I'd hoped that getting this new running gadget would encourage me to exercise more often. So far so good. I asked for this for Christmas and, well, it has accomplished it's primary function for me... I've been running almost every day since I got it. I was turned off by the gigantic size of some HRMs, and did not need something to keep track of splits as I run on my treadmill at home and the gym.
As a heart rate monitor, the functionality is pleasantly simple. It tracks your heart rate for the whole workout. You hit the big button to start, and it goes to work tracking the length of time, the average heartbeat, and the peak. While you are running, it displays your current heartbeat. That's it -- but sometimes it's better to keep it simple.
I should point out that, as a watch, the watch piece tells the time and date only. If you want/need splits and a stopwatch, you should look elsewhere.
Here's some other thoughts: I was worried that the strap would break but realized after a couple workouts that I was probably wearing it a little too tight. Since adjusting, it is much more comfortable, has not fallen off, and, as a guy, you *almost* forget that you have it on. My wife cracked up when I took my shirt off after a recent workout. She said that, from the back, it looked like I was wearing a bra (or Manzierre, or Bro, if you prefer).
I had no original intention of wearing it while NOT working out, but I've found it addictive, and have enjoyed observing how drinking a cup of coffee while sitting at my desk does raise my heart rate about 10-15 beats per minute on average. Also, as I've started to get in a little better shape over the last 3 weeks, I see that I have to run either farther or faster to get my heart rate up to certain thresholds. And, now my heart rate does not go up as high from merely climing the stairs at home. I believe that these insights, among others, are very encouraging for someone who is just getting back in shape. The encouragement aspect combined with the simplicity makes this a great starter heart rate monitor for anyone considering. Timex T5G941 Heart Rate Monitor Watch
My Timex Heart Monitor arrived today and, after a quick read of the enclosed instructions, I strapped on the watch and the sensor unit and headed for the Oz fitness center.
The Timex seemed to work perfectly. It was consistent first with my resting pulse rate. And at the gym the Star Trec Treadmill picked up the signal and registered the same as it did yesterday when I didn't have the Timex unit.
I'm 70 years old. It was really great to NOT have to grab the treadmill sensors with both hands to check my pulse while jogging 6+MPH. The new Star Trec treadmill picked up the Timex signal and displayed my heart rate so I didn't even have to look at the watch. Of course it comes in handy on the rowing machine and the torso machine, acting as an incentive to push to my maximum heart rate.
It may be that the watch battery (or more likely the sensor battery) will run down after a couple of months of daily use. I don't actually know how long the batteries will last or how resilient the unit is to abuse.
I hope it will outlast the cheap but comfortable plastic watch band. Now that I have used it once I don't want to jog, bicycle, or go the gym without it.
I wanted a heart rate monitor to use for general exercise and fitness. I bought four of the Timex monitors, one for myself and three for Christmas gifts. I have used mine several times and it works fine. The machines I use at my athletic club pick up the heart rate signal automatically so I can see the heart rate without looking at the watch. I wear the watch to record the length of the workout, the average heart rate, and the maximum. I like this amount of information; I don't want to download training information to a computer and I don't want calorie information since that would probably be inaccurate anyway; that is, you get the same calorie count for a 110 woman as a 230 pound man (me). There is a small exercise booklet that comes with the watch and monitor that gives some useful information to correlate your heart rate and length of workout with your fitness level. You can use this to calculate points for the workout and compare that with the range of points you should be accumulating every week for various activities like running a 10K or a marathon. Putting the monitor strap on is only a minor inconvenience. I have had no read-out problems. The wrist watch works as a watch when not showing heart rate. This is an excellent product for the price.
This is a very basic HRM
Pros
1. Simple to use
2. Works out of the box
3. user changeable batteries
4. INdiglo ---- to check reading in the dark
5. Has a stop watch
Cons
1. Stop watch starts as soon as you turn on HRM
2. You cannot use teh watch as a stop watch w/o the strap around your chest.
3. No split timing.
I had this HRM for about 2 months and it worked fine for during that time period. This is a low end HRM without a lot of features but it was all I really needed.
Recently, it has started to quit working during some workouts. During some runs when my heart rate is high (above 175) it just quits. Other days it seems to work fine. It is very annoying when it quits in the middle of a workout so you lose your time as well as the heart rate information. If it keeps acting up, I will probably return it to Timex. They charge a $7.00 postage and handling fee to return it.
I am very happy with my Timex heart-rate-monitor watch. I was considering a heart-rate watch that did not require a chest strap, but after a few visits to the health club, I realized that two fingers placed on a watch to get heart rate just couldn't do it. At my Bally's gym, there are several brand new $8,000 stair-climber and treadmill machines, with built in grips to measure heart rate. Yet even using these sophisticated hand grips, it takes sometimes 30 seconds for these multi-thousand-dollar machines to calculate and display my heart rate. That is with two sweaty hands and lots of contact on big metal plates. So my guess is that with a tiny watch and two dry fingers it would take even longer to get a heart rate. With this Timex watch, the elastic (back) and rubber (front) chest strap is comfortable and stays in place. Once it is on I don't feel it, and I forget completely about it. Then for the rest of the time I am wearing it, I have an accurate and immediate display of my heart rate on the watch, without ever having to touch the watch to see what my heart rate is. And all the machines at the gym marked "Polar" pick up on my chest strap radio transmissions and display my heart rate, even though the chest strap is Timex. Highly recommended. For the under-$40 price that I paid, I think this little gadget is terrific. - Exercise - Heart Rate Monitor Watch - Heart Monitor Watch - Fitness'
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