to take it on our 2-3hr OD run tomorrow. Possibly knowing my HR is not even worth probably being frustrated by my brand new watch not working.
posted by LAV at 13:27
6 Comments:
Sounds like you need to wet your strap more. Sometimes water just dosn't cut it, lick your finger and wipe it off on the reader-parts of your strap, this usualy works better than just water. You can also buy special transmission jelly (the same stuff they use on EKG's, but cheaper) from running stores, and places like that. Another thought is maybe the HRM sat on a shelf for a while before it was purchased, and the battery could be kinda bad. Any jewler has the battery and can replace it in under ten minutes.
Clearly, you are a vampire.
My dad applied his expertise to HRM straps and gave me an idea to try on today's run, I'll let you know if it works.
I have had the same problem with heart rate moniters...I've tried the gel, water, wearing it upside-down and backwards (a suggestion from Polar) and it always flat lines at about 170 (or sometimes will just read 40). I had other people try it and it worked fine on them, then I tried someone elses and had the same problem. The only answer I ended up getting was that they just don't work on some people. Now I just train by feel but it is frustrating..you can't really concentrate on a workout when you have this thing telling you you aren't going hard enough:)
Try tightening the strap a bit laura.
Then uh, wet your shirt a bit. Synthetic materials can create a bit of static which interferes with HRM transmission. They can also act somewhat like an electrical Faraday cage.
I might have to go with anon's hypothesis that HRMs just don't work for some people & I might be one of those people (not with the other anon's suggestion that I'm a vampire).
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