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Heart Rate & Calorie Accuracy
- Thread starter Pewpewpew
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Well I compared it to some app that uses the iPhone's camera, and it turns out the watch was way more accurate.
An app uses the iPhone's camera for HR? I doubt that is an accurate comparison . A HR chest strap would be good to compare against
I tend to just let it happen and view it later. If I decide to view it when I want and I watch the "measuring" screen, I find it raises my heart beat. 80 when watching, 60+ when not lol
Is 60+ right for your age group, resting HR? Seems low?
I use that app now and it is scary accurate, I used it just after taking my normal HR with a certified medical device and it was off by only 1 bpm. Your finger has a pulse and that is how it works. Pretty awesome actually!
If you guys want to check if it's accurate. Why don't you just put two fingers on your wrist and count how many times you feel it per minute. Most accurate and precise way to check your HR without a stethoscope.
Heart Rate & Calorie Accuracy
I finally got to try out the Workout App this morning at the gym and I was pleased to verify the heart rate sensor on the treadmill. But I got some odd readings when weightlifting.
I started off doing a fast paced walk with incline on treadmill (3.5 speed, 9 incline) for about 45 minutes. I set the workout to indoor walk. The heart rate sensor on the treadmill was at most 1-2 bpm off of the apple watch so I was very pleased to see that they correlated (I checked every 5 min or so). Though when I finished, the treadmil said I burned about 400 calories whereas the apple watch said 255 calories. I didn't set my height/weight on the treadmill so perhaps this is why...I will keep testing...
Then I proceeded with my Chest Workout (Weights). I set the workout initially to "Other" which the watch says it is the equivalent of a "Brisk Walk". And this is where I noticed some inaccuracy in the Heart Rate readings. There were moments after a set where I was for sure over 100 bpm, and the apple watch would constantly say 65-70 (Which is my resting heart rate when I wake up).
I then switched the workout to "Indoor Walk" and I got more accurate readings initially (120bmp-150bpm after sets), but after some time again I got low heart rate reading repeatedly (60-80 bpm). This was disappointing.
FYI: I had the watch as snug as possible (One notch tighter than normal).
Anyone else have some testing experience or input?
I finally got to try out the Workout App this morning at the gym and I was pleased to verify the heart rate sensor on the treadmill. But I got some odd readings when weightlifting.
I started off doing a fast paced walk with incline on treadmill (3.5 speed, 9 incline) for about 45 minutes. I set the workout to indoor walk. The heart rate sensor on the treadmill was at most 1-2 bpm off of the apple watch so I was very pleased to see that they correlated (I checked every 5 min or so). Though when I finished, the treadmil said I burned about 400 calories whereas the apple watch said 255 calories. I didn't set my height/weight on the treadmill so perhaps this is why...I will keep testing...
Then I proceeded with my Chest Workout (Weights). I set the workout initially to "Other" which the watch says it is the equivalent of a "Brisk Walk". And this is where I noticed some inaccuracy in the Heart Rate readings. There were moments after a set where I was for sure over 100 bpm, and the apple watch would constantly say 65-70 (Which is my resting heart rate when I wake up).
I then switched the workout to "Indoor Walk" and I got more accurate readings initially (120bmp-150bpm after sets), but after some time again I got low heart rate reading repeatedly (60-80 bpm). This was disappointing.
FYI: I had the watch as snug as possible (One notch tighter than normal).
Anyone else have some testing experience or input?
I thought I read somewhere that when set to "Other" the watch only reads the HR every 10 minutes (like it does when the workout app is not being used). Not sure about "Indoor Walk" but I am going to try that the next weight workout I do and compare the results.
I went for a 40 minute walk both days over the weekend and had the same problem as you where the Apple Watch kept saying my heart rate was 60-80 bpm (usually around 65). I was using the Outdoor Walk setting in the Workout app.
Weird thing is after I got home I was monitoring it and the HRM on the watch matched what I was getting from my chest strap HRM. It was only during the workout that it was acting up.
I use a chest strap with my Garmin 500 while cycling. Using the Outdoor Cycling workout on the watch the rate matches. The only thing I saw different in all the metrics they share was calorie burn. The difference was about 80 calories after an hour and a half which is good enough for me.
Did the watch show 80 calories lower? I have noticed my calories burned are not as high as other estimators and apps tracking heart rate have shown in the past. Which I am ok with but I would be interested to see some of the scientific data to see what you truly are burning at certain heart rates. I would think it is very dependent on what you are doing. Which is the problem with the "other" option.
No, the watch showed 80 calories higher than Garmin in my case. Part of it could be that my Garmin is getting data from more places like my speed and cadence sensor the watch cant see. I only use the numbers as a rough estimate because on the other side I have intake which at best is an estimate. My main app for calorie tracking (MyFitnessPal) does a nice job and has a large food selection but really how does it know if a slice of pizza is 200 calories. General example. There are so many factors that can change the real numbers that only a lab would be able to generate accurate numbers. Estimation is fine for me. I have used these tracking tools to build better habits, not chart a scientific record so they have been good enough.
That's very interesting. I also get inaccurate measurements when weightlifting using the "Other" setting. Sometimes they're spot on - other times not. And the watch itself often cannot measure my heart rate for up to a minute at a time when on the "Other" setting. Definitely need to iron out some creases there, as it's accurate on the other workout options.
Consumer Reports, one of the most trusted and well-respected consumer advocacy groups, says the sensors are accurate.
Yeah, but if that's all the testing they did on heart rate, I'm not impressed. Two guys jogging 10 min/mile on a treadmill isn't a very rigorous test.
24/7 by MotionX. It works on the same principle, but I don't know how accurate it is. You place your index finger over both the camera lens and flash. Hit start - the light comes on and your finger glows red, the camera records the blood movement, the software analyzes it. This is like the pulsemeter that clips onto your finger at the Dr.s office.
Remember guys, for the HRM to work right, the strap has to be snug enough so it doesn't move around at all -- but not so tight that it constricts the blood flow. And it can't be right at your hand if you wrist bones prevent it from contacting well.