Just wanting to know wether people use them and wether you find them useful and worthwhile
Ta
Dave

I use one, but not all the time. It's useful because:

1. You have an objective measure of how hard you're working which combined with a structured programme means you can train more effectively.

2. It gives you a reasonable indication of whether you're overtraining or going down with something.

3. If you're a serious geek you can transfer all your records to computer and analyse them in a way which is utterly beyond my comprehension.

4. Professional advice best when drawing up a programme - friend of mine is a coach, he drew one up for me. Basic idea is that by doing sessions at heart rate bands, you can train all the basic bits of overall fitness separately and more efficiently. You can do something similar with perceived exertion, but a HRM is more concrete / less subjective.

5. Some people use them religiously, but that does my head in. It's nice to get out and just run or bike wihtout worrying about how hard your heart's working.

6. You don't really need a top end one with loads of interval and recovery settings. Something like a basic Polar is fine for most people - elapsed time and current heart rate plus ability to set a training zone with alarms when you are either over or under. The Nike ones look nice, but seem really badly thought out.

When I first started using a HRM I was shocked at how some of my 'easy' runs were actually quite hard. Explained quite a few things about recovery.

For very basic, low level, stamina training just running at a pace where you can talk easily is a good guideline and threshold pace is that nasty bit just before you go anaerobic and start panting like a dog...

It's all interesting stuff, but persoanally I think that they are a bit of a serious investment for a bit of running about.

Running you say...

Pulsmeter feature on my Storm Shield step counter that I bought from Millets is wildly inaccurate.

Like to buy an HRM but nothing expensive!
Anyone tried £20 Timex or similar models under, say £50?

If youre too tired to talk you are either walking to fast or putting to much effort in either way slow down ,take it easy ,the top will still be there even if it takes an extra half hour to get to it.

I use a HRM for cycling and in the gym. As Jon said, their good for finding out if you're overdoing it which I found I was doing quite often. Even though I haven't been for a proper sports test, it is a really useful guide. I've got a polar one but i don't really use any of the advanced features so a basic one would probably be fine.

The main use of a HRM is to give an objective indication of effort during training and exercise. As other people have said perceived effort rate does not always relate to actual effort.

Training programmes usually consist of hard days and easier days. There is a tendency not to train hard enough on hard days and to train too hard on easy days. The HRM works like an individual coach advising when effort needs to be increased or decreased.

For people just running, cycling, walking etc. to keep fit there is probably no real need for a HRM but it can be a good motivational tool. HRMs are far more useful for competitive athletes on a structured training programme.

"The Heart Rate Monitor Book - Sally Edwards And Sally Reed" is quite a good read.

For anyone interested in buying one, This company http://www.gaiamdirect.co.uk/content/productlist.aspx?cID=291 has some very big reductions on Polar (looks like they have lost or given up the UK franchise). I got my Polar F5 for £28:00 (RRP £64:00) recently, but now only £25:00 - postage free!
Most models similarly reduced.

Great find!
Thanks Sean :-)

At these prices, no reason why I shouldn't be an HRM geek too!

I used to use one on the bike.

Partly as it was fun to have one more bit of data, but partly as I was training at the time for a triathlon and for a while did try to follow a reasonably structured approach of trying to stick within certain bands etc for certain sessions.

But, a few years ago the battery ran out and I never got round to replacing it. Now I don't really miss it !

Unless you are up there in the elite athlete region (whether it be running, cycling, rowing or whatever) they are fairly pointless. Unless you get proper lactate testing done beforehand you'll never really be able to train properly based on heart rate.

They are however an excellent indicator of the onset of illness.

I used to use one when I was fast. Nowadays there's no point. A calendar is more useful than a stopwatch

I'd agree with the consensus here - if you REALLY take your training seriously and use them with a genuine understanding of what you're trying to achieve and how that relates to your heart rate, they're a good tool, particularly when they tell you to take it a bit easier.
If, on the other hand, you're exercising for fun or for general fitness, the 'talk test' is a darn sight cheaper and tells you all you really need to know.
(BTW, Decathlon stores sell cheap own-brand HRMs)

Aaaagh! Went into Tchibo today and they have a HRM for £10.00. OK, the wristwatch part didn't look as good as my Polar (does any digital 'watch' look good anyway?), but it seemed to have all the standard functionality of mine.

christ this is old thread. FWIW my experience is similar to Ken above, I bought one a few years back (Polar) and used it regularly for a while, then the battery ran out in both receiver and watch and have never got round to replacing them (got to send back to Polar, though it's possible to get decent model from Decathlon for the same cost as sending back the Polar)

That was a few years back and I haven't really missed it.

Got one from Kellogs for 9.99, just needed a couple of packet tops.

Polar has started their own sales, marketing, distribution, customer service and repair functions in the UK. So, Gaiam Direct is getting rid off stock at huge discounts to RRP.

Only Polar can change the battery and they charge £15. Phew! Talk about milking the captive market.

Charge is pitched high enough not only to maximise their profits but also to increase customer's heart rate and blood pressure!

Don't worry about changing the battery in the wrist unit - it's only 4 screws and an 'O' ring and presumably takes a standard watch battery. The transmitter is a different matter, being sealed for life, but this company http://www.ccsports-online.co.uk/polar-transmitter-belt-p-539.html claim it will last for 6+ years if used 7 hrs per week (but the replacement is very expensive). After 6 years, throw it all away and buy a complete new HRM.

Gaiam send it promptly via 'special delivery' and I got it this morning. Used for about 3 hours of walking, climbing on the South Downs with some jogging in between. Even after the novelty wears off, the alarms that go off when outside the HR zones will be useful.

An interesting feature is computation of individualised programs based on fitness test, resting heart rate, heart rate variability, gender, body weight, height and level of phisical activity.

But could not get the 'fitness test' to work despite carefully reading instructions and repeated attempts. Will have to give tech support a call on Monday, who are now at Polar Electro on 01926 310330.

Yup, battery replacement should be easy. Battery type is CR 2032 on mine (F11). Transmitter use CR 2025.

I’ve come to this a bit late but here are my brief thoughts. I don't train that seriously anymore but am convinced a heart rate monitor is an invaluable aid to someone who takes their physical activities seriously. In my case, predominately running and cycling.

Jon – serious geek alert – I’m afraid I really enjoy graphing the results and it is particularly useful if you have a regular circuit. You can clearly see your progress (or otherwise) over a period of time. No greater feeling than breaking a personal best and then finding out your heart did it with less effort than before.

With experience it can give you early warning of illness or over-training and that helps prevent injury. Injury equals abject misery for me, so I’ve no regrets about having bought one and it’s done me sterling service.