HR monitor during weights

klrmumbles
klrmumbles Posts: 12 Member
edited 1:17PM in Fitness and Exercise
Is my Polar HR monitor accurate for calories burned doing weights? (specifically chalean extreme)

Replies

  • LaurenAOK
    LaurenAOK Posts: 2,475 Member
    It should be accurate for any type of exercise, weights included! Your HRM doesn't differentiate between types of exercise, it just gets your heart rate and estimates calories burned from that.
  • imbanter
    imbanter Posts: 72 Member
    I can't speak for how accurate that monitor is but if the core of your questions is do you burn calories lifting weights the short answer is YES. Anyone that claims you don't or can't get cardio lifting weights is 100% wrong.
  • juicemoogan
    juicemoogan Posts: 994 Member
    Yeah i don't understand why people say its only good for steady state cardio...

    Do they think people start their cardio and are IMMEDIATELY in the correct heart rate zone throughout?

    on a run are you constantly at the same pace the whole time? most people take a break at some point, slow down speed up heart rate changes... That's exactly the same thing that happens to your heart rate when lifting.. so why Wouldnt it work?
  • JAllen32
    JAllen32 Posts: 991 Member
    Yes. As long as your HRM is accurate, then it is accurate during any exercise you do.
  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
    It should be accurate for any type of exercise, weights included! Your HRM doesn't differentiate between types of exercise, it just gets your heart rate and estimates calories burned from that.

    You're right in that it doesn't differentiate between workouts. It thinks everything is steady state cardio. Which means it's nowhere near accurate for lifting weights.

    The mathematical formulas are based on the calories burned during cardio activities like running, swimming, cycling, or even walking.

    Additionally,

    Your heart rate stays elevated while you are resting between weights. This entire time, the heart rate monitor thinks you are doing some extremely intense cardio, and is counting calories based on this.

    For example,

    Heart rate can go through the roof on compound lifts, especially if you use the valsalva maneuver (holding breath)
    I'll do 1 set of 5 squats, takes about 30 seconds. My heart rate goes to about 170. It will take about 3 minutes to drop down to normal.

    Now, let's pretend the HRM is accurate for those 30 seconds. That would imply that 30 seconds of squatting burns the same calories as sprinting as hard as you can for 30 seconds. It may or may not be true, I don't know. But I do know that 30 seconds of sprinting wipes me out, and 5 squats just makes my legs a little tight-feeling.

    What about the next 3 minutes? The HRM is counting calories as if you are running at a very fast pace for 1 minute, jogging quickly for 2 more minutes...

    So what happened?

    It counted calories for 3:30 of intense exercise, when you were only moving for 30 seconds tops. As you do more, the gap increases.

    The only way you could hope to be accurate is if you PAUSE your HRM between sets and ASSUME that the increased heart rate from the lift you're doing burns the same calories as a suitably intense cardio activity in the same amountof time.

    Remember, heart rate doesn't burn calories. Movement burns calories. Movement pushes heart rate. HRMs monitor heart rate.


    (Juicemoogan: HRMs also have a similar limitation in cardio. If you sprint a bicycle up a hill, then coast all the way down, it's counting calories during the slow-down of your heart that you really aren't actually burning. HRMs are most accurate when the effort is the same, and least accurate the more the effort varies. Basic math and averages.)
  • juicemoogan
    juicemoogan Posts: 994 Member
    Wellbert..

    Thanks ..

    But yeah just as you said.. its a limitation of the HRM that it isn't intuitive and doesn't know when we are "coasting downhill" or resting between sets.. but counts it all the same..

    So i would say its not 100% accurate for anything (What is?).. but should we not use it at all or discount the counts for burns just because we are not sprinting??
    Your heart is still pumping... i would say no.
  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
    It's just important to remember that a fast beating heart doesn't burn calories (okay, a few) and it's the work your body does that burns them. Heart rate is just an indicator. HRMs just apply a formula based on steady cardio work to that indicator. Remember, you can't get the right answer if you apply the wrong math to the problem.


    So really, It's more accurate for some things than others. And it is the most accurate consumer electronics we can use!
    Plus it has the added benefit of helping you keep in a certain zone.
  • olee67
    olee67 Posts: 208 Member
    HRMs are an imperfect tool, but, important just the same. Before I start tracking my workouts though (whether I'm lifting or running or whatever), I try to get my HR up above 90 first. When I get all hooked up and stuff, I'm usually around a HR of 65. It doesn't take much though to get it up. A fast paced walk will generally get it up. Once it hits 90, I hit start and get tracking.
  • mustgetmuscles1
    mustgetmuscles1 Posts: 3,346 Member
    Not very accurate for weightlifting. Try just holding your breath with your HRM on. It will raise your heart rate but you wont actually be burning many calories. This is similar to what happens while lifting weights as was explained above. I have found that the calories that MFP gives for weightlifting under the cardio section has been relatively accurate for counting calories for fat loss. At least for me.
  • ichorica
    ichorica Posts: 475 Member
    I use...2 different HRM's. IU have one that I measure my HR every time after each set and one I just use for Cardio. I have switched them and to be honest they are similar. Not exact but very similar where it just doesn't even matter.
  • mustgetmuscles1
    mustgetmuscles1 Posts: 3,346 Member
    I dont have an HRM but I did try to use this chart to count calories for weightlifting. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/exercise/SM00109

    I found that the lower amount the MFP gives was more accurate than this one except maybe on leg day.
  • neverstray
    neverstray Posts: 3,845 Member
    I've done a bit of research on this, and the first handful of posts are 100% wrong. It is very inaccurate. The gentleman above that excplained it very well is being very gentle and kind. But, the truth is, it's absolutely dead wrong. It's not made for that type of workout. But, do whatever you want. We both have the exact same amounts of information avialable to us. You can search google for HRM monitoring for weight lifting, and see what you get out of it.

    But, here's what I suggest. Rather than saying, "It's seems to me..." And, "It makes sense because..." rather than embarrasing yourself by jumping to incorrect conclusions, do some research first. The info is free and easy to quickly find out the answer to your question. Then, after you are educated on the topic, you can then state your opinion; not what you think, but what you read.
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