I just started swimming w my hr monitor (timex). After just 2 swims it has already seemed to have “killed” the it…doesn’t read my hr any more. Any tips or was this just going to happen?
I have no idea on how to even swim with one.
I think my problem is that I kick off the wall too hard from all my years of swimming. One time I kicked off and the strap was around my feet before I knew it. So I really cranked down on it and the next time it only went to my hips. Better, but not good.
I think if I make it to enough to restrict breathing, it might stay.
I used it last year a bit but it was difficult to read my watch. (Old eyes) I needed to get the strap very tight; just not worth it for me.
I really don’t see a need for a HRM while pool swimming but you may feel you need the HRM to comfirm your training plan and anything that keeps you training is a good idea to me. I’ve seen people actually duct tape the electrodes to their chest. Maybe that would work for you.
While using a HRM while swimming you would have to stop to look at the watch. You could just as easily stop and look at the clock.
I only know 1 real swimmer that wears a HRM while swimming and I think she just looks at it at the end of the swim and not during the swim.
jaretj
You may not have “killed” it. Does the HRM work when running or riding?
The problem with swimming with an HRM is that the contact between strap and skin is not consistent. The strap my not be down to your knees but just little water intrusion under the strap is enough to cause erratic readings.
x2. I tried it and it was only useful as a post-workout reference. Otherwise, it was either hard to see, or distracting with the other things to pay attention to while doing workouts…Wait, 100 on 1:30 at 80%, 8 stokes, 3 beat kick, and what was my HR?
My Garmn has no problem being submerged, and it works while submerged, but once I start swimming it can’t get a reading. I must be moving so fast the water flow is causing the electrode to lose contact.
Totally joking!
I want to try it open water with a wetsuit to see if keeping contact against my chest makes it work. Or maybe I’ll throw a rashguard on in the pool…
I used to use one in the water. Had the basic model with the EZ to read numbers. I used an old cycling tube as the monitor strap. Tighten it up and it will stay in place during turns.
You could just as easily stop and look at the clock.
2X If I take HR at all, I take it at the end of a set. Simple, and a lot less hassle than a monitor.
If its your cheststrap that dead, i think the reason is as follows…
I have a feeling that your chest strap was put away while it was wet. Or maybe into the same bag with your wet clothes. When water is present, it may have connected the 2 contact points, leading to the cheststrap unit thinking that it is still worn/connected. Therefore, the battery gets drained.
I may be wrong though… My Polar came with a note on what i should do to avoid premature battery drainage. I’ve never had a premature battery drain, but, i don’t use my HRM for swimming either. Whats are u going to do if your hr is through the roof, but u are holding normal pace? Do u just stop swimming? The slower you go in the pool, the harder it is for u to catch your breath because the water floods into your mouth.
I used to swim with my polar HRM periodically just to check HR during long sets for pacing (I’d check after the fact when I’d download the workout). I wore a rashguard for sun protection, and it did a great job keeping the water flow from pushing the chest strap down. The rashguard was the only way to really get the chest strap to stay in place. I tried it again recently with a polar wearlink transmitter (the soft chest strap) and it didn’t work, even with the rashguard.
Someone might have already said but I wear a LG shark power tri shirt or what ever you call it when I swim with my basic Polar watch F2. Keeps strap close to my heart and reads very well in water. Even when kicking off or doing flip turns.
You don’t need a HR monitor in the pool. Wanna know your heart rate? When you stop, put your first two fingers (don’t use your thumb) to your neck just under the jaw and count the thumps while looking at the pool clock. Count for 10 seconds and then multiply the # by 6. It’s reasonably accurate, ± 6 beats. You can count for 15 seconds and be ±4.
Also, if you swim with a cheststrap on the real swimmers are going to laugh at you.
Of course they are probably laughing at you anyway.