Started By
Message
locked post

Heart Rate Monitors: How Accurate Are They?

Posted on 3/26/15 at 9:26 am
Posted by Homey the Clown
Member since Feb 2009
6018 posts
Posted on 3/26/15 at 9:26 am
I bought a heart rate monitor yesterday so that I can get an accurate reading on how many calories I burn while lifting weights, since you can't get a really accurate estimate because of different intensities, break lengths, and amount of weight being lifted unless you monitor your heart rate.

So I synced it to my Nike+ GPS watch yesterday, and went for a 3 mile jog to test it out. I averaged a little over 11 minutes per mile. The duration of the jog was 34 minutes. My average heart rate was 170. And my watch, being connected to my heart rate monitor, said I burned 590 calories. I was blown away by this number. Before I had the heart rate monitor, the same jog, at the same pace recorded 393 calories burned, which was an estimate based on my weight and sex. Could I accually be burning what the heart rate monitor is indicating? Or is that inaccurate?

TL;DR: heart rate monitor says I'm burning way more calories than I assumed.
This post was edited on 3/26/15 at 9:35 am
Posted by theunknownknight
Baton Rouge
Member since Sep 2005
60100 posts
Posted on 3/26/15 at 9:27 am to
about 1 in 10 I would say
This post was edited on 3/26/15 at 9:28 am
Posted by DosManos
Member since Oct 2013
3552 posts
Posted on 3/26/15 at 9:27 am to
What is your height and weight and does your monitor take them into consideration?
Posted by theunknownknight
Baton Rouge
Member since Sep 2005
60100 posts
Posted on 3/26/15 at 9:29 am to
Real answer - depends on if you can sync them with your iphone 6.
Posted by Tiger Ryno
#WoF
Member since Feb 2007
107471 posts
Posted on 3/26/15 at 9:30 am to
those numbers seem way off. 170 is pretty high for an average for a jog at an 11 minute pace unless you are morbidly obese
Posted by theunknownknight
Baton Rouge
Member since Sep 2005
60100 posts
Posted on 3/26/15 at 9:30 am to
quote:

went for a 3 mile jog to test it out. I averaged a little over 11 minutes per mile.


subtle brag
Posted by DosManos
Member since Oct 2013
3552 posts
Posted on 3/26/15 at 9:31 am to
Yeah 170 is high for an average. You sure it wasn't your max heart rate?
Posted by Homey the Clown
Member since Feb 2009
6018 posts
Posted on 3/26/15 at 9:31 am to
quote:

170 is pretty high for an average for a jog


This is very close to when I run on a treadmill and use the finger clip. Also about the same as when I go hard on the elliptical.
Posted by Homey the Clown
Member since Feb 2009
6018 posts
Posted on 3/26/15 at 9:32 am to
I maxed out at 181 for the jog.
Posted by bamafan1001
Member since Jun 2011
15783 posts
Posted on 3/26/15 at 9:34 am to
I use a Polar HR monitor. I check it all the time and its always dead on
Posted by Homey the Clown
Member since Feb 2009
6018 posts
Posted on 3/26/15 at 9:34 am to
quote:

What is your height and weight and does your monitor take them into consideration?


5' 7" 170

My height, weight, age, and sex are all plugged into the watch, which is synced to the HRM.
Posted by Tiger Ryno
#WoF
Member since Feb 2007
107471 posts
Posted on 3/26/15 at 9:34 am to
I don't see how your average HR could be that high if you are "jogging" at an 11 minute pace. something is rotten in denmark.
Posted by tiger91
In my own little world
Member since Nov 2005
39941 posts
Posted on 3/26/15 at 9:35 am to
quote:

170 is pretty high for an average for a jog at an 11 minute pace unless you are morbidly obese


I don't know that this assumption can be made. HR is so variable from person to person -- there's no "normal range" ... mine at that pace is higher than 170 and I'm not even close to obese. My max is HIGH.

I have a Garmin ... really like it.
This post was edited on 3/26/15 at 9:38 am
Posted by Homey the Clown
Member since Feb 2009
6018 posts
Posted on 3/26/15 at 9:35 am to
quote:

Polar HR monitor


This is what I bought.
Posted by Homey the Clown
Member since Feb 2009
6018 posts
Posted on 3/26/15 at 9:38 am to
When I say a "jog", its really the best pace I can get right now since I've been inactive since about october, when I was averaging 5 miles at 9:30 a mile per run, but I didn't want to get into the whole "11 minute mile isn't a run" debate.
Posted by DosManos
Member since Oct 2013
3552 posts
Posted on 3/26/15 at 9:39 am to
Interesting that you max out at 181 and your average is 170. My range is so much broader, but my physical dimensions are not similar to yours.

OP- are you a hummingbird?
Posted by usc6158
Member since Feb 2008
38475 posts
Posted on 3/26/15 at 9:39 am to
The heart rate monitor itself was likely right on unless you were wearing it incorrectly. However, calorie counts are completely meaningless unless you're using a power meter to measure the amount of work you're doing directly rather than indirectly through heart rate.
Posted by DosManos
Member since Oct 2013
3552 posts
Posted on 3/26/15 at 9:41 am to
quote:

However, calorie counts are completely meaningless unless you're using a power meter to measure the amount of work you're doing directly rather than indirectly through heart rate.


But is it safe to assume that the monitor is either over-estimating or under-estimating calories based only on heart rate?
Posted by LucasP
Member since Apr 2012
21618 posts
Posted on 3/26/15 at 9:41 am to
Despite all the assumptions that modern medicine makes, we still have no way of knowing whether or not a heart actually beats let alone at one pace. You're buying parlor tricks and cheap magic.
Posted by Homey the Clown
Member since Feb 2009
6018 posts
Posted on 3/26/15 at 9:43 am to
So how do I get an accurate read on calories burned? I've researched online, and from what I've read, it said that the amount of calories a HRM says you burn during a workout is accurate within about 12%. Is that complwtely false?
first pageprev pagePage 1 of 3Next pagelast page

Back to top
logoFollow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News
Follow us on X, Facebook and Instagram to get the latest updates on LSU Football and Recruiting.

FacebookXInstagram