This article gives short recommendations of rules you should follow to get the most out of your heart rate monitor.
First of all, congratulations on owning the most accurate heart rate monitoring device as this is especially important and visible when you use this data in real-time.
Tips before the first use:
Check the device tutorial. I know that manuals are not always read, but in case of a heart rate monitor there are chances you see this type of device for the first time in your life, so the manual is actually a good thing to check. Nowadays manufacturers keep these docs pretty short and straightforward.
Make sure it has a battery inside and it doesn’t have some protection. Some manufacturers avoid adding a battery in devices because of the additional store regulations. Some can also put a paper barrier for a battery to not go low before you even start using it.
Adjust the belt. All chest belt heart rate monitors have an adjustable belt and it’s important not only for your own comfort but for the measurement accuracy as well. The belt shouldn’t be too tight or too loose, just the right size for a comfortable breathing but stay on you even while active sport.
First-time connection:
Put your heart rate monitor on your body. Chest belt heart rate monitor turns on automatically when you put it on your body and only after this does it start broadcasting the signal that the Pulsoid app can pick up to connect and read heart rate.
Wet a belt. The ECG approach used by chest belt devices makes it important to have a good connection between the electrodes in the belt and your skin, therefore you need to wet your chest belt with a few drops of water each time you use it and during your session too, if you do not naturally sweat in a result of the activity. This is important not only to establish the connection but to have accurate readings.
One connection rule. Most heart rate monitors can handle only one simultaneous connection, therefore you shouldn’t pair the device in your Bluetooth setting and can connect in the Pulsoid app directly. If your heart rate monitor supports 2 BLE connections, like Polar H10, you need to turn it on in the respective app and only after this you will be able to use the monitor with 2 apps(e.g. With Strava and Pulsoid).