Heart Rate Monitor

Thinking of buying a heart rate monitor to encourage maximizing performance. Does anyone have any thoughts on whether or not these are helpful or just another gadget and/or what type to purchase?

The most useful gadget I have ever bought. I have a Polar A5, which tracks calories burned, max heart rate (in % terms) If you are serious about staying in your aerobic zone, get one.

I've used one off and on over the years for running. The idea was to train below the level where you start to break down (or where you deplete your glycogen in technical lingo). In other words we used it to keep from going too fast during regular training (as opposed to speed workouts or races), rather than using it to get us to go faster. The problem for most non-elite athletes is over-training, not under-training. Maybe Tim or Frodo or Stinky Feet can comment from a more elite perspective.

After a while I didn't bother. I guess I had internalized the optimum pace for training. When the battery ran out about 5 years back, I didn't bother replacing it and it sits in some drawer to this day. I can't see much use it would have for hiking.

Buy a GPS or a digital camera instead!

Pb

I use one for bike racing/training but haven't used it for hiking as I don't see the value. If you're a trail runner looking to optimize performance and/or compete, by all means then, yes.

I've had 2 different ones over the years and found them very valuable as a training tool when I raced mt bikes seriously. The first one had target zones which were programmable and I found the sound irritating when I was above or below. It was a good reminder though in a race situation. The second one was very simple and just showed the heart rate. I already knew where I wanted to be so it was sufficient. They are a lot better taskmaster than your own sense of pain and suffering PB had some good points. I found it valuable to keep below the anerobic threshold where your muscles burn all of their fuel too quickly. On my daily commutes it helped me to keep pushing on the climbs when I wanted to take it easy. As PB said, after awhile you can feel how hard an effort is right as you compare it with the numbers. My brother still uses one on all of our hikes and rides and calculates his calorie usage. Last winter we climbed Sawteeth and he burned over 7000 calories on the way. He was barely sweating and I followed in oxygen debt hell wondering how many I burned I'm 48 and last year on a 1 1/2 hour snowshoe trip my heart rate reached 181 on a steep climb. The 220 minus your age formula just doesn't apply sometimes when you're going all out

Mine sits in the closet also!

As a pro cyclist and nationally competitive runner, I found the heart rate monitor was of some use - initially. But soon one learns the training levels and the monitor provides little extra benefit.

As a trail runner, I find that the terrain totally dictates the heart rate. It seems like the money would be better spent on some more useful gear - good shoes, socks, hydration system, energy supplements, even a GPS or altimeter AND gas money!!

If you live near Albany, I'd be happy to lend you my monitor.

Let me know,
Inge

I use mine training for triathlons. It's interesting to see different heart rates for lactate thresholds in running and cycling. But like someone else mentioned, after a while, you get a "feel" for where you are. I can usually get a pretty accurate guess of my heart rate (within 5 beats) just from the perceived rate of effort. I do find it helps while training indoors in the winter on the bike trainer. I do a series of intervals and the comparison of the different sessions after downloading the information helps to see how my fitness is progressing.

I think using a heart rate monitor while hiking would be too distracting, but I do try to maintain my heart rate in the aerobic zone. To maximize your performance, check out some books by Dr. Phil Maffetone for recommendations.

Like others, I have used a heart monitor as a training aid until I, too, got the feel of where the rate was. I have used the monitor on several hikes but really only utilized it to check my heart's recovery time from near maximum back down to a near normal rate. An example of where I would do this is would be after a steady (no stops) crank up South Hancock's steep trail and when I got to the top, see how long it took to decrease and level off. Other than that, it now occupies a spot in the top dresser drawer.

JohnL

Ok I have to ask ...would they tell you if your heart was beating erratically ??
There are times I still wonder.......

My advice would be to get a cheap one (second hand from previous posters maybe!) try it out and see how you like it. I used one for 10 years, was totally addicted. Mine has lots of bells and whistles that I don't use. Now, when running I can predict what my monitor will read to within 2 HB's as I'm sure the others here can do.
In races I used it to prevent myself from slowing down but havn't raced in a while. So now I mainly use it as a stopwatch with a lap timer.
I've used it hiking but that's kind of useless IMHO.

To Ellen:

I'm on a heart rate limit after a couple of "incidents" and use the monitor to take a look at the heart rate during exercise at home. I'm pretty sure your internal monitoring will tell you when you are going too har don the trail.