April 21, 2009 We have already professed our love for the Finis Swimmers Snorkel, eulogized about the antidote to lap-grinding boredom known as the bone-conduction SwiMP3 underwater music player and now we're gonna do it all over again for the USD$140 AquaPulse heart rate monitor, a workout accessory for swimmers wishing to optimize their water-based exercise routine through heart rate training. Are we just raging fanboys? No, we do however rejoice in the logical and practical application of technology to enable new and better ways of doing things, and Finis will again deliver just that (in May).
For the past decade, heart rate training has been utilized by the top athletes in all sports in order to improve their training levels. As the only accurate measurement of your intensity or exertion level, a heart rate monitor is the easiest and most precise way to continuously measure your heart rate.
By understanding and monitoring your ideal heart-rate “zone” while training, you are able to consistently train your body at the optimum fitness levels. Knowing the work “zone” for your heart prevents over-training, under-training, and encourages correct pacing. As a result heart rate monitors (HRM’s) can show you when you're dehydrated, running out of nutrition, or not recovered from a previous day’s workout. Current versions of HRM’s consist of a watch worn on your wrist and a transmitter that you wear against your skin, most often around your chest. FINIS offers a solution to this problem with the AquaPulse heart rate monitor.
The FINIS AquaPulse uses an accurate infrared sensor that clips to the earlobe in order to pick up the swimmer’s heart rate. By measuring the light pulses due to capillary blood flow in the skin, the sensors calculate the number of beats/minute (b/m) that the body is working. The internal computer within the AquaPulse then audibly communicates this heart rate to the user using the revolutionary Bone-Conduction Technology, a unique sound transfer technology that communicates sound vibrations through the temple bone to the inner ear. Humans normally hear through air conduction, but because there is no air underneath the water, bone conduction provides the clearest sound quality possible. By simply turning the unit on, the user’s heart rate can be sensed and automatically communicated. All functions are integrated into one small unit that the user clips on to their goggle strap and rests on their temple. The AquaPulse heart rate monitor consistently communicates the heart rate every pre-set time period. The user can program this time period from as little as 20 seconds up to 5 minutes, allowing for continuous feedback during training. It also features an instantaneous heart rate function. The user can simply press a button at any time and their most current b/m will be communicated.
“Current heart rate monitors are meant for running and dryland training, but are quite awkward for training in the water as athletes are hindered by awkward straps and watches. We created the new FINIS AquaPulse heart rate monitor specifically for swimmers so they could continually swim and understand their heart rate without stopping and train in their proper ‘heart-rate zone’ more accurately. Our heart rate monitor features a water proof design that changes both how the heart rate is sensed and transmitted to the user,” says John Mix, President of FINIS.
The AquaPulse uses a rechargeable Lithium-Ion battery which is charged by USB cable and provides 8+ hours of use on each charge.
About FINIS
Founded in 1993 by John Mix and Olympic Gold Medalist, Pablo Morales, FINIS develops the most technologically advanced training equipment for the swimming community. FINIS offers something for swimmers of all abilities to improve their technique. USA Olympic Water Polo Team Captain Tony Azevedo is a FINIS Sponsored Athlete. Brands currently operated under FINIS include: FINIS, SwiMP3, and Zoomers.