Stength training

Z_I_L_L_A

How do you know how many calories strength training burns?

SpeedBump1

I've read from others on here that they use a HRM with the chest strap.

msproducer

You would have to get a heart rate monitor. I have the Polar FT4.

Shweedog

Exactly? HRM. On the site? Type strength training into the cardio section and then enter minutes spent doing it.

erickirb

It is very hard to estimate and keep in mind that with strength training most of the burn comes from the 48 or so hours after the workout as you muscles recover (your cal/burned per hour would be slightly above maintenance to repair muscles). So you may only burn 4-5 cals/ minute during strength training but you will burn more per hour for the next day or 2.

You can use MFP's estimate of calories burned. by entering "strength training" in the cardio section.

Z_I_L_L_A

I know I've gotta burn alot when I superset or circuit train.

sbilyeu75

The HRM isn't really accurate for strength training. I used a Body Media for a month to figure out how much I burned during strength training and it ended up being a little over half of what my HRM was saying. So, I still use my HRM but I cut the calories it says I burned in half.

ninerbuff

I've read from others on here that they use a HRM with the chest strap.

Not a good way to gauge actually calories burned. Since there is so much rest time between sets, that rest time is just recovery and the body isn't moving. When I hear people tell me they burned 800 calories in 30 minutes of strength training, then I know that's false unless they were running laps between sets.

erickirb

You would have to get a heart rate monitor. I have the Polar FT4.

Actually HRM's are not accurate during strength training as the increase in your heart rate is due to different physiological response than steady state cardio and the calculation in the HRM assumes your oxygen uptake is higher as happens with cardio but not strength training. On top of that most strength training routines have more resting then working time, so if you don't pause between sets that would also over estimate the burn.

erickirb

I know I've gotta burn alot when I superset or circuit train.

enter "circuit training" on days you do a circuit to get an estimate.

Z_I_L_L_A

There is rest time between sets but at the 2nd half of my workout I do supersets without rest.