Calories burned on strength training days

Heart rate monitors are not designed to estimate calorie burns from weight training because the formula they use to determine calorie burns is based on average STEADY STATE heart rate. With weight training, you don't have a steady state heart rate. The heart rate will drastically go up and down, with it primarily being down more with heavy weight training because of the long rest between sets and primarily up with lighter weight high repetition and little rest. Not to mention that while that is fine for estimating the energy cost of the cardiorespiratory system, a heart rate monitor can't estimate the energy cost of moving a heavy resistance. You could break out the college physics books to figure the energy cost of moving a weight a certain distance if you want, but that wouldn't estimate the cardiorespiratory energy expenditure. In a lab setting, however, you can measure the actual calorie expenditure with either direct calorimetery (where all of the intake of food and water and all of the output of waste is measured to determine calorie burns) or indirect calorimetery (where all oxygen and carbon dioxide inhaled and exhaled are measured) to get a more accurate estimate of intensity of exercise and calorie burns. Basically, they take the lab results and determine the average MET level for various exercises to use the METs compendium to estimate calorie burns for those people who can't get into a lab to be measured. As an exercise physiologist, I use the MET level for estimating calorie burns because it is more accurate for things like weight training and also for people on various medications that effect heart rate. You can do the same calculations at home with a METs compendium. I recommend this one: http://prevention.sph.sc.edu/tools/docs/documents_compendium.pdf

To do the calculation, pick the activity that is closest to what you are doing. Be sure and look at all of the options as there are multiple options for weight training based on the intensity. (IE: 3 METs for light or moderate weight and 6 METs for vigorous or heavy weight). Take the MET level and multiply it by your weight in KILOGRAMS and then by 0.0175 to get the Calories per minute.

Here's an example:

220 pound person / 2.2 = 100 Kilogram person

Vigorous free weight training = 6 METs

100 x 6 x 0.0175 = 10.5 Calories per minute

60 minute workout = 10.5 x 60 = 630 Calories burned

Heart rate monitors are not designed to estimate calorie burns from weight training because the formula they use to determine calorie burns is based on average STEADY STATE heart rate. With weight training, you don't have a steady state heart rate. The heart rate will drastically go up and down, with it primarily being down more with heavy weight training because of the long rest between sets and primarily up with lighter weight high repetition and little rest. Not to mention that while that is fine for estimating the energy cost of the cardiorespiratory system, a heart rate monitor can't estimate the energy cost of moving a heavy resistance. You could break out the college physics books to figure the energy cost of moving a weight a certain distance if you want, but that wouldn't estimate the cardiorespiratory energy expenditure. In a lab setting, however, you can measure the actual calorie expenditure with either direct calorimetery (where all of the intake of food and water and all of the output of waste is measured to determine calorie burns) or indirect calorimetery (where all oxygen and carbon dioxide inhaled and exhaled are measured) to get a more accurate estimate of intensity of exercise and calorie burns. Basically, they take the lab results and determine the average MET level for various exercises to use the METs compendium to estimate calorie burns for those people who can't get into a lab to be measured. As an exercise physiologist, I use the MET level for estimating calorie burns because it is more accurate for things like weight training and also for people on various medications that effect heart rate. You can do the same calculations at home with a METs compendium. I recommend this one: http://prevention.sph.sc.edu/tools/docs/documents_compendium.pdf

To do the calculation, pick the activity that is closest to what you are doing. Be sure and look at all of the options as there are multiple options for weight training based on the intensity. (IE: 3 METs for light or moderate weight and 6 METs for vigorous or heavy weight). Take the MET level and multiply it by your weight in KILOGRAMS and then by 0.0175 to get the Calories per minute.

Here's an example:

220 pound person / 2.2 = 100 Kilogram person

Vigorous free weight training = 6 METs

100 x 6 x 0.0175 = 10.5 Calories per minute

60 minute workout = 10.5 x 60 = 630 Calories burned

Newbie here. How do the heart rate monitors work? Do they actually tell you how many calories you are burning? I'm interested in buying one, but can't afford anything fancy.