HRM accuracy with different workout zone?

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Serephan
Serephan Posts: 2 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
i had a question about the accuracy of HRMs. In my particular case, my heart rate has always been higher than normal when working out My resting HR is about 60 (pretty normal), but when I workout enough to really be sweating, it's generally between180 and 200. I've read that the target zone is usually 140-160 or 170 (I'm 25 and in pretty good shape). My thought is that my HR just tends to go up faster than average for the same amount of work.

My concern is that HRMs calcaulate calories burned based off the average target zone, while mine is higher. Would this potentially give 'calories burned' readings that are higher than they should be?

Looking around the forums, I've seen that MFP estimates are usually too high. However, when I do insanity month 2 workouts, HRM tells me I burn around 800-900, but the MFP entry for aerobics high-impact (closest I can find) says 500.

What do you guys think? Do you think my HRM is estimating too high? At this point, I've been taking about 75% or 80% of what my HRM tells me and using that as my actual 'calories burned' number (though that still seems pretty high to me).

Replies

  • mrsmarit
    mrsmarit Posts: 229 Member
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    From what I have seen always go with the HRM. MFP is not that accurate.

    I did 1 hour of circuit training last night.. HRM said about 400 calories.. MFP said 770.
  • catwoman131
    catwoman131 Posts: 55
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    I've got the same question. My new FT4 says I am burning 650 calories/hr in the same workout that I've always estimated burned about 450. I hope the HRM is right, but I don't want to credit myself with those extra 200 calories if it's an error.
  • Shadow1954
    Shadow1954 Posts: 3 Member
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    I use a Polar FT80 which seems pretty accurate for HR and calorie burn. MFP probably uses an average for intensity. My calorie burn can differ by 200 depending on my workout. Even so I try to allow a 2-300 calorie cushion for possible error. Don't know why your HR would go up so fast unless your hitting it real hard right away with little or no warm up.
  • Jynus
    Jynus Posts: 519 Member
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    A HRM worth it's salt has inputs for RHR and MHR and bases it's burn formula factoring that in. If you havn't entered that info, your HRM is either a cheapy, or not programmed properly.

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