Along with walking, jogging, cycling, rowing and swimming, cross-country skiing is among the more popular means of getting an aerobic workout. Those who don't have access to snow or who would just rather avoid wintry conditions can simulate this type of workout on a NordicTrack machine. Exercisers often want to keep track of certain data from their workouts -- not only time, calories burned and "distance," but average and maximum heart rate, making It is important that the NordicTrack be compatible with a heart-rate monitor, or HRM. HRMs ideal for indoor equipment need not possess GPS technology, since users are actually not covering any ground.
Polar FT60
This HRM is extremely versatile, with some of its features likely to be of far more use to experienced NordicTrack users than to newcomers. Like most HRMs it records average heart rate and calories burned, but it also generates parameters for optimal workouts in different heart-rate zones based on current fitness and issues audible warnings when users are straying above or below this target area. Conveniently, its battery is user-replaceable, so the FT60 does not need to be shipped off to the company when the battery wears out. It gets high ratings for reliability, but is among the pricier HRMs, ranging from about $160 to $210 online as of late 2010.
Omron HR-100C
This HRM is for those on tighter budgets who enjoy the bells and whistles of the top-end units but do not require utmost accuracy. The Omron HR-100C allows users to program upper and lower heart-rate limits and sounds out-of-target-zone alarms as needed. It too offers the convenience of user-replaceable batteries. It does now, however, keep track of calories burned, and compared to other HRMs it is sensitive to electromagnetic interference from various sources, meaning that it may provide inconsistent data at times. AS of 2010, it is typically available for $40 or less on the Internet.
Timex Personal Trainer Heart Rate Monitor T5G971
This oft-tested heart monitor is a middle-of-the-road choice for NordicTrack users who can get by with good if not ultra-reliable accuracy but want the ability to record certain data that the lowest-end monitors do not, such as calories expended. Its unusually large display makes it appealing to those with visual deficits, especially those who wear glasses that may fog up during a workout. As has become increasingly common, users can replace spent batteries themselves rather than have to ship the HRM to the company for servicing. The T5G971 can be purchased for around $60 on various websites as of 2010.
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