Heart rate monitors

[Carol_is_fit]

never mind

[Tarheels]

Hey, Carol,

Can you set your heartrate monitor to figure your aerobic range based on your resting heart rate? That'll be a more accurate representation of how many calories you are burning. I can virtually guarantee you are in way better shape than most women who share your age/basic heart rate formula. :)

If you are interested in Aerobic Base Building, check out that thread I stickied above that has info provided by Heidi and Corridors from the old forum.

[Firm Believer]

A couple of tips: use the Karvonian method to calculate your target zone, you can find this online easily.

You will need your resting heart rate - to get an accurate read, wear your strap to bed and check it first thing in the am before you even roll over. :p

Now here's a really hot tip: your HRM is all set to set up its own zone, so once you have your zone, find out what age that according to the 220 minus age formula. Then enter *that* age into your HRM and presto! it will be accurate. For example, I am 45 but my training zone is the same as a 40 year old. I entered 40 and it automatically figures my training zone accurately.

Have fun - I wish I'd broken down and bought one years ago. It has made a big difference in my training.

[materialsgirl]

If you want really accurate HRM data, you can do a stress test to determine your actual maximum heart rate. Unlike your resting HR, which is determined mostly by your fitness level, your max HR is genetically determined and does not change with your level of fitness (although it does change with age). The Karvonen Formula may get you reasonably close. But some people have really high max HRs, some people have low ones, and some people fit the Karvonen Formula to a tee. I am pretty sure my Max HR is actually quite a bit higher than what the formula tells me, so one of these days I'm going to suck it up and do a stress test to find my actual max. I just have to work up enough guts to do it (they say you'll feel like throwing up when you approach your max HR - sounds lovely!)

I have a Polar F11, I've had it for a couple of weeks and I'm still figuring this thing out. :P It's a fun gadget to use though. I LOVE looking down at my wrist after a workout and seeing *** calories burned. It gives me a sense of accomplishment. And over time, I hope to see a reduction in my avg HR for the same workout - ie, if my avg HR for Fast Cheetah is 139 today - maybe in a couple of months I can get it down to 132. It will be fun to chart my improvements. :)