Heart Rate Monitor (HRM) very inaccurate when doing weights and pull ups, how can I get it working properly?

[RoySwift]

Heart Rate Monitor (HRM) very inaccurate when doing weights and pull ups

I work out 6 days a week and wear a Polar HRM with a chest strap. This is a pretty accurate device and is purpose built to read heart rates.

My last few workouts I wore both devices and while I was stretching, both devices were within 5 - 6 beats per min (BPM).

However when I was doing pull ups, my Polar HRM registered about 150-155 BPM (yes I was working hard) while the Band 2 was at 90 for the entirety of my exercise, after I finished my exercise and stood still, the Band 2 slowly crept up to about 125 as my Polar HRM showed my BPM going down from 150 to 125 (cooling down).

Why is the optical sensor not able to keep up with my heart rate when I am doing exercise ?

 

[WPmunkey]

Re: Heart Rate Monitor (HRM) very inaccurate when doing weights and pull ups

All I know is that a chest strap device will always be more accurate. I'm not sure about the Band vs other wrist devices tho. I assume they are similar.

 

[RoySwift]

Re: Heart Rate Monitor (HRM) very inaccurate when doing weights and pull ups

Accurate is one thing yes, but a total inability to keep up with a high heart rate while exercising is not doing what its designed to do. MSoft people what say you ?

 

[willow007]

Re: Heart Rate Monitor (HRM) very inaccurate when doing weights and pull ups

Was the HR meassured or estimated? During several EMS sessions (the hard version) it meassured only a few times and the rest was estimated... same thing: 90 while I was close to death... suddenly it recognized my HR and jumped up to 160... at the end it said that I burned 200 kcal (everyone who did a real EMS session for 25 min will know that this far away from reality)

During TRX I had similar problems (but not all the time). Running yesterday worked fine. While two walks in between (trees laying on the way) the hr jumps up to 180... started running again it went back to 150

 

[RoySwift]

Re: Heart Rate Monitor (HRM) very inaccurate when doing weights and pull ups

Hi there - my HR was measured accurately with the Polar HRM chest strap and watch - this is the same model that gyms use to assess someone's fitness.

So your experience is similar to mine, the Band doesnt keep up with all your changes in Heart Rate when doing what you would call cross-training or erratic movements, mine jumps up to the correct reading as soon as I stop moving about. I believe it has to do with arm movement and the fact that there is an algorithm that helps the lights measure the HRM.

 

[jdg1band2]

Re: Heart Rate Monitor (HRM) very inaccurate when doing weights and pull ups

I work out 6 days a week and wear a Polar HRM with a chest strap. This is a pretty accurate device and is purpose built to read heart rates.

My last few workouts I wore both devices and while I was stretching, both devices were within 5 - 6 beats per min (BPM).

However when I was doing pull ups, my Polar HRM registered about 150-155 BPM (yes I was working hard) while the Band 2 was at 90 for the entirety of my exercise, after I finished my exercise and stood still, the Band 2 slowly crept up to about 125 as my Polar HRM showed my BPM going down from 150 to 125 (cooling down).

Why is the optical sensor not able to keep up with my heart rate when I am doing exercise ?

An optical sensor will never be as acurate when doing any type exercise which uses your arm muscles because the capillaries are restricted when the muscles expand. That's why when you finish and allow the muscles to relax the sensor becomes acurate again. For weight training a chest strap is the best way to go.

 

[RoySwift]

Re: Heart Rate Monitor (HRM) very inaccurate when doing weights and pull ups

Ahhh no one has explained it like that before.

So question for you, if you are doing say lots of arm movements (like jumping jacks) or hands held in the air when you are say doing jump knee tucks - what causes the optical sensor not to be able to measure the high heart rate ? (maybe its the muscles expanding in the same way ?)

 

[jdg1band2]

Re: Heart Rate Monitor (HRM) very inaccurate when doing weights and pull ups

I would think exercises like jumping jacks should not be much different than running

 

[RoySwift]

Re: Heart Rate Monitor (HRM) very inaccurate when doing weights and pull ups

I will try again but anything with wild arm waving seems to knock out the accuracy of the Band.

Microsoft - please comment..

 

[bh5213]

Re: Heart Rate Monitor (HRM) very inaccurate when doing weights and pull ups

I do a lot of Insanity and T25 workouts. The HR does rather well when doing upright exercises. But slows down or registers on the low end when doing floor exercises like push ups and burpees. I figured it had something to do with the position of the wrist restricting the blood flow.

 

[Jazmac]

Re: Heart Rate Monitor (HRM) very inaccurate when doing weights and pull ups

I never expected these BPM wrist devices to be more accurate than an arm cuff, or in the OP's case, a sensor strapped across your chest. It should be most accurate since it is closest to your heart. But a BPM of 90 is abnormally low IMO. You could have a faulty Band. I have the first Band and it seems to track a bit better than the one you're wearing.

At any rate, you shouldn't expect any of these devices on your wrist to do what a true arm cuff device can do. They simply won't accurately reflect what is going on with your BP. Moreover, the readings between one BPM monitor and another will differ. Use them as an indicator but don't expect them to be medically sound.