First time using heart rate monitor

MBrothers22

So I just got done with my first workout with my Polar FT7 and the results were a little high for what I expected. I realize that there are a billion question just like mine on these boards but I feel that the answers are very specific to that one person.

I'm 19, male, 6'2" and 339 pounds.
I have everything set up correctly in my HRM and I got the sensor wet just like it said beforehand.
My average heart rate was 152 and my max was 192. Total workout time was 58 minutes. This included about 19 minutes on the stair climber, 18 minutes on the stationary bike, and the rest on weights.
After my cardio, I was around 500 calories burned and at the end I was at 730. The 500 didn't seem too high to me because that's about what I have always calculated for ~30 minutes of cardio, but 230 calories for lifting weights? Seems high to me.

Thoughts anyone? Thank you

MBrothers22

Bump

vorgas

First thing to understand: HRMs do not measure calories burned! They measure Heart Rate.

Second thing to understand: Your HR can change for any number of reasons. Caffeine, fear, adrenaline, excitement, etc.

Next thing to understand: A faster beating heart does not burn significantly more Calories. You can check this yourself by sitting perfectly still and hold your breath as long as you can. Repeat over and over. Watch your HR soar. Are you burning more calories? No. What if you burn 100 calories in a walk, then repeat the walk the next day immediately after having 3 cups of espresso. Are you burning more calories? No. Well, your HRM will say you did.

Important bit about HRMs: They use a CALCULATION based on the volume load from steady state aerobic exercise.

Volume load: When doing aerobics, your HR rises to move a greater volume of oxygen through your body. When you lift weights, your HR rises while blood vessels constrict to increase the blood pressure in the appropriate area. This is called pressure load. Pressure load is not volume load. Your heart is beating faster for a different reason than with aerobics. So, the calorie formula is no longer accurate.

Steady state: When you are doing aerobics, you are constantly moving with very little rest, and you are moving large portions of your body. When you lift weight, you are often not using your whole body, and taking longer rests. So, it's not accurate.

Aerobic exercise: Aerobic exercise is when your body mixes oxygen and fat to produce energy. This happens when the energy requirement is low. Lifting weights is anaerobic exercise. That means it uses the glycogen stored in the muscles for energy. Different energy source from aerobics (what most people call cardio), so the formula is inaccurate. (This is a simplifed explanation, the reality is a little more complicated, but the effect is the same).

To recap: The three important factors in determining a calorie burn from HR are all using DIFFERENT THINGS. There is NO WAY for it to be even remotely accurate. Ditch the HRM for weights.