Polar heart rate monitor how accurate?

Ash_danielle
Ash_danielle Posts: 62 Member
edited November 8 in Health and Weight Loss
My polar says that my heart rate average is 180 and I burn between 7-800 cals per workout. I usually do 35-40 minutes cardio and 20 minutes of weights

Replies

  • IsaackGMOON
    IsaackGMOON Posts: 3,358 Member
    If you're using your HRM for weights, then the readings won't be accurate. HRM's are for cardiovascular exercise, calories burnt through weight lifting can vary due to intensity and weight etc.
  • Ash_danielle
    Ash_danielle Posts: 62 Member
    IsaackGMOON wrote: »
    If you're using your HRM for weights, then the readings won't be accurate. HRM's are for cardiovascular exercise, calories burnt through weight lifting can vary due to intensity and weight etc.

    Hmmm good to know
  • FredDoyle
    FredDoyle Posts: 2,272 Member
    edited October 2014
    It doesn't sound like you have it calibrated accurately at all.
    Read the instructions and calibrate the HRM first. The calories burned sounds double because I highly doubt your average heart rate is 180 bpm...
    What is your resting heart rate?
  • Ash_danielle
    Ash_danielle Posts: 62 Member
    FredDoyle wrote: »
    It doesn't sound like you have it calibrated accurately at all.
    Read the instructions and calibrate the HRM first. The calories burned sounds double because I highly doubt your average heart rate is 180 bpm...
    What is your resting heart rate?
    My resting heart rate is mid 70s -80 and I followed the directions on the package.

  • Ash_danielle
    Ash_danielle Posts: 62 Member
    ***correction average hr 160's max 190
  • pscarolina
    pscarolina Posts: 133 Member
    When I was wearing my Polar it was giving me readings similar to yours OP, sometimes more in the 600-700 range. What kind of workout are you doing? I teach Jazzercise & my boss was getting even higher readings when she taught.

    *note to self* get the battery replaced in my Polar - there is NO WAY I'm only burning 431 calories per class (MFP rate)
  • Ash_danielle
    Ash_danielle Posts: 62 Member
    pscarolina wrote: »
    When I was wearing my Polar it was giving me readings similar to yours OP, sometimes more in the 600-700 range. What kind of workout are you doing? I teach Jazzercise & my boss was getting even higher readings when she taught.

    *note to self* get the battery replaced in my Polar - there is NO WAY I'm only burning 431 calories per class (MFP rate)

    I do 25 minutes on the treadmill and 15 minutes on the stair master and I alternate weekly so next week I'll do 25 minutes stair master and 15 minutes treadmill. After cardio it's averaging 4-500 calories and the remainder is strength training (which I know now it's supposed to be stopped when weights start)
  • FredDoyle
    FredDoyle Posts: 2,272 Member
    edited October 2014
    adcls3 wrote: »
    pscarolina wrote: »
    When I was wearing my Polar it was giving me readings similar to yours OP, sometimes more in the 600-700 range. What kind of workout are you doing? I teach Jazzercise & my boss was getting even higher readings when she taught.

    *note to self* get the battery replaced in my Polar - there is NO WAY I'm only burning 431 calories per class (MFP rate)

    I do 25 minutes on the treadmill and 15 minutes on the stair master and I alternate weekly so next week I'll do 25 minutes stair master and 15 minutes treadmill. After cardio it's averaging 4-500 calories and the remainder is strength training (which I know now it's supposed to be stopped when weights start)

    What are your stats Height, weight etc. (sorry my keyboard is bolloxed until reboot, can`t use question mark) ;)

    Check after your treadmill routine and compare to this calculator.
    Make sure to add in gradient(incline) speed weight etc.

    http://42.195km.net/e/treadsim/
  • pscarolina
    pscarolina Posts: 133 Member
    I'm on the fence about shutting off the Polar after you get off the treadmill. Lifting weights does burn some calories, especially if you're doing major muscle groups. It's not going to "burn calories" like cardio, but your heart rate being up is your heart rate being up. Does your heart rate really care what you did to put it up there? I wouldn't wear it if that was all I was doing, but it's not like you didn't burn them...especially if someone did not rack their weights & you end up carrying stuff all over the gym. :s
  • Ash_danielle
    Ash_danielle Posts: 62 Member
    FredDoyle wrote: »
    adcls3 wrote: »
    pscarolina wrote: »
    When I was wearing my Polar it was giving me readings similar to yours OP, sometimes more in the 600-700 range. What kind of workout are you doing? I teach Jazzercise & my boss was getting even higher readings when she taught.

    *note to self* get the battery replaced in my Polar - there is NO WAY I'm only burning 431 calories per class (MFP rate)

    I do 25 minutes on the treadmill and 15 minutes on the stair master and I alternate weekly so next week I'll do 25 minutes stair master and 15 minutes treadmill. After cardio it's averaging 4-500 calories and the remainder is strength training (which I know now it's supposed to be stopped when weights start)

    What are your stats Height, weight etc. (sorry my keyboard is bolloxed until reboot, can`t use question mark) ;)

    Check after your treadmill routine and compare to this calculator.
    Make sure to add in gradient(incline) speed weight etc.

    http://42.195km.net/e/treadsim/

    I'm 5'6 and 170 lbs
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
    pscarolina wrote: »
    I'm on the fence about shutting off the Polar after you get off the treadmill. Lifting weights does burn some calories, especially if you're doing major muscle groups. It's not going to "burn calories" like cardio, but your heart rate being up is your heart rate being up. Does your heart rate really care what you did to put it up there? I wouldn't wear it if that was all I was doing, but it's not like you didn't burn them...especially if someone did not rack their weights & you end up carrying stuff all over the gym. :s

    High Heart rate does not equal calories burned. If you push a heavy weight and it spikes your heart rate, and then you rest, your heart rate monitor is still going to think you are "working" to keep your heart rate up. That's why the calorie estimations will not work for weight lifting. The numbers will be super exaggerated. You have to remember a HRM is really for training purposes and the only thing it is really accurate at is monitoring HR. Other than that, it's just an estimation just like anything else.

  • dbanks80
    dbanks80 Posts: 3,685 Member
    If you have setup your personal profile (age, weight) etc...it should be accurate. I've only had Polars so I have nothing else to compare accuracy. But mine is very accurate I feel.
  • hazleyes81
    hazleyes81 Posts: 296 Member
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/548645/setup-polar-hrm-for-more-accurate-calorie-burn-for-known-bmr/p1
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