Calories during non-cardio work

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LMRoses
LMRoses Posts: 148 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hey all, just a quick question in regards to logging calories burnt during exercise. For a few weeks now, I've been using my Polar HRM to track calories burnt during my running and walking, however today I've started adding a ltitle weights work to my routine as well. My question is, do I keep the HRM going to track calories burnt during the weights work, since my heart rate is still elevated and I'm still sweating it, or do I stop once the cardio part of my workout is essentially done? Any input would be great, thanks :)

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  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    No, HRM uses your HR to gauge intensity due to cardio to estimate your oxygen uptake. Your HR being elevated due to strength training is caused by different physiological reasons, so the oxygen uptake portion of the calculation in the HRM would not be correct for anything other than cardio activity. That being said, it may still be a better estimate then other methods but beware that it will be an over estimation for that portion of your workout.
  • ChelseaM18
    ChelseaM18 Posts: 303
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    Yeah I think you should. Seeing as some people solely use weight-lifting as a workout and no cardio. Weights will still lift your heart rate pretty significantly, well, I've found lol.

    Good luck and great work with the exercise routine :D
  • sunshinesonata
    sunshinesonata Posts: 241 Member
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    Hey all, just a quick question in regards to logging calories burnt during exercise. For a few weeks now, I've been using my Polar HRM to track calories burnt during my running and walking, however today I've started adding a ltitle weights work to my routine as well. My question is, do I keep the HRM going to track calories burnt during the weights work, since my heart rate is still elevated and I'm still sweating it, or do I stop once the cardio part of my workout is essentially done? Any input would be great, thanks :)

    Keep your HRM going during your strength training. It might be a little off because it's weight training, but you're using that HRM for information purposes, and that's exactly what it's giving you. Even if it is off by a few calories.

    You can always research some information to figure out exactly what is the best route for you to take.
  • salxtai
    salxtai Posts: 341 Member
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    No, HRM uses your HR to gauge intensity due to cardio to estimate your oxygen uptake. Your HR being elevated due to strength training is caused by different physiological reasons, so the oxygen uptake portion of the calculation in the HRM would not be correct for anything other than cardio activity. That being said, it may still be a better estimate then other methods but beware that it will be an over estimation for that portion of your workout.


    +1. This.
  • mrswinstead
    mrswinstead Posts: 71
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    Hey all, just a quick question in regards to logging calories burnt during exercise. For a few weeks now, I've been using my Polar HRM to track calories burnt during my running and walking, however today I've started adding a ltitle weights work to my routine as well. My question is, do I keep the HRM going to track calories burnt during the weights work, since my heart rate is still elevated and I'm still sweating it, or do I stop once the cardio part of my workout is essentially done? Any input would be great, thanks :)

    Keep your HRM going during your strength training. It might be a little off because it's weight training, but you're using that HRM for information purposes, and that's exactly what it's giving you. Even if it is off by a few calories.

    You can always research some information to figure out exactly what is the best route for you to take.

    I agree. It works for me.
  • LMRoses
    LMRoses Posts: 148 Member
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    Thanks very much for the information! It looks like it may be a good idea to keep it going, but take note of calories burnt once I've finshed the cardio work, and then round the final total down a bit. Alternatively, I could only enter the cardio calories and just use any extras burnt off during weight work as a buffer in case I mis calculated food or..whatever ;)

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