Are heart rate monitors trustworthy in calorie burn?

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Shaselai
Shaselai Posts: 151
in Fitness and Exercise
So i did a zumba class today and my average BPM is 153 going as high as 175. 153 is supposed to be 82% of my max HR if going by the 220 -age formula. My question is the app spits out that i burned ~1050 calories and i checked on 2 calculators online which takes into my weight, height, duration, average BPM and spitted out very similar numbers with one spitting out a lower "net" number because it subtracted out the calories during that time the body uses for "normal maintenance" so its net calorie of 940ish is the calories lost by exercise. My question is how accurate is all this? The HRM is a chest piece so i guess it is pretty accurate but then it comes down to the formula? I am very happy if the number of calories burned is close to whats shown but i dont want to be too happy when reality i burned like 400 calories...
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Replies

  • HerkMeOff
    HerkMeOff Posts: 1,002 Member
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    They are about as close as you're going to get.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
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    Only for steady state cardio, which Zumba is not.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
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    ain't nobody burning no 1000 calories in no zumba class
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
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    Only for steady state cardio, which Zumba is not.
    ^This
    ain't nobody burning no 1000 calories in no zumba class

    And ^this.


    Some interesting reads in regards to HRMs if interested:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1044313-this-is-why-hrms-have-limited-use-for-tracking-calories

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/Azdak/view/the-real-facts-about-hrms-and-calories-what-you-need-to-know-before-purchasing-an-hrm-or-using-one-21472
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    Sadly for women there is huge bell curve for accuracy, and even the 220-age for HRmax you have better chance of being 10 bpm away from that then in range.

    Even nice Polar with lab measured stats entered had issues. Without those stats but HRM measured or calculated ones - really bad.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/459580-polar-hrm-calorie-burn-estimate-accuracy-study


    But you can test yours for how close in accuracy it is to really best estimate. And if you can do the test reaching a running speed that gets your HR up to that same 153 for about 15-20 min, you'll know what the real calorie burn was at that HR.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/774337-how-to-test-hrm-for-how-accurate-calorie-burn-is

    Sadly as commented though, that workout wasn't steady-state, so avgHR was actually inflated above what it needed to be.
    You'll notice that on the treadmill test, as you increase pace to get HR up, you'll see it go up to certain level, and then drop back down in 1-4 min depending on your fitness to where it really needs to be, meaning for the entire time prior to drop back it was inflated above where it needed to be.

    And don't do the test after having a double espresso or meds that get your HR up, nor after the class, but prior.
  • Keepcalmanddontblink
    Keepcalmanddontblink Posts: 718 Member
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    What is Zumba? Also how long is the class? If its 30 minutes or more, and if someone like me (large person) was doing the class, than maybe you could be burning that many calories. I can burn almost 500 calories walking for an hour but my husband only burns about 200.
  • fatcity66
    fatcity66 Posts: 1,544 Member
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    I don't know about Zumba, but I have burned 900-1000 calories in a 60 min spin class...of course, that is with no breaks...Also, I weigh over 200 lbs.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,704 Member
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    How long was the class?

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • zoeysasha37
    zoeysasha37 Posts: 7,088 Member
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    I really can't imagine that doing zumba could produce a 1000 burn. I think that measurement would be for steady state, not zumba
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    If you weighed 225 lbs and ran 6 mph for 60 min that would be almost 1100 calories gross, like HRM would report.

    From the Zumba classes I've seen ones doing, there is great variation in intensity from one person to another, but at some point I'm betting the motions just don't allow getting more intense even if you wanted to.

    Now that is the type of exercise where you do get more efficient with your movements and burn less as you become better at it, so adding ankle and hand weights would make sense to increase intensity back up. (I comment on that because of ones saying it happens with jogging or biking or other where the weight and pace is the same, then it's not true).
  • kdeaux1959
    kdeaux1959 Posts: 2,675 Member
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    I'd suggest taking the lesser number (the net rate number). HRMs work best for steady state cardio... They do poorly for strength training burn from what I understand.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
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    How long was the class?

    About two hours and 32 minutes, I reckon.

    Did you get promoted?
  • Shaselai
    Shaselai Posts: 151
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    no it was an hour long class. This is actually not official "Zumba" but called Sensazao (you can see youtube videos) which is a VA dance company. I say zumba because it is very zumba like except:
    1. no slow songs
    2. no breaks unless teaching a new step
    3. high intensity - lots of jumping, kicking, squatting etc.
    4. local zumba instructors borrow their songs/steps in their own classes (thats how i came to know about them).

    i am 250 right now.
    I guess even if this ends up being burning 400calories it was still a lot of fun!
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    no it was an hour long class. This is actually not official "Zumba" but called Sensazao (you can see youtube videos) which is a VA dance company. I say zumba because it is very zumba like except:
    1. no slow songs
    2. no breaks unless teaching a new step
    3. high intensity - lots of jumping, kicking, squatting etc.
    4. local zumba instructors borrow their songs/steps in their own classes (thats how i came to know about them).

    i am 250 right now.
    I guess even if this ends up being burning 400calories it was still a lot of fun!

    That is different than, and long.

    If it feels the same as running 5 mph level, then it's likely very close, and actually realistic.

    http://www.exrx.net/Calculators/WalkRunMETs.html

    But you would indeed only eat back the NET, not the gross.
  • scorpio516
    scorpio516 Posts: 955 Member
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    60 minutes @ 250 lbs. 1000 KCal is believable. A little high probably, but not out of the realm of possibility.
    If you were 150 lbs, then it would be BS (1000 KCal/hr @ 150 is VERY hard work!)

    HOWEVER, 220-age IS wrong. It's correct for almost no person in the world. If you are basing your calorie consumption on calories burned via heart rate, then you need to find out what your max HR is. A cardiologist would find that. Your GP might. Or you can do a TT.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
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    At that weight it's very possible for a male to burn that many calories in an hour. I'm still thinking it's unlikely on zumba, but it does move to the realm of the possible
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,704 Member
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    How long was the class?

    About two hours and 32 minutes, I reckon.

    Did you get promoted?
    Yep. Fear me now.:laugh:

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,704 Member
    Options
    no it was an hour long class. This is actually not official "Zumba" but called Sensazao (you can see youtube videos) which is a VA dance company. I say zumba because it is very zumba like except:
    1. no slow songs
    2. no breaks unless teaching a new step
    3. high intensity - lots of jumping, kicking, squatting etc.
    4. local zumba instructors borrow their songs/steps in their own classes (thats how i came to know about them).

    i am 250 right now.
    I guess even if this ends up being burning 400calories it was still a lot of fun!
    It's possible then. I probably wouldn't count 1000 calories just to be safe. I'd rely more on like 800 calories.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • Shaselai
    Shaselai Posts: 151
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    Sadly for women there is huge bell curve for accuracy, and even the 220-age for HRmax you have better chance of being 10 bpm away from that then in range.

    Even nice Polar with lab measured stats entered had issues. Without those stats but HRM measured or calculated ones - really bad.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/459580-polar-hrm-calorie-burn-estimate-accuracy-study


    But you can test yours for how close in accuracy it is to really best estimate. And if you can do the test reaching a running speed that gets your HR up to that same 153 for about 15-20 min, you'll know what the real calorie burn was at that HR.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/774337-how-to-test-hrm-for-how-accurate-calorie-burn-is

    Sadly as commented though, that workout wasn't steady-state, so avgHR was actually inflated above what it needed to be.
    You'll notice that on the treadmill test, as you increase pace to get HR up, you'll see it go up to certain level, and then drop back down in 1-4 min depending on your fitness to where it really needs to be, meaning for the entire time prior to drop back it was inflated above where it needed to be.

    And don't do the test after having a double espresso or meds that get your HR up, nor after the class, but prior.

    I know i get sweaty pretty much within 2nd-3rd song which is within 10 minutes. if you see some of the videos it is pretty intense, even more so with so many others nearby.
    I will check out the treadmill test later today and bring back some results later to see how my HRM compares to it. Coincidentally i have my general checkup next week so maybe if possible i will try to get my max HR checked?
  • djprice_69
    djprice_69 Posts: 115 Member
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    I have the Polar FT4, and it seems to be working great. I've done comparisons when simply walking between my HRM and my old pedometer, and they matched up so close it was scary. I've also tried run/walk intervals on a treadmill while holding onto the hand-grips so the machine could track it as well, and once again they matched up almost verbatim. I've been using my FT4 every time I work out ever since and I'm quite pleased with it.

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