I'm looking for a good heart rate monitor to wear while swimming.
I have tried the two that I have here at the house and neither one works in the water. Both are water proof but neither registered the heart rate once they were submerged.
1) Cardiosport chest strap and watch - works great until the chest strap transmitter touched the water, then the watch didn't register the rate. If I stood up and got the strap out of the water it immediately started tracking the heart rate again.
2) MioSensor watch (no chest strap) - works great until it got in the water. Wouldn't ever display the heart rate during the swim and didn't start picking it up again until about a 1/2 hour after the swim.
I've been looking at some Polar models since they advertise they are water proof, but the other two were water resistant and handled the water just fine, just didn't work in the water. I don't want to spend another $200 and have another dryland monitor.
Anyone using anything that registers the heart rate WHILE you're swimming?
Thanks
Former Member
Breaststroke, interesting that you mention companies going in and out of the heart rate monitor business because I don't think Speedo makes that monitor anymore. I looked on speedo.com and several swim equipment sites and I can't find one.
I guess I'll be getting a Polar.
Former Member
The Polar works well under water. I have used three different models of Polar. None leaked. I did try not to push the buttons while very deep.
Also I have a good article on heart rate at my web site, www.breaststroke.info.
Former Member
not trying to sound like a totatl dweeb here, but...
what do you want the heart rate monitor to do that checking your pulse at the end of a rep can't do?
Ive learned a couple of things about heart rate - my maximum, my optimal training, my resting, my waking, and the time to go from maximum (or elevated) heart rate to recovery mode....all this I achieve by counting my cartoid pulse by the pool's pace clock and taking my heart rate upon waking.
Am I missing something by not having a heart rate monitor? I've looked at them in various sports stores; all seem to twitch around the $200 mark. The **free** pace clock seems to work for me, so I beg the question again,
Am I missing anything by not having a heart rate monitor??
I'm with swimlong, what is need of a monitor while swimming? I know some female swimmers might use them while pregnant so as not to overexert and maybe someone with heart issues but other than that, what's the point?
I see all these folks, joggers especially, frantically checking their heart rate. Makes me wonder if they should be jogging to their doctor's office for a checkup if it's that worrisome.
Former Member
I would not call you a totatl dweeb just not correct. There is no way you can get an accurate heart rate using the cartoid pulse by the pool's pace clock at the pool.
No doubt you can be accurate enough in the morning when you wake up, but you are FAR off on "my maximum, my optimal training, and the time to go from maximum (or elevated) heart rate to recovery mode..."
Read my article on hear rate monitors. I had someone like you claim their heart rate was over 200. Using the heart rate monitor with EKG accuracy his rate was 180. For a swimmer in shape your heart rate will decrease 7-10 beats before you even start the cartoid pulse.
swimlong, how old are you and what do you think your heart rates are? Just curious. I have seen many swimmers over 40 that over train. Using less anaerobic training made them much faster.
I use a Speedo heart rate monitor that I think I got from Kast-away. The mode I like best is one that displays the current heart rate and the maximum heart rate that you have achieved (per workout or you can reset it for each set).
I bought the monitor when I went off some heart medications that controlled my heart rate. At first, my heart rate would shoot up and not come back down for several hours. Over a period of time, with long aerobic sets, I could measure my progress and observe how quickly the rate would drop. It is quicker and more accurate than taking it yourself, and you can observe how high it got on a particular swim. Sometimes, by he time you stop, find the pulse, and watch the clock, it has dropped 10 points or more.
I do not use it regularly now but once in awhile I'll check up on myself.
Betsy
Former Member
Accurate heart rate readings can be an excellent feedback tool for technique. Heart rate is a direct indicator of total effort which, when coupled with time for each repeat gives you a direct reading of swimming efficiency. How fast can you swim and not go above XXX heart rate? As you improve swimming skills you will be able to swim faster and faster at submaximal heart rates. A great way to couple endurance training with technique focus is to choose a heart rate that is in your aerobic range but below anaerobic threshold and see how fast a pace you can maintain/repeat without peaking above that heart rate.
Former Member
Swimlong,
I can't take my pulse accurately. I had some very serious surgery in the Spring and it resulted in a couple weeks of ICU and some very painful blood draws from my wrists, every morning. I now have so much scar tissue on my wrists that no one can take it there. As far as carotid I'm a very large man, both heavily muscled and covered in a nice thick layer of insulating blubber. :D So taking the carotid pulse is only slightly easier then trying to get a wrist pulse and wildly inaccurate.
I also completely agree with breaststroke, as rapidly as my heart rate drops I can't get close to an accurate count by the time I stop swimming and try to find it.
I train using a very specific heart zone method, so I need a very accurate way of knowing my heart rate at all times.
Thanks for the heads up on Polar and the Speedo, I didn't even realize Speedo made one.
Former Member
aquageek,
If you are serious about swimming and getting the most from your workouts, the heart rate monitors are the best tool you can buy. If you are trying to loose rate, all your workuts shold be at 50-60% of maximum heart rate.
If you are training to win Nationals, you must do most of your training in the 70-85% range. Many swimmers (older) are training at 90-95% range. Your body will never recover from this and not fully develope. This maximum heart rate range should only be done once a week as it takes 72 hours for the muscles to rebuild.
From 1988-91 I was swimming very fast in practice, but just had poor speed in meets. I started using a heart rate monitor, moved to slower lanes and my 50 time dropped two seconds.
Speedo make a very good heart rate monitor, I have one in addition to my 2 Polars. Other heart rate monitors are out there.
It seems companies go into and out of the heart rate monitor business yearly. Polar will always be there.
Former Member
Thanks for the feedback. I purchased a Polar S210 this afternoon. Tried it in our backyard pool and it works great.
