HRM accuracy - opinions

boberrymom
boberrymom Posts: 361 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I was just wondering what you think the accuracy of a heart rate monitor like mine is like. I have a sportline wrist type. I have all of my information put in. And i usually just use for exercising but am wondering the real accuracy.
I decided today to wear it since first thing this morning. Since it's rest day i thought i might be more accurate for me for a daily caloric count. I am not exercising today as it is a rest day and have done nothing strenuous at all, just normal walk around the house and clean here or there and i traveled in town by van to a chiropractor and massage appointment so its been very very quiet.

I also changed it back to time so that i wasn't constantly looking at it and was just ignoring, but i wanted to see what it says at this moment and i've had it on for 5.5 hrs and it says 6659 cals.....does this even make sense? How accurate do you think these are? I am waiting for my body media but it concerns me of the accuracy.
Opinions?

Jess

Replies

  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    I have had a watch-only type, and a chest strap type. I found that the watch-only model was not very accurate. It's only going off of whatever your heart rate was when you last touched the face and took a reading, whereas the chest strap monitors your heart continuously through a workout.

    That being said, neither type is designed or programmed to track cals all day long, so whatever readings you're getting for that are going to be inaccurate. For all day tracking you need something like a FitBit or Body Bugg, which are designed to track all day.

    Hope that helps!
  • thisismeraw
    thisismeraw Posts: 1,264 Member
    The watch only model will not be totally accurate as it only takes your last HR into account. So, for it to be accurate you would need to be taking your HR by putting your finger on the watch constantly. A chest strap HRM is much more accurate as it takes a constant HR throughout your workout.

    I originally purchased a Sportline HRM and returned it two days later. In my opinion it's a waste of money without the chest strap.

    Also, unless it's a fitbit or a bodymedia HRMs are not designed to be worn all day. They are only accurate during exercise when your HR is increased.
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    You need a chest strap for accuracy and a HRM is not meant to be worn all the time or you get wildly inflated numbers which you've already discovered. A HRM is set with algorithms to calculate calorie burn based on a significantly raised HR such as doing steady state cardio. I find my Polar FT 4 very accurate for running and cycling.
  • boberrymom
    boberrymom Posts: 361 Member
    Okay, and these are the things that i thought. I was wondering why it was so flippin' high but that makes sense. I can't wait till i get my body media. It just makes me wonder how accurate it is when i am exercising until my body media comes in.

    Thanks so much for your replies :)

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