Heart Rate Monitors

Garmin Forerunner 910XT

We’ve got a new item ready for pre-order in our store and to tell the truth, we really can’t wait for it to arrive. The Garmin Forerunner 910XT is the latest and greatest to come out of Garmin. We’re estimating that we’ll be able to ship this out around November 20, 2011, but until then, we can appreciate this awesome video unveiling what this multisport GPS watch can do:

The Garmin Forerunner 910XT is an upgrade from the Garmin Forerunner 310XT, which has proven up to this point that it’s a formidable training computer. The 310XT consistently gets great reviews in our store and abroad, so we can’t wait to see what Garmin has in store when it comes to the 910XT.

So far, we know that the Garmin Forerunner 910XT offers numerous enhancements, including detailed swim metrics, to help you optimize your performance. YOu can track distance, pace, elevation (via barometric altimeter), and of course, heart rate, when you choose the optional feature for running and cycling. Designed for open water and pool swimming, the Garmin Forerunner 910XT can also track distance, efficiency, stroke type, stroke count, and pool lengths, making it an awesome tool for swimmers or triathletes. It’s water resistant up to 50 meteres, has 20 hours of battery life, and showcases a sleek design that’s ideal for any multisport athlete.

Did we mention that once your workout is done, you can send the data wirelessly to your computer for detailed analysis, mapping, and data sharing at Garmin Connect? Yep, the Garmin Forerunner 910XT can do that too.

Check out our official pre-order page to pre-order your Garmin Forerunner 910XT. We’ll be sure to keep you posted once this hot new item arrives.

Polar FT1 Translucent Blue

Polar FT2 Red

Polar FT4 Pink

Coming soon from Polar, new colors for the Polar FT1, Polar FT2 and Polar FT4 heart rate monitors. Get the FT1 in new Translucent Blue, the FT2 in Red, and the FT4 in mens’ orange and black or womens’ purple and pink.

They’re coming in early October, but you can preorder them right now! If you’re thinking of upgrading your HRM, check out these stylish new Polar models. After all, the better you look, the faster you’ll run.

Here’s where you can preorder each HRM model:

• Polar FT1 Heart Rate Monitor
• Polar FT2 Heart Rate Monitor
• Polar FT4 Heart Rate Monitor

Training with a heart rate monitor will help you train at the proper intensity. Knowing your heart rate will also help you better choose the mix of speed or the interval of your workouts. As well as the correct tempo you should be running at. First, you will need to find out what your maximum heart rate is.

There are three different ways to calculate maximum heart rate (MHR):

• To calculate your MHR, the most basic formula is: subtract your age from 220. Your answer will be the beats per a minute. For example 220 -26 (years old)= 194 beats per a minute.
• Or you can use a more accurate formula developed by Runners’s World : For runners <40 MHR= 208-.7x your age and for runners >40 MHR= 205- .5x your age).
  • An example- If your age is 25 you will multiply 25 x.7 which is 17.5. Minus 17.5 from 208 to get 190.5 beats per a minute.

However, the most accurate indication of your MHR is a field test. You will want to wear a heart monitor for the field test.

• First, make sure you are properly hydrated.
• Do a proper warm up run.
• Then choose a reasonably steep hill and run hard for 2-3 minutes.
• Repeat this two more times pushing yourself harder each time.

On the last rep, push yourself as hard as possible and check your heart rate. The number you see will be a good indicator of what your maximum heart rate should be.

Once you know what your MHR is you will be able to track your improvement throughout your training by figuring out your target heart rate. Acquainted workouts and their target rate zones are:

• Recovery, long or easy runs- 65%-75%
• Tempo runs- 87%-92%
• Interval repeats- 95%-100%
• These are percentages of your Maximum Heart Rate (MHR)

And as you improve, your heart rate will lower when running which will eventually lead to a faster training pace. Using a heart rate monitor is beneficial to your training and can help make improvements. The trick is to find the monitor that’s right for you.
 

Our New Store!

At Heart Rate Monitors USA, we’re always looking to help our customers out with the best selection of fitness gear, amazing prices, and of course free shipping on every order. But when we saw the greater Philadelphia area needing a place to stock up on CamelBak water bottles, Suunto sport watches, and other fitness gear, we had to jump in. Heart Rate Monitors USA is proud to announce our new store opening in Doylestown, PA!

Pulse – a HRM USA Company – will carry an assortment of products featured on our website, still at great prices. We’re located in beautiful downtown Doylestown at 5 South main Street. We’ve been open for a few weeks, but we’re still putting together the details for a grand opening event. Here’s what we’re thinking so far: customers will receive a free pedometer with the purchase of a water bottle

Our Store Manager, Jon Ortiz, looks forward to watching the store grow. Please stop in and say, “Hello!”. We’d love to help you find what you’re looking for, either in store or online!

Pulse – A HRM USA Company
5 South Main Street
Doylestown, PA
215-584-6152

Call for hours and more information.

In the past few months, we’ve been posting about the Polar RCX5 and the Polar CS500 Le Tour de France Cycling Computer. We’re now proud to announce that we have both of these products now in stock!

Polar RCX5

The Polar RCX5 is ready to help you take the next step towards smarter training. Available in running, cycling, and multi-sport packages, the Polar RCX5 comes with everything you need to get the most accurate training data possible. At Heart Rate Monitors USA, you can grab these hot new releases from Polar in training bundles to suit your sport:

• The Polar RCX5 BIKE Training Computer
• The Polar RCX5 RUN Training Computer
• The Polar RCX5 G5 Multi-Sport Training Computer

Polar CS500 Le Tour de France

Looking for the perfect cycling companion? The Polar CS500 Le Tour de France Cycling Computer is a hot new addition to our selection that we’re really excited about. Featuring an oversize display, easy rocker switch, dual lock bike mount, and an expanded memory capacity, this cycling computer from Polar is sure to impress – and that’s not even counting the features.

The Polar CS500 Le Tour de France comes with W.I.N.D. technology for smarter tracking, plus support for Polar Personal Trainer so that you can upload, analyze, and share your workouts online. It come packed with features and offers comprehensive training support for any cyclist.

Get these new releases from Polar today at HeartRateMonitorsUSA.com!

This is a guest post by Nelson Martins.

Many people want to lose weight through miraculous methods that have absolutely no effect or that make you lose some weight at the cost of also losing your health. Reality is quite different and if you want to lose weight, you’re going to have to exercise and change your regular diet into a weight loss diet. Along the way, you’ll also need to consider your heart rate. In this post, let’s cover how heart rate is relative to exercise and weight loss.

There certain exercises that are appropriate to gain muscle mass, like the ones bodybuilders use. Strength training and weight lifting can be great ways to add bulk – but if you’re looking to slim down, there are other exercises appropriate to just trying to lose weight. The best exercises for weight loss must involve a lot of muscles or body segments; the more muscles you use the better. When you’re using a variety of muscle groups, it means that you’ll have more muscles burning the fat you have stored in your body.Some of the best exercises for weight loss include running, rowing, riding a bike, swimming, and so on, as long as you’re using the most muscles possible.

The next point that you must pay attention to is that you need to do exercises at a certain heart rate for burning fat . The heart rate for burning fat will help you control the intensity of the exercise while ensuring you’re exercising at a level that’s right for your body. To lose weight, you want to use moderate intensities so that you only burn fat. To control your heart rate for burning fat, you’ll first need a heart rate monitor, like the Polar FT 7 for example. Next, you’ll need a bit of math to know at which heart rate should you exercise.

If your heart rate monitor doesn’t have heart rate guides for you to follow, you’ll need a bit of math. First you calculate you maximum heart rate by calculating (208 – 0.7 x Age). To know at which heart rate you should exercise to burn fat, you just multiply your maximum heart rate with 0.4 to 0.6 that means 40% or 60% of your maximum heart rate. This formula is used by many athletes and trainers alike.

If you follow these guidelines, you can improve your chance of losing weight and getting toward a wellness level that’s right for you. Exercise can mean better energy levels, as well as boosted self-esteem. Try to be creative until you find the best exercise for weight loss for yourself because each person is a different. Find what works for you and stick with it. Heart rate training is only one piece of the weight loss puzzle, but it can be a powerful one when done effectively!

In our last post, we talked about the first three of Dr. Oz’s lucky numbers for better heart health. If you want to start counting yourself toward better wellness, be sure to read through the other numbers is Dr. Oz’s list:

25: This number is the number of grams of fiber that we need every day at least. Grown men should get about 35 grams. The more fiber in our diets the better. Fiber can help in keeping the digestive and cardiovascular systems healthy while reducing the risk of heart disease. Looking for great sources of fiber? Fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are all good places to start getting more fiber.

1: This is the number of alcoholic beverages you’re allowed to have in one day. Dr. Oz recommends that beer or wine will do: beer contains B vitamins and wine has polyphenols. Just make sure to keep it to one serving per day.

0: This is the number of trans fats that you should eat. Food labels are not required to list trans fats if it’s less than half a gram, so you may find that some “0 grams trans fat” labels are misleading. Upon closer inspection, you’ll find that partially hydrogenated and hydrogenated ingredients are most definitely trans fats and contained in many common foods and snacks.

6: This is the maximum number you should have in a hemoglobin A1c blood test. A number higher than 6 indicates insulin resistance, which can be a big problem for your heart. Look to keep your sugar in check and if you have questions about diabetes, your risks, or how your body uses insulin, talk to your healthcare professional.

What numbers will you start working on first?

On a recent episode of the Dr. Oz Show, Dr. Oz gave several important tips for preventing heart disease and improving your overall level of health and wellness. Known as his 7 Lucky Numbers for Your Heart, Dr. Oz’s tips involve several key numbers that can be important indicators or wellness-boosters. Ready to start counting toward a better heart? Here are Dr. Oz’s lucky numbers:

90: The number 90 is very important to your heart. In fact, your resting heart rate should never be above 90. If it is, your risk of dying or suffering from a heart-related health issue is 3 times higher! A resting heart rate of more than 90 can indicate a lot of things. For one, it can signify inflammation or inefficient pumping. However, it can also indicate that you’re stressed or need to exercise your heart more.

1.5: This number is the daily allowance of salt that you should have: 1.5 grams. Equated to 1500 milligrams, this amount should be no more than a teaspoon of salt that you would get from a salt shaker. Make sure that your limiting your intake as high sodium diets can pose risks for heart health as well as other conditions. Remember – this number factors in ALL of the salt that’s in your diet – not just the salt you add to your food as seasoning. Check the labels and keep your salt to a minimum.

100: This is the maximum number of calories in added sugar that you’re allowed to have in a day. High sugar means increased heart stress, higher cholesterol, and a higher risk of obesity and obesity related health risks. Try to keep your grams of sugar low, but remember that some sugar can be very good for you. Lactose, found in dairy products, and natural sugars found in fruits and vegetables aren’t as bad as other sugary ingredients like high fructose corn syrup or actual sugar.

These are just the first three in Dr. Oz’s 7 lucky numbers for heart health. Stay tuned for part 2 of this post and the remaining numbers and heart-healthy tips!

Garmin Forerunner 610 GPS Sports Watch

Just when you thought Garmin couldn’t release anything cooler, they decide to come out with something that’s truly amazing. Yes, we mean it. A-M-A-Z-I-N-G.

The Garmin Forerunner 610 is going to be a HUGE release for May and we’re now offering it on Heart Rate Monitors USA for pre-order. You can place your pre-order today for May 2011 delivery. We back this pre-order, along with all orders, with our 105% low price guarantee. When the Garmin 610 drops, you won’t be able to find a better price.

So what can this unit do? Well, for starters, it’s going to change the way most people think about heart rate training. This is the FIRST TOUCHSCREEN GPS watch from Garmin. Yes, we said touchscreen! With just a tap, touch, or swipe, you can take your training to the next level. Track each step of your running workout with GPS technology that ensures the most accurate reading. The Garmin Forerunner 610 can track time, pace, distance, and more. It also offers vibration alerts, a new Virtual Racer feature that challenges you to turn up the heat on your training, and even advanced heart rate training modes for serious athletes.

Did we mention that this is also the first sport watch from Garmin to include Training Effect capability from Firstbeat? It’s true – with Training Effect, you can measure the impact of an activity on aerobic fitness, which means that you can train so much more efficiently. Just wear the Garmin Forerunner 610 and be amazed as you plan, analyze, and store data from all of your runs with this essential training tool.

Pre-order the Garmin Forerunner 610 today at Heart Rate Monitors USA. It’s going to be BIG.

Polar CS500 Cycling Heart Rate Monitor

As the Tour de France draws closer every day, all cyclists are reminded of their committment to be their best and to pursue their own training success – even if they aren’t going on a ride through the French countryside.

Cyclists everywhere get a reminder to be better during Tour de France season and at Heart Rate Monitors USA, we want to help with our best training tip possible. We’ve seen a lot of cycling successes and even some trade secrets, but there’s one thing that remains pretty constant: you have to analyze your training sessions.

Taking time to reflect on your performance can be one of the best things you do as a athlete, no matter what your sport. For cyclists, anaylizing training sessions can reveal much about your progress, your current state of performance, and even what your future training plans might be.

So how can you get this data? How can you see where you are as an athlete? Try using a power meter, cycling computer, or heart rate monitor to record data from your key workouts, performance tests, and races. Even if you decide to monitor your performance for a full year before making any changes, it can provide a TON of data for you to work with.

Then, once you have your core data, think about the things that your cycling computer or heart rate monitor can’t record, like your highlights and downsides or your goals and achievements. Take a closer look at what you wanted to do and how you did it. You’ll be a better athlete for it.