HRM frustration-is that me, my big boobs or am I just cursed?

This summer I decided to splurge 145$ on a higher-end Polar. Had to return it to Amazon because, with all the bells and whistles, it didn't do the one thing that a HRM is supposed to do-monitor your HR. So I decided to go with a basic model. Having had bad experiences with Polar basic model I decide to go for a moderately priced basic Timex.

Guess what. It does not work. It worked properly maybe twice in three weeks (I exercise almost every day). Today it failed to pick any signal for about 15'. Then it got stuck at 48bmp, as I was pedaling away on my stationary bike (between moderate and vigorous, which would be between 140 and 150bpm). I mean, it can't be that my heart just stopped beating for 15', can it? what am I, a zombie?

I have been using HRM for years. I know I am supposed to soak the chest strap, etc. Now I have a question: is there a HRM out there that WORKS? I am asking for something that will pick up my heart rate *at the time*, not fifteen minutes later, and that will not quit in the middle of a workout, and that will not get stuck at 48bpm while I am trying to do intervals. I am incredibly frustrated. I am trying to practice with HIIT, and I do need a reliable heart rate monitor. I do have big breasts, which may be the problem, but the old Polar that quit on me last year never had these kind of issues.I mean, I can't be the only big breasted woman out there who exercises and who wears a HRM. You ladies C and above, do you have the same experience?

I don't want to spend money for fancy schmancy features that I would not use anyway. Worse, I don't want to spend money for fancy schmancy stuff that doesn't perform the basic function of a HRM. I just wants that measures my stupid heart rate. Is that too much to ask from a heart rate monitor? Apparently yes.

Thanks for letting me vent.

Sorry the HRM stuff is one fiasco after another! The pulse (heart rate) is something you want there (kinda important to register being alive) but it's actually the blood pressure (BP) that gives a better sense of the efficiency of the whole cardiac system. And to be really exact, the VO2 max and the speed of return to resting heart rate is what gives the best read on the fitness and resiliency.

I don't bother with HRMs -- they are all over the map. Some studies show that people exercise more consistently and at their optimal rates when they use their self-assessment of whether they are working out at a moderate or hard level.

You could try going with self-assessment and then just taking your wrist pulse immediately after you complete the workout just to see if the more intuitive approach meets your goals of working out at an optimal rate? Sorry I can't offer much more than that.

Sorry for barging in as a male, but knowing my wife's physique and my own HRM, it may be a contact problem.  Given the location that I wear mine, I can imagine that it would be difficult for my wife to wear it in a similar location and maintain placement because of her bust size, which was why she wanted to find one that would give an instant read without a chest strap.

Unfortunately, it seems that the only models without the chest strap are the 5-15 second delay pulse counters (the "stop what you're doing and put your fingers on the metal contacts for 10 seconds" type)

I have a polar T31 and I noticed this was happening as well. It seems like when the wrist band is arms length away for a period of time mine does this so i keep an eye on it and the booklet says to hold the wrist watch up to the chest strap. I also believe what crimson says, causes a problem when exercising our chest may cover up the chest strap causing there to not be a reading.

What happens is that it only picks up a signal when you start sweating, and then, it may pick up the signal from one side not the other until they both get wet.  You can short change this by wetting the sensor yourself, or by using HRM cream you can buy on the internet to help the contacts pick up right away.

Well, at least now I know that I am not crazy or cursed, but simply that HRM companies cannot make a reliable one-for women, at least. The self-assessment and my bike's meters (rpm, speed) are what I have been using when the HRM dies on me--which, by the way, is not helped by keeping it less than an inch from the strap-you can do it on a stationary bike. So it doesn't seem to be only an issue of, er, boobs: it just seems that this things do. not. work. Sigh.

I'm curious as to how the boobs might be interfering?  Unless they hang over the strap enough to interfere with the signal? 

I usually put my HRM strap on just below where my sports bra strap is.  I have not had any interference from my boobs.  I use a Polat and the only problem I've had with it over the last 6 months or so is that 2 times it has put my MHR at something like 225.

Since I'm pretty sure my max is in the low 180s (highest *all* other workouts is 181) I'm pretty sure those were flukes. 

Some sports bras come with inserts to hold the monitor part of a polar HRM, that could be an option. And yep, you absolutely need to wet the contacts on the monitor strap before using it, otherwise your readings will be unreliable; says so right in most manuals.

I make sure my HRM chest strap sensors are wet and then place it under the elastic band of my sports bra and I hardly ever have a problem. I do not use a special sports bra, just my Nike sports bra. When I do have a problem I have discovered if I clean the sensors (rubbing alcohol or soap and water) it starts working again. I have a polar HRM made for woman.

I've got a polar F3 and it works like a charm...I think just the contact with my skin creates enough moisture as I've never had to wet it.  I stick it right below the band of my sports bra.

I have a Polar and have never had a problem.  Big boobs (DDD) have not interfered.  I do wet the strap and wear it UNDER my bra.

Original Post by clharr:

I have a Polar and have never had a problem.  Big boobs (DDD) have not interfered.  I do wet the strap and wear it UNDER my bra.

 Same here, except for the DDD's.  Mine aren't that big.  But I just put it right where the band of my sports bra hits and put the bra over the top.  Never had any issues.

Although I am male, I have had intermittent problems with HRM's, both Polar F4, and Garmin 305. I do not know what the cause is because it is not repeatable. I wet the contacts before putting them on, try to keep the strap tight and placed just below my pecks, but they can still go crazy. I run the streets early in the morning, and sometimes get interference from electronics in certain houses that I have learned to avoid, but they still got nuts now and again almost anywhere along my route.

Wish you the best in figuring out how to get them to work consistently and predictably.

I have a Polar F11 and a D cup (formerly DD) and do not have any problems... now. I used to have a lot of issues when I first bought it and eventually replaced the strap and now it works great. Seems the first chest strap was faulty. I also use a cream with it (BuhBump or something like that) rather than just wetting it. Makes a huge difference. Good luck!

I've had my polar f11 for 4 years now and had more problems when I used the encoded strap vs jsut the cheap one that came with my basic polar model- in fact I quit using the encoded one years ago and just use the cheapo one.  Also if you wear an underwire bra - that will interfere with the reading / communicating between the watch / strap.  I also found when I walked in a certain area in my neighborhood my hrm would crap out because someone nearby had a ham radio antenna that I think interferred with the connectivity 

sometimes just taking the battery out and putting it back in helps -- you don't have to change the battery and I have no idea why just taking it out an dputting it in again does but everytime mine acts up with registerinng zeros to registering 199 it works.  

I 'd stick with the polars 

Oh also you don't "soak" the monitoring area just dampen it.  I just spit on it-- or drop a couple drops of water on it.  Also don't use detergents to wash it just rinse it.  

Thanks y'all for your replies. I do wet the strap, and it doesn't seem to matter: it works fine in the beginning, and stops working as I am soaked in sweat. I do wear it *under* a sport bra or sport top (who wears underwire bras while exercising??? not me!).

I tighten it and make sure it is as far 'up' as possible. I tried 3 monitors with different transmitters, and nothing seems to make a difference. I'll try the battery removal tip and the lotion, hopefully *something* will work....

Original Post by gunnercade:

(who wears underwire bras while exercising??? not me!).

I do, or else my boobs flop around and da*n well smack me in the face >:O

LOL

Yikes! I guess my boobs are not that big then! (although I wear a sport bra AND a top with a bra insert, or, well....) :-)