Garmin HRM-Swim - Heart Rate Monitor Strap

Product Information

The HRM-Pro + is essentially the same as the HRM Pro, but there's one big design difference that makes it the top Garmin chest strap to own right now. Electrical heart-rate sensors, found most commonly in chest strap heart-rate monitors, can detect electrical currents produced by your heart, somewhat similarly to what is done at the doctor's office with an ECG. These are considered the most accurate heart-rate readings because the electrical sensor can handle measuring your heart rate even during vigorous activity. This can be especially useful when they are either training alone or with less experienced swimmers. This waterproof heart rate monitor can store up to 20 hours of heart rate data during swims and then transmits data wirelessly to a compatible device at the end of the session. It also sends real-time heart rate and interval summaries to the watch. It has a user-replaceable CR2032 battery with a life of about 18 months or 235 hours.

For example: During a warm-up, the target training heart rate could be set at 50 percent of the maximum. We’ve found it very accurate in both optical and electrical modes and it even works effectively on your wrist in water. It has a rechargeable battery that’s good for up to six months of use per charge. There’s internal storage for 36-hours of workouts and both ANT+ and Bluetooth connectivity – and the hardware is just the start. You can use the accompanying app to motivate yourself via the MyZone MEP (MyZone Effort Points) system and there are even free online classes to join via the app so you can use it to get fit at home if you can’t face paying for the gym.A lot of people don’t get on with chest strap heart monitors, finding them uncomfortable and a bit of a faff. Not to mention the fact that putting a cold strap on your chest is a chills-inducing experience you might not relish the thought of before each training session.

The Polar OH1+ Optical Heart Rate Sensor is our runaway favorite. It can be used on the chest or arm, but most importantly, it can be clipped to your swim goggles so that you can focus on your technique unimpeded by a strap or watch. Although chest belts are the most accurate and responsive way of monitoring your heart rate, there are times when you’d rather not be wearing one and a wrist or arm-mounted monitor makes more sense. That’s exactly what the MZ-Switch offers and has both optical and electrical heart rate monitoring circuitry so you can choose how to use it: clip it to the belt when the utmost in accuracy is required and pop it off and into either the wrist or arm mount when you’d rather go casual. Heart rate monitors (HRMs) can be immensely beneficial if you know how to use the information they collect. Exercise has dramatically different effects on the body depending on how high you push your heart rate and for how long. Training intelligently means using heart rate data to guide your workouts. Sometimes you might want to keep your heart rate relatively low to burn fat or pace yourself for a longer workout, but other times you might want to push it higher to build stamina. Another reason to own an HRM is to keep an eye on your resting heart rate with a device that can automatically record it for you. Read the manufacturer’s instructions: Before starting, carefully read the instructions provided by the manufacturer. This will ensure that you understand how to properly use and set up your specific heart rate monitor. Swimming coaches will usually set the target training heart rate at the beginning of each set, which can vary depending on the length and intensity of the training set.The Verity Sense is an upgrade on Polar’s previous armband, the OH1. It offers a longer battery life at 20 hours (vs 12 on the OH1), and is waterproof to 50m as opposed to 30m. It also has more internal memory for storing workouts, and three modes you can switch between, with LEDs on the device showing which one you’re in. The first mode is for when you want to connect it to a watch or phone, the second is to record a workout on the Verity Sense itself, and the third is a swimming mode, during which you can strap it to your goggles. Wrist-strapped devices use optical heart rate sensors. Best Waterproof Heart Rate Monitors for Swimmers Key specs – Connectivity: Bluetooth and ANT+; Battery life: 12 months; Battery type: CR2032; Suitable for swimming: No A swimmer’s maximum heart rate is the maximum number of beats their heart could reach during training.

Zone 2 – Aerobic Zone: This zone corresponds to 60-70% of your maximum heart rate. It is a comfortable effort level that allows for longer, sustained swims. Training in this zone helps improve your aerobic capacity and endurance.

Polar is one of the most successful manufacturers in the sports world, and their H10 Heart Rate Monitor is one of their most iconic products. As is consistent with their products, the H10 features top-notch materials and provides the latest in technology, all with an affordable price tag. It has a convenient change-yourself battery, which is super convenient – no more sending the whole watch away to get the battery changed! The battery life is up to 7 days in smartwatch mode, 13 hours in GPS and optical heart rate (ohr) mode, and 72 hours in the pool and optical heart rate mode. They can also be flummoxed by the movement of the wrist during exercises - ones such as press-ups, burpees, or Olympic lifting, as the skin contracts and tightens, making it harder for the sensor to do its job.