Holy Cucuzzella, thanks a million!!

A little clarification . . .

As I said in my first post about running that 2 miler at a 6:48 pace with a HR of 148, I didn't start checking my pulse until the moment I finished, so my heart rate may have slowed some during the 30 seconds I checked it (then I multiplied by 2). The temperature was pristine and the humidity level was very low that day. I've since purchased the TOMTOM cardio runner, a great great tool (no strap, the HRM is built into the wrist unit, see my review on it in the product review forum). Southern Illinois is often as humid as Louisiana, very very humid. When the humidity is high I can't go much faster than a 9:30-10:00 minute mile without it going over 150BPM. When the temp is cooler and the humidity is low it my HR seems to hang in the lower to mid 150s while I'm moving at a sub 7 minute mile pace. I've been a runner since I was in junior high, though I have run in pain for the last +10 years. Not so much now!!!! I figure that helps my HR some. Plus I run in merino wool products which have superior thermoregulatory properties (even better than not wearing a shirt) and are very light weight. I figure that, to a small degree, helps too. My resting rate is 48-55 (see my article on heart rate in the blogs section).
 
The no-strap hrm sounds appealing to me, though I really like how my new one interfaces with my phone which I now use for everything (gps, hrm, music, and well a phone too if needed). But it has a sensor that while it is small, its focused on one area instead of spread out on the strap like my last one and its still big enough that it bounces a little. When I sweat it allows it to slide up and down more and rubs the skin.
 
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The no-strap hrm sounds appealing to me, though I really like how my new one interfaces with my phone which I now use for everything (gps, hrm, music, and well a phone too if needed). But it has a sensor that while it is small, its focused on one area instead of spread out on the strap like my last one and its still big enough that it bounces a little. When I sweat it allows it to slide up and down more and rubs the skin.


The TOMTOM interfaces with cell phones too. It does all that you listed and has the comfort of any other watch. I love it!
 
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Sounded great so I just checked it out, and wow thats expensive. Dont need the gps and all that, is there any HRM that goes on your wrist without all the other stuff? Would be nice option if I didnt already have the smartphone and gps though.
 
The heart rate monitor technology is made by Mio. I think they use it in the Mio Alpha wrist heart rate monitor. Though expensive, not having the weight or inconvenience of the smart phone is nice. It's a lot of technology crammed into a small thing.
 
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a chest strap is the better option. closer to the heart so it's more accurate. i had to take blood pressure last term on right and left arm. i didn't want to because i've never been to a doc that did. your right arm bp is slightly less than your left. nott too much to be very significant but if you want more accuracy over lots of miles than use a chest strap.

how else can you run shirtless aand get a nice bra tann line? :p
 
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a chest strap is the better option. closer to the heart so it's more accurate. i had to take blood pressure last term on right and left arm. i didn't want to because i've never been to a doc that did. your right arm bp is slightly less than your left. nott too much to be very significant but if you want more accuracy over lots of miles than use a chest strap.

how else can you run shirtless aand get a nice bra tann line? :p


If you say so. Accuracy lies in the sensitivity of the equipment, not where it is located on the body. A slightly loose strap can cause a lot of artifact and bad readings. Both work equally well, though, one doesn't stink, stretch out or chaff -- at least that is my take on it. If you want to check the accuracy of your monitor check your pulse manually while it is reading too. It should match up!
The human body is so dynamic you can have higher and lower BPs in either arm varying from minute to minute. One of the only times you consistently get a lower BP in one arm or the other is if the artery leading to that appendage is stenosed with calcium or something. Some people may have steal syndrome too, but that is uncommon. BP has little to do with how the monitor reads your pulse.
 
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a chest strap is the better option. closer to the heart so it's more accurate. i had to take blood pressure last term on right and left arm. i didn't want to because i've never been to a doc that did. your right arm bp is slightly less than your left. nott too much to be very significant but if you want more accuracy over lots of miles than use a chest strap.

We're not talking about blood pressure, and your pulse is going to be the same throughout your body. Those optical heart rate sensors (I forget the exact term) are very accurate, used in hospitals alot too I think (usually clips over the finger tip). I downloaded an app for that on my phone and just placing my finger tip on the camera its very accurate too, but the problem with the phone app is if you move hardly at all it doesnt work, has to be very still. So doesnt work while running, but good for measuring resting heart rate when your sitting at work or something. It even graphs out your pulses just like a cardiograph.

Now I can't vouch for the accuracy of the Tomtom but at $300 I would hope it works well.

I think we went off to a tangent. :confused:
 
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you guys are completely missing the point. you get an awesome bra strap tan line! jeez.
 
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