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Heart Rate Monitor Vs Gym Equipment

Jinxy23
Jinxy23 Posts: 33 Member
edited November 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
So I finally got my first Heart Rate Monitor (the Polar 4).
Strapped on the chest strap, programmed in all my details and headed off for my workout.
The machines at the gym (First fitness or something) seemed to keep fairly close to what my heart rate monitor was telling me but...
the calorie burn was WAY off. And I don't mean that the Polar was giving me a lower calorie burn (which is what I had expected) but the exact opposite.

For example, I cycled for 30mins and the gym machine said I had burnt 139 calories, while my HRM said a massive 283!
That is a difference of about 140 calories (Which is also a nice bit of chocolate lol)

I know I should probably lean towards the lower reading but what does everyone make of this? I just hadn't expected it.

Replies

  • yopeeps025
    yopeeps025 Posts: 8,680 Member
    HRM are more tailor to the user since you input information. Machines are very inaccurate.
  • AllanMisner
    AllanMisner Posts: 4,140 Member
    Estimates. Plug in what you think is reasonable and move on.
  • wizzybeth
    wizzybeth Posts: 3,574 Member
    Did the machine have you put in your weight and age? The machines at my gym do. I still don't believe the numbers they give me though, lol. I would probably take the 139 for 30 minutes of cycling. That sounds reasonable to me. But then again, I don't know your weight...if you are quite heavy, then you will burn more calories than someone who is not overweight.
  • Jinxy23
    Jinxy23 Posts: 33 Member
    I always pop my weight and age in the machines at the gym :)
    It does seem the lower seems more accurate, give i'm currently 64kg/142 lbs
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    yopeeps025 wrote: »
    HRM are more tailor to the user since you input information. Machines are very inaccurate.

    Not necessarily. If you can update your VO2 max, it is a little better but they are still based on averages. It is still an estimation.

    OP you may find this article helpful.
    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

    I always go with the lowest unless it is unreasonably low. 139 calories for a half hour isn't to me.
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