Using Your Heart Rate Monitor In The Water

Using Your Heart Rate Monitor In The Water

So, you want to use the heart rate monitor in the water, do you?

If that's the case, there are a few things to consider before you dive in the pool or jump into the sea.

Like watches, HRMs are typically waterproof. As such, monitors are rated water resistant to a certain depth. You can expect that manufactures use the same meters of water pressure that the watch industry uses.

Even though monitors are advertised as waterproof, it's still a good idea to not push any buttons while you are in the water. Set the monitor to the position you want before you start a swim.

Here a few special considerations when using your heart rate monitor in the water:

Jumping into the water can move the transmitter around your chest so that you no longer receive a signal. Be careful. Same goes for strenuous swimming, before you know it the transmitter has shited and the EKG can no longer be received.

The high chlorine content of a pool might be conductive and impact the ability of your transmitter might to pick up a signal. Same goes for seawater with high salt content. Consider using your monitor sparingly in these conditions.

The EKG signal strengh in impacted by your tissue composition. If you have trouble getting accurate measurements out of water, in water measurements will be that more difficult.

This doesn't mean don't use a heart rate monitor in the water, it just means make adjustments for the conditions you are exercising in.