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11
HEART RATE MONITORING (cont.)
Maintaining the Transmitter Belt
Clean the chest belt regularly with mild soap and water, then dry thoroughly — residual sweat
and moisture keeps the transmitter active and will drain the battery in the transmitter. Do not
use abrasives or chemicals such as steel wool or alcohol for cleaning, as they can damage the
electrodes permanently. You can order replacement belts from StairMaster or your local fitness
store.
Contact Heart Rate
The StairMaster
®
Treadmill exercise system features a digitized contact heart rate monitoring
system. Through the use of stainless steel sensors built into the handle bar and using
sophisticated software, heart rate can be checked at any time during a workout. The heart rate
is displayed on the controller.
The contact heart rate system’s ability to detect a heart rate signal is influenced by several
factors. Movement of the muscles of the upper body produces an electrical signal (muscle
artifact) that will interfere with the detection of the heart rate signal by the sensors. Movement
of the hands while they are in contact with the sensors also produces interference. Calluses
and hand lotion act as an insulating layer to reduce the signal strength. Also, the EKG signal
generated by some individuals is not strong enough to be detected by the sensors. These
individuals should opt for the telemetry method of heart rate monitoring.
Contact heart rate input signals are acquired only during contact between your hands and the
stainless steel sensors on the handrails. To use the contact heart rate feature, place your
hands around the handles so that your hands touch both the top and the bottom of the
sensors. After the initial contact heart rate signal is detected, the controller will enter a
validation phase requiring a good heart beat signal within 10 to 15 seconds, or until the system
acquires a valid signal. During the validation phase the controller will not recognize telemetry
heart rate signals. The controller will display a heart icon. If, during exercise, the heart rate
displayed is erratic, it may be helpful to remove your hands from the handles, wipe them and
place them back on the handles. In all programs, the heart rate is shown automatically in the
display window the first time the sensors are touched.