Power Meters

[Ajax Bay]

You're the one saying that "there are reports" so much better placed to say what you're talking about. HRMs can be inaccurate, but you need to link that inaccuracy with 'increases danger'. I hope your medical condition stabilises or improves. Thankfully the majority of the population do not have to suffer "regular hospital appointments" nor expend NHS resources 'testing HRMs'. I hope if you were 'starting to exercise' and were content with your health you'd just get out there and do so, wearing an HRM or not. And if a person has problems, it'd be sensible to seek advice from their GP, but not otherwise.

 

[Kevin Alexander]

I think GPs have better things to do than checking the accuracy of heart monitors.

By all means, if you are unfit or have health problems get checked out by the doctor to make sure it is safe to start a program of vigorous exercise.

While heart monitors may not be 100% accurate, your main use will be for comparison purposes over time and maybe to make sure you stay within limits on individual rides.

I didnt mean go to GP purely for a comparsion, I was meaning go to your GP to discuss your HR and exercise and use that as an opportunity to compare.

 

[Ajax Bay]

If people went to their GP "to discuss your HR and exercise" how would sick people who NEED to see their GP get an appointment? Give them a better chance! I (and others) have already said you can check any HRM by just taking your pulse as normal, by hand and correlating the result.

 

[Kevin Alexander]

You're the one saying that "there are reports" so much better placed to say what you're talking about. HRMs can be inaccurate, but you need to link that inaccuracy with 'increases danger'. I hope your medical condition stabilises or improves. Thankfully the majority of the population do not have to suffer "regular hospital appointments" nor expend NHS resources 'testing HRMs'. I hope if you were 'starting to exercise' and were content with your health you'd just get out there and do so, wearing an HRM or not. And if a person has problems, it'd be sensible to seek advice from their GP, but not otherwise.

As stated in an earlier reply - I am not saying to to your GP to test your HRM, I am saying to to your GP to seek advice on exervise and get your HR checked and then Compare.

Being a Diabetic I go to the hospital and doctors for blood checks and check ups and part of these checks is my HR and blood pressure.

http://www.cnbc.com/2016/05/23/study-shows-fitbit-trackers-highly-inaccurate.html

http://support.polar.com/en/support/FAQs/Abnormal_Heart_Rate_Readings_During_Exercise

https://runnersconnect.net/coach-corner/why-i-dont-recommend-training-by-heart-rate/

Here are three out of the thousands available on the internet.

I cant provide links for items I have read in publications

 

[Kevin Alexander]

If people went to their GP "to discuss your HR and exercise" how would sick people who NEED to see their GP get an appointment? Give them a better chance! I (and others) have already said you can check any HRM by just taking your pulse as normal, by hand and correlating the result.

What like all the people who waste appointments with bumps and bruises and imaginative illnesses..........

I would rather go and seek advice if I felt it would put my mind at ease and I dont know if the OP has any underlying conditions so was offering advice, this is entirely up to the OP and readers to take or ignore.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Some relevant NHS advice is For most people, cycling is a safe and effective form of exercise. If you have any health concerns or an existing medical problem, see your GP before you start.
http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/getting-started-guides/Pages/getting-started-cycling.aspx

 

[Kevin Alexander]

Some relevant NHS advice is For most people, cycling is a safe and effective form of exercise. If you have any health concerns or an existing medical problem, see your GP before you start.
http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/getting-started-guides/Pages/getting-started-cycling.aspx

Haha was just about to copy that link.

 

[jefmcg]

Perfectly reasonable and sensible for people to check with their GP before starting on a higher level or rate of physical exercise, but that's peripheral to the use of an HRM

I've always liked the obverse of this, as generally being sedentary is more dangerous than the risks exertion. "Please consult your GP before deciding not to exercise"

If your doctor has prescribed HR monitored exercise, then checking that you have a reliable HRM is essential. But for the rest of us, I think we can use perceived exertion to make sure we aren't overdoing it. A simple test for being in the "aerobic zone" was that you have enough breath to talk but not to sing. If you are gasping for air, and couldn't hold a conversation then you are exercising anaerobically, and should pull back unless you mean to working that hard, whatever your HRM says.

 

[Kevin Alexander]

I've always liked the obverse of this, as generally being sedentary is more dangerous than the risks exertion. "Please consult your GP before deciding not to exercise"

If your doctor has prescribed HR monitored exercise, then checking that you have a reliable HRM is essential. But for the rest of us, I think we can use perceived exertion to make sure we aren't overdoing it. A simple test for being in the "aerobic zone" was that you have enough breath to talk but not to sing. If you are gasping for air, and couldn't hold a conversation then you are exercising anaerobically, and should pull back unless you mean to working that hard, whatever your HRM says.

I think as long as you don't have injuries or health concerns you should be able to self assess but if you do I would advise a gp appointment..

 

[jefmcg]

http://support.polar.com/en/support/FAQs/Abnormal_Heart_Rate_Readings_During_Exercise

This kind of indicates that there is no value in testing your HRM in doctor's office. Almost every reason that it could be wrong is something that happens in use, not in a "laboratory" environment. eg your HRM could pass every test with flying colours in the office, then fail a week later because it moves out of position when you run, or the battery gives out.

I didnt mean go to GP purely for a comparsion, I was meaning go to your GP to discuss your HR and exercise and use that as an opportunity to compare.

I love my GP, but I would guess he knows nothing about HR and exercise.

 

[jefmcg]

I remember years ago wearing a HRM during a skating/rollerblading* "fun run". My HR hovered around 200bpm for the whole distance. That was actually higher than my estimated max (age based). I checked it by counting my pulse, and it wasn't a fault, I really was a that level. But I was well in the aerobic zone, as I could still easily talk. So I learnt that my max HR was way above average for my age/gender. Apparently your maximum can vary depending on the exercise, and I doubt any of the estimates were based on rollerblading.

I don't think HRM are a perfect tool, but it's a way to get some numbers to play with, adding interest to exercise for a lot less than any other gadget after you have a computer/GPS. And finding your resting HR has dropped is a nice indicator that your exercise program is improving your health.

*it was the 1990s. Don't judge me

 

[Tin Pot]

I always ignore my GP.............that's the secret of our 29 years of marriage.

You really should be informing your wife when your GP tells you the results were positive. For shame!

 

[Dogtrousers]

*it was the 1990s. Don't judge me

Were you wearing legwarmers?

Or was that the 80s?

 

[Tin Pot]

Thanks everyone for the help. I think you're all right. I had planned to get a HRT anyway so went ahead and got a Tickr and going to use the extra money to upgrade my Vilano. Hoping to get the boyfriend into riding with me.

HRM is the right way forward, I still haven't gone to a power meter and I'm at the more "serious" end of the cycling scale.

Somewhere amongst Ajax and Kevin's tiff is a few things worth knowing;

1. wrist based HRMs are notoriously less reliable than chest strap ones, so don't go chasing a high heart rate.

2. Max heart rates vary significantly between people and not only due to fitness and age, some people just have faster or slower heart rates.

3. There are many, many ways to calculate heart rate zones, many people will disagree with me here, but unless you are training for races I would only be concerned about your aerobic zone.

4. If you are embarking on a significantly taxing exercise regime, I dunno like say an ironman event , or if you have a condition of concern, then by all means consult your GP first. Otherwise get out there and enjoy the sunshine.

 

[Tin Pot]

I should add that my wife is a GP.

That's even worse - her colleagues know and she doesn't!