Strapless heart rate monitors are widely used by athletes and avid exercisers in order to ascertain a pulse rate at various levels of exertion. The strapless heart monitor is an alternative to a more binding style that requires the user to wear a strap around the chest that wirelessly conveys pulse rate to a watch-style receiver on the user's wrist. Based on an individual's heart rate, duration of exercise, gender and weight, some monitors even offer additional information, such as number of calories burned. Depending on the type of strapless monitor and its ease of use, the accuracy range of the information provided can fluctuate.
The Hand-Grip Heart Monitor
Cardiovascular exercise equipment such as treadmills, stationary bicycles, and ellipticals often have hand-grip heart rate monitors. These monitors require the user to firmly wrap his hands around two metal handlebars in order to obtain a heart rate.
While this feature can produce an accurate heart rate for people who exercise at a mild to moderate level, those practicing high intensity workouts may receive an erroneous reading. Factors such as hand perspiration, inadequate grip of the handles, and excessive movement can contribute to a faulty reading. In fact, certain treadmills will even advise users not to employ the hand-grip monitor while running.
Wristwatch-style Heart Monitor
Perhaps the most compact of strapless heart rate monitors is one that comes in the form of a wristwatch. This device requires the wearer to press a button on the face of the watch using one or two fingers. Momentarily, the watch will produce a digital read-out of the user's heart rate.
Similar to the hand-grip version, this monitor will give a precise heart rate reading when used correctly. However, correct use often requires the user to slow his or her workout to low intensity or stop completely.
Roy M. Wallack, endurance cyclist, author, and fitness writer for the "Los Angeles Times," suggests that this style of monitor is "Popular with walkers and gym rats but viewed skeptically by hard-core athletes for a perceived lack of accuracy and potential danger during cycling." If an athlete uses the monitor only after curbing or halting a workout, it is likely to result in a falsely low heart rate, thus inhibiting a proper gauge of the exercise intensity.
Continuous Heart Rate Monitor
For the user, the continuous heart rate monitor is arguably the most expensive device, with estimated costs around $130 to $150 as of 2011. With that expense, however, comes more versatility. This type of monitor does not require its user to stop exercising to measure heart rate. Typically worn around the forearm, this device supplies continuous data over the duration of the workout.
Advanced models, such as the Impact Sports ePulse Strapless Heart Rate Monitor, boast ECG-caliber accuracy in providing a heart rate. Roy Wallack explains, "By measuring blood flow through the large veins of the upper arm, it gets a reliable pulse the others can't and displays it in bright-green, non-blinking, 1/2-inch-tall numerals that are visible day and night."
Considerations
When used accurately, a strapless heart rate monitor can provide an adequate gauge of workout intensity. To decrease the likelihood of receiving incorrect heart rate reading, the exerciser or athlete should follow the device's instructions for use precisely. Ensuring proper bodily contact with the monitor is also critical. The best fitting type of strapless heart monitor will be determined by the user's goals and activity regimen.
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