Fitness+ and heart rate woes.

[goneeuro02]

Hi everyone, I am asking this for my wife. She has had the same issue with her series 7 and 8 watches. When doing a Fitness+ workout, her heart rate will show for a minute or two to start, stop reading for 5 to 10 minutes, and then come back. Any idea what it could be? She has the watch on pretty tight so I don't think it's light pollution but it could be. Do you think we should bring the watch in and see if they will swap it out to try a new one?

 

[StumpyBloke]

No point in taking it anywhere. It's a known problem with all devices like this. I have had this issue with every single one of my Apple Watches back from the first release to my Ultra. Apple recommend trying to move the watch further up the arm, still on the wrist area, making sure it is tight enough. I have actually tried that and it does seem to help a little bit. Worth a try?

 

[kitKAC]

This happens to me with my Series 6. Usually, it sorts itself out by the time I've finished the warm-up but it's still annoying.

 

[Jackbequickly]

Both my 6th and 7th series do this. I just reposition on the wrist and that usually takes care of it for the rest of the workout session. Like you it starts out reading your HR but quits after a few minuyes. Sometimes the reading will freeze and other time it will go blank. Just retighten and ajust a bit on the wrist.

 

[BigMcGuire]

I've recently started doing the kickboxing workouts. I've noticed on the movements where I am doing boxing - the heart rate monitor stops working. Tightening the band one notch seems to help a bit, but the watch just doesn't seem to like that much movement.

Also, during this time of year - I find the cold weather makes it much harder for the watch to get heart rate info. Summer? Almost no problem at all. Winter? Much harder (anything below 50F).

 

[Howard2k]

Start the heart rate before the exercise begins maybe? That seems to make it more reliable for me.

For the most part it seems to track the vast majority of my exercise (running). But something like boxing or some other high impact activity would I'm sure make it less reliable.

I think it's a combination of things: 1) Strap too loose, 2) Not positioned correctly, 3) too swift a change in heart rate may be difficult to nail down heart rate at a particular time, and 4) too much movement of the arm almost certainly contributes.


Also clean the back of the watch. If she sweats a lot (I do) she's soaking the back off the watch in that. I typically give it a good clean every week. Sometimes every couple of days in summer.

 

[GlenK]

Mine does that at times but the rate usually still shows on my iPhone. Know it's a pain but if you open Health app, open heart rate, then scroll down to show all data and select that day you can read the results.