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Home > HRM Overview > Basic Heart Rate Monitor Features

Basic Heart Rate Monitor Features

The following list gives the most common features generally expected to be found on a basic heart rate monitor.

  • Continuous Heart Rate Monitoring
  • Heart Rate Training Zone with Alarms
  • Duration of Exercise Session
  • Average Heart Rate of Exercise Session
  • Maximum Heart Rate of Exercise Session
  • Basic Time Keeping
  • Backlight

Continuous Heart Rate Monitoring
With this feature you can see what your current heart rate is on your wrist watch and how it fluctuates while you are exercising. The word continuous is the key. Wireless heart rate monitors that come with a chest strap transmitter are able to give continuous monitoring, whereas strapless heart rate monitors usually cannot do so. With continuous monitoring, you don't have to stop doing your current activity in order to look up your heart rate.

Heart Rate Training Zone with Alarms
With this, you can manually set your heart rate training zone (lower and upper heart rate limits) in which you will be doing your exercise. It usually comes with an audio or visual alarm that alerts you when you go above or below your heart rate training zone. In addition some models are able to calculate your heart rate zone limits automatically using your age (and sometimes sex) as input. This feature can usually be switched off i.e. you can train without having set a heart rate training zone beforehand.

Duration of Exercise Session
You use your heart rate monitor's stop watch to start and stop the training session. Once you have stopped, the watch tells you how long you have been exercising.

Average Heart Rate of Exercise Session
This information is available once you have finished your session. It tells you how hard on average you have been training. It is a measure of the average intensity of your training session and is a very important piece of information. And if you have preset a heart rate training zone, you can check if you have been training within your intended heart rate limits.

Maximum Heart Rate of Exercise Session
This is again only available once you have finished your session. It gives you an indication of what your maximum training effort was during your exercise session. This information is normally not as useful as the average heart rate of exercise session.

Basic Time Keeping
One would expect to be able to find basic time keeping features on all heart rate monitors. However, this is not the case. Some basic heart rate monitors, for example, won't let you set the date and a wake up alarm. So don't automatically assume that you can do them.

Backlight
This can be important if you, for example, expect to do some road running at night in dimly-lit streets.

Here are some of the best basic heart rate monitors:

Rank Model Features  
1 Polar FT4
Polar FT4

Polar FT4 is an easy to use heart rate monitor and yet provides all the basic information you need during your workout. You can watch your heart rate, calories burnt, workout duration and time while training. You can set your heart rate training zone manually or automatically. At the end of your workout, it tells you your maximum/average heart rates during the session, your total calories burnt, and the time you spent in your target zone. You can also review data from your past 10 workouts. Furthermore the display is large and easy to read, and the chest belt comfortable to wear.

2 Timex T5G971 Personal Trainer
Timex T5G971 Personal Trainer

Timex T5G971 displays your heart rate in a large and clear format. You can manually set your heart rate training zone. When you finish the workout, you can review your average and maximum heart rates to see how hard you have worked. It also counts calories. Best of all, it measures your heart rate recovery, which is an indicator of your fitness. The chest belt works with most gym equipment too. Timex T5G971 is currently one of the best sellers around!

3 Polar FT2
Polar FT2

Polar FT2 is one of the latest basic heart rate monitors. You can set your heart rate training zone manually or automatically based on your age. It has only one button: so it is extremely easy to operate. When you are done training, you can review your training duration, average and maximum heart rates. It offers coded transmission to avoid interference and cross-talk. It is the replacement to the popular Polar FS3/FS3c heart rate monitors.

4 Timex T5G941 Easy Trainer
Timex T5G941 Easy Trainer

Timex T5G941 is a simple heart rate monitor that just shows your real time heart rate during exercise. After your exercise, you can review your average and maximum heart rates and exercise duration. That's it. No frills but very user friendly. The chest belt works with most gym equipment. Do note that it does not support the setting of heart rate training zone limits.

5 Omron HR100C
Omron HR-100C

Omron HR-100C is another simple heart rate monitor. In contrast to Timex T5G941, you can set a manual heart rate training limits with alerts on the Omron. However, the Omron does not let you review your average and maximum heart rates. So Omron HR-100C and Timex T5G941 have their respective pros and cons. The Omron comes with a mounting bracket that lets you attach the wrist watch to the bike handlebar. This is one of the most popular heart rate monitors on the market.

Features: Basic | Intermediate | Advanced

Not sure which heart rate monitor is right for you? Take a look at the Which Heart Rate Monitor page.


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Recommended Basic Fitness HRMs:

Polar FT4 Heart Rate Monitor

Polar FT4

Polar FT4 Women Heart Rate Monitor

Polar FT4 For Women

Timex T5G971 Personal Trainer Heart Rate Monitor

Timex T5G971 Personal Trainer

Polar FT2 Heart Rate Monitor

Polar FT2

Timex T5G941 Easy Trainer Heart Rate Monitor

Timex T5G941 Easy Trainer

Omron HR-100C Heart Rate Monitor

Omron HR-100C